We have been born
into a moment
of unprecedented danger and opportunity.
Our failure to act
is itself a choice.
There is nowhere to hide
from this awareness.
It is time.
Our purpose here
is to build a bridge.
The purpose of the bridge
is to span the distance
between our present situation
and our vision of a better world.
The beauty of a bridge is that,
once it is in place,
anyone can walk on it.
A few people can build a bridge
that can be walked on by many.
. . .
On the edge of the dream
we face our deepest doubts.
Now that it all is almost real
a terrible fear of success takes hold
and we grab desperately, uncontrollably, for failure.
One last chance to get off easy.
Who among us really wants to save the world,
to be born again into two thousand more years
of struggle?
How much sweeter to be the doomed generation,
floating gently on the errors and villainy of others,
towards some glorious apocalypse now . . .
Hallelujah! It’s not my fault–
Bring on the end times!
We hate our enemies
to provide ourselves in advance
with excuses for possible failure.
Only when we give up
the comforts of pessimism
the luxury of enemies
the sweetness of helplessness
can we see beyond our own doubts.
I am speaking today of a great possibility
a chance to return to life
a chance to create a world for our children
not worse than the one we have
How dare I be discouraged in the work
by anything so trivial
as the fear of personal failure?
. . .
There are bridges to build
new maps of consciousness to be delivered
to every planetary address
in every planetary language.
We are ironworkers, skywalkers,
stubborn messengers
of light and life.
O friends
don’t forget
why we’re here!
The truth is, we have the skills
and we have the courage
if we could only keep our minds
on what we really want.
. . .
How to prevent world catastrophe:
1) Admit that it could happen.
2) Decide that it will not happen.
3) Commit your vision and energy to number two
without ever forgetting number one.
To choose to build a bridge
is the essential act of love.
– Paul Williams
@ Vibrant Traditions – Facebook