Be the Cause

Awareness Monologues

What I love about Be the Cause is that these aren’t just service projects.
Of course I want to help other people, but ultimately I am the one who benefits the most.

We’re beginning to plan our Awareness Monologues where the format is similar to the Vagina Monologues but in this case our topic is domestic violence.
We just had our first meeting and when Supun read aloud the domestic violence checklist, in my head I was thinking check, check, check, check check check and check.

Immediately I said to myself don’t be dramatic. Every relationship is going to have problems. No one is perfect. I was never locked in a closet or beat with a golf club, unlike someone I know. It was never like that. Sometimes things happen, but I was never one of “those girls.”
I’m not trying to say I know better than them– its just that I would know, or I think I would know, if it was happening to me, right? I would know the difference, I hope.

When does a crappy relationship become domestic violence? A few of us will be going through a 40 hr domestic violence training course in preparation for this event. I know that whatever we learn will help us put on a really great, meaningful show, but more than anything else, this is for me. This will help ME define that line so that I have no doubt when it’s being crossed. For future reference.

International Forgiveness Day!!!

This last July, Cindy and Sonali—BTC Volunteers put together an International “Be the Cause” Forgiveness Day….and let me just say…it was a special special eve! The gathering was held at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, CA. When I came up to the circle of people who were at this event, I was touched by the posters that people made–illustrations of compassion, love, hugs, forgiveness.

What is forgiveness? Some quotes that I saw online may describe this word called forgiveness that sometimes baffles all of us…I admit, I don’t even know sometimes when something upsets me until it does and sometimes it is hard to let go of hurt, but I always feel all the better for it…no matter if I don’t feel forgiven or whatever wrong I feel has been done to me. Sometimes as stated at this amazing evening of sharing…the hardest one to forgive is oneself. Back to the quotes…here are some that I resonated with:

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.-Plato

When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.-Catherine Ponder

To err is human; to forgive, divine.-Alexander Pope

If I cannot forgive myself for all the blunders
That I have made over the years,
Then how can I proceed?
How can I ever dream perfection-dreams?
Move, I must, forward.
Fly, I must, upward.
Dive, I must, inward,
To be once more
What I truly am
And shall forever remain.

– Sri Chinmoy

“Some tension is necessary for the soul to grow, and we can put that tension to good use. We can look for every opportunity to give and receive love, to appreciate nature, to heal our wounds and the wounds of others, to forgive, and to serve.” -Joan Borysenko

There are a million and one quotes about forgiveness in the world and if we all shared our own thoughts…there would be ten million more :)

When we all gathered as a group, we read outloud some stories…where people have forgiven impossible situations and people…this struck me very deeply…and has made me feel the silliness of some petty arguments or discord. You can forgive from afar…even if the person isn’t in your life currently. You can forgive someone who has passed on, a family member, a significant other, a coworker, someone who has taken advantage of you spiritually, physically or emotionally. Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it’s the best choice to make. Mostly because it will save your own heart…I can’t say your heart won’t break…or that you won’t feel the pain. You probably will. But you will get through it! I believe in all of us and the joy we can all create for true peace in this world…

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