Date: Monday, January 30 – Embrace Silence. Staff member: Office Administrator Deborah Neisel-Sanders Description: Check out this video of Rep. Keith Ellison speaking about reframing our narrative to proclaim love as an "active principle." To Do: Let's make this video go viral today and let Rep. Ellison's love-inspired words reverberate around the World Wide Web. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFSZZZZys-4 Several years ago an old friend of mine revealed his basic philosophy that everything in life was a “zero sum game:” That there was only so much of any one thing in the world and our work was to figure out how to get our share of it. He believed that humankind was basically selfish and that only those who understood and used base motivations to their advantage would (and should) reap the most rewards, at the expense of those who did not. The natural order of things, right? A mutual friend of ours, a Buddhist, and I tried to explain our own philosophy that there were plenty of things in the world that could be grown exponentially and that there was an unlimited supply for those who chose to share. If that was so for things like love, compassion, joy and justice, why couldn’t it be true for material things, as well? He was undeterred. And concerned – if we didn’t understand this basic law of physics, we would never be able to “win” at life; he truly feared for our souls. Those who believe as he does see their beliefs vindicated by the economic woes of the past three years. Constriction of finances – on a personal, national and even international scale – have left many feeling fearful, confused, resentful, angry, and less than charitable, and causing more constriction. It is a vicious spiral that reinforces its own belief system, bringing us all lower than we were before. It feels as if lots of our belief systems are being tested in the crucible of hardship and consequential indifference this time. This video from Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) explains the importance of actively living and sharing the message of love – because it brings about even more: < http://youtu.be/TFSZZZZys-4> It’s important that we spread this message now, not just to convert others to our side, but because to do so is to take direct action in support of the ultimately more powerful belief that abundance – not scarcity –  is the true and natural order of things. The more we share, the more we have – far from a vicious spiral, it is a kindly and virtuous circle, that also reinforces the code of life. I know which world I’d rather live in and which code I’d rather live by. Won't you join me? – Deborah.