“I had to live in the desert before I could understand the full value of grass in a green ditch.” -Ella Maillart

There is a deeper meaning here other than that of nature and one that we often fail to recognize, and it is never more relevant than now with immigration in the minds of so many.

We cannot know what someone else is going through unless we have experienced it ourselves and even then, it may be different. Yes, we can have a perception, make a judgment or believe we know, but this is not likely to be the reality for that person.

Moreover, until we realize this truth, many will shun the other person out of hate and/or ignorance. Some will be sympathetic, but at a loss about what to do, even feeling overwhelmed by it all. Still, more will project a story about how impossible it is to do, citing many false statements, about the effects on the economy and our resources. These statements are usually based on fear, not fact. Besides, they are often used to create fear in us so a particular group can move their agenda forward.

We must ask some tough question of ourselves and do what we know is the right thing to do, not based on fear, but in truth. Many will not have the courage to this because they are so conditioned by their beliefs that to question those beliefs means they may lose their identity of who they thought they were. Their life will cease to exist as they know it and that is terrifying to them. They will deny this because they are not even aware of it.

However, for those of you that will ask those questions or perhaps already have, we are enough to turn the tide. We need to have faith and take action when called to do so. We must stick to our convictions, do what we know is the right thing to do, and lead from the heart of truth, not from our fear.

It takes courage to dive deep into the unknown of our own being and question where our beliefs came from and whether they still hold true. We may find some that we defended with great gusto that we never even believed in, it was just conditioning from the beginning. However, to discover this, we must bring awareness into our lives. Because without taking this step we are destined to continue to reproduce our mistakes that history continues to show us and we continue to repeat.

As you read this post, notice how your body is feeling. Take a moment to close your eyes and be with the stillness in you. I guarantee you will find more truth here than you ever will by following the endless thoughts of your conditioning. If you find this hard, do not get discouraged; take baby steps to reconnect with the peace, truth, and presence that resides in you.