Be Brave

Ciao and Sacred Sunday,

I’m writing this week’s SS on Friday while war is raging in Ukraine. My feelings swing from incredibly sad and angry to feeling guilty.

Here I sit at my desk, sheltered in my new home, gazing out the window with a view of the mountains, in silence.

Dear blessed silence.

I can’t even imagine what fury the sound of tanks rolling, guns exploding and the shrill of shelling does to the nervous system and the psyche. The horror and brutality the people of Ukraine are facing is unconscionable.

❓We don’t know what the outcome will be for these brave people and their beloved country and culture. By Sunday, a normal Sacred Sunday for you and I, the war can escalate. Or with massive support and prayer, deescalate.

Yet, what we do know, is that President Zelensky and his family, the military, and the civilian population, will go down in history as the face of courage.

Talk about Badass! This modern-day David and Goliath story is an example of inner fortitude, conviction, and unity.  

One thing you might not know about me is that I’m an avid reader of World War II stories, fiction, and non-fiction. Maybe my interest began when I learned that my dad served in the Army during WW II.

📚Reading about the resistance fighters and the everyday citizen who stood up against the fascist regime, the misuse of power and hatred of what they considered “other”, has captivated me since I was a little girl.

I’m especially drawn to books with women as the protagonist and I’ve often wondered if I, given the same circumstances, could be as courageous. Not fearless. Because fearless suggests no fear. And that’s just simply not true.

People throughout history who have bravely spoken out and fought against tyranny have done the moral right thing despite the threat of personal harm.

Now, I don’t mean to be a downer here. I’m simply sharing with you what I’ve been contemplating and struggling with.

❓One of the questions I ask myself is, how do I live fully and brilliantly while not forgetting to hold the pain and suffering of others with care?

In a way, I believe that living fully and brilliantly is a responsibility we each need to accept.

As we know, a human life is fragile and precious. To waste away our one life is like tossing a gift into the trash.

💯We have a moral obligation to be badass and brilliant in the ways in which we can.

💯We have an ethical obligation to be the light in times of darkness and despair.

💯We must demonstrate courage and bravery in our own lives to show those who want to destroy “the other” that they have not won.

At the same time, what can we, the ordinary person, do to ease the horror of what’s happening in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world?

As I suggested last week:

✅Pray for peace

✅Begin a Tonglen meditation practice

✅Stay aware and apprised of what’s happening daily

✅Don’t look away and just carry on

✅Feel the emotions, do NOT stuff them

✅Practice sacred ceremony and ritual

✅Put love into action – donate, volunteer, serve

And then my friend, LIVE FULL OUT!

🌟More than ever you and I need to bring creativity, beauty, and light into the world. We owe it to ourselves, our family, our community, and the world to live our best lives.

So, sing, dance, play, take your grandchild to the park, kick up into a handstand, honor Nature, be steeped in gratitude, do what your heart is calling you to do, and be brave dear soul.

Be brave. 

💖With love and appreciation, xoxo Paulette

P.S. If you’re not sure where or how to donate and be assured that your funds are going directly to help the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian born Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher have started a go-fund me page and have personally donated 3 million dollars. You can find more about it on the links below.