Communities
Marianne Williamson makes an Excellent point:
"In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart there is the power to do it."
Community. What comes to mind when you think of community? Webster's defines community as " a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests." Community has a spiritual conotation as evidenced by Fredrick Buechner's "The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.". We are all a part of a community of some type. The stronger our local communities, the better our quality of life. It's not a vicious cycle, it's a virtuous cycle and one that as individuals and collectively we can impact.
Excellence in communities means excellence in life. Excellence in communities can mean better schools, less crime, and more prosperity for all. In this area we will explore, share stories, personal experiences, policies, programs, ideas and anything else we can think of that have made a community and therefore it's citizens, better. It could be a volunteer program helping cancer survivors. It could be an individual who is making a difference in the lives of our seniors. It could be a community program or agency that is making a difference in the lives of their "customers". You share your stories with us and we will share them with the Heart of Excellence community...and beyond!
Margaret Mead put it in a very powerful and eloquent way. " Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." You can make a difference. Join us in our quest to make our communities a better place. The more partners we have, the stronger the heartbeat of excellence.
Will you lead the charge?
So many people see the need for change, the need to step in and make a difference. Yet so often we do not take those crucial first steps in creating that change -- in making the difference that could change the life of one individual, or perhaps for a whole nation. Why do we not take those first steps?
For many, feelings of powerlessness or unworthiness set in.
Trevor recalls the words of Nelson Mandela's speech upon being released after 27 years in prison:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?..... Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of god. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone, and as we let our own light shine …. we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”
-- Nelson Mandela --
Dare to ask yourself: "What is holding ME back?"