Among Us

First published 12/22/12.

​It’s taken me a week to find words for the unimaginable tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. Now that I’ve found words, I’m surprised at how they are revealing my personal perspective of being.

This is not a political blog. It is not a blog for improved mental health care. Important to say what it is not, since so many, in their personal sadness and outrage, are saying what it is. And I’m not making those blogs wrong, by the way. If you read on, you’ll see.

I believe that we are spiritual beings in human form; we are here to explore, to test, to feel and mostly, to remember that we are one and connected. We have created this life called human and become these wondrous beings called humanity. Imagine our spiritual life on another plane: formlessness, perfection, peace; oneness. What if … and here we are.

Believe or don’t believe. This is only one perspective and as I've heard said, “Some things are true even if you don’t believe them.” I’d like to believe this is one of those things.

The Children

The children of Newtown, Connecticut changed the world. The shooter changed the world. The teachers and the shooter’s parent changed the world. We talk about changing the world, our governments talk about changing the world and these 20 beautiful babies, 6 teachers, one shooter, and the shooter’s mother really changed the world.

And Now What?

I don’t usually meditate, although I tell myself I should and in a rare meditation yesterday, I had a vision of the world moving forward from this terrible human tragedy of Newtown:  a busy city street with masses of humanity in the middle of an ordinary day … and I saw the children and others, like a scene from City of Angels. They walked with us; some sat together in humanly-impossible places; watching us, curious as only children are about the impact they had on the world, on us, on you, on me.

I heard their voices, “I hope this one remembers; he is going to do something amazing”, “This one is thinking about us right now and wants to really listen to her son tonight”, or asking, “Did you see them all yesterday in a moment of silence for us?”, “They were all connected”.  And the words I hear most – because now I hear them without meditation - are “I hope they remember. I hope they do what they felt compelled to do when they heard”, “I hope we really did change the world”.

I hold those who lost their lives and their families in Newtown in my heart; I honor them first in a so very human way. Both the horror of the moment and the loss of life’s promise are unimaginable to me. My body physically shields itself and moves away from even the thought of that personal threat or the parent, who heard the news about a child who would not be coming out of the school. Secondly, I honor the courage of their souls to commit to an abbreviated human life; sacred contracts made and realized. The commitment of those souls to truncate their human lives is beyond my words right now. The words I have: courage, wisdom, sacrifice. They all got the lead in the spiritual play. We are merely their supporting characters in this event.

 Impact

Here is the impact it's had on me: now I know and knowing, cannot un-know. I am called to remember and act from my very soul. I remember and the world stays changed. I act and I change the world. It is my sacred contract to call myself forth; call us all forth, not only in remembering, in acting for positive, peaceful and radical change in the world; however simple or big it is for you or me. The only thing that will make this a truly senseless event is if we all go back to the way we were before it happened. 

Will you remember? I know you will. Will you act, in whatever personal, peaceful way has meaning for you? I hope you act from your hearts. 

Remember, they are among us. 

Post-script: As I completed this blog, I received an email with this poem. I don't believe in coincidence so I want to share it with you: 

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. 
Don't go back to sleep. 
 
You must ask for what you really want. 
Don't go back to sleep. 
 
People are going back and forth across the doorsill 
where the two worlds touch. 
 
The door is round and open. 
Don't go back to sleep. 
 
From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

In love and light,
Linda Lombardo, CPCC

Among Us is a professional printed giclee from an original painting by Jeanie Tomanek. Used with permission of the artist.  
​http://www.etsy.com/listing/117826075/among-us-a-8x10-professionally-printed

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