From "Other" to Brother:
Everday
citizens listening, creating our new story
25 March 2017
In historic numbers,
beautiful human beings -- our
sisters and brothers -- are being
made wandering refugees, thrown into
darkness by arrogant wars,
hunger from climate-chaos crop
failures, and greed-induced poverty
. . . all preventable, if we would
feel the tears of others, of Earth.
"...we are confronted by the challenge to
imagine ourselves in the place of Others,
...listen to stories because we want to find out
how to live, and
...tell our own stories in the hope that someone
will care.
...hear across centuries or across time zones,
across cultures and across histories,
the stories that will remind us of our own
humanity.
The ethical challenge is not so much one to
speak, but to
listen to the weeping of which the world has
always been full."
~
Herman Wasserman
in "Listening past difference: Towards
a compassionate ethics of communication"
"The world is indeed weeping.
Weeping is also storytelling.
But do we care enough to listen?"
~
Chris Spies
Stellenbosch, South Africa
http://chrisspies.blogspot.com
"If we don't have stories if we don't find
each other, relate to each other, and understand each
other through our varied experience show will we
make it through these divisive times and
work towards progress? I tend to agree with
the late Mr. Rogers: 'Frankly, there isn't anyone you
couldn't learn to love once youve
heard their story.'
~
Lindsay Knowles
in "Telling StoriesWhy They Are Powerful and Necessary Now More Than
Ever.
And why you should keep telling yours"
Today
1. An Everyday Citizen, Wife,
Mother caring enough to listen then change life direction
2. People Gathering to Un-box One Another
3. Creating Our New Story
a
= = 1 = =
An Everyday Citizen,
Wife, Mother
caring enough to listen then
change life direction
Janessa Gans Wilder is a CIA officer turned peace builder, who discovered in
the war zones of Iraq that eliminating the enemy was "a fruitless,
hopeless effort" that did not solve -- but increased -- the problem of
growing insurgency and terrorism.
"For every terrorist or
insurgent we killed, it seemed that there were 100 more ready to take their
places.
"It felt like catching drops of
water from a leaky faucet," Wilder says.
Janessa details her career change and choosing life
over death by establishing The Euphrates Institute -- http://euphrates.org -- to help diverse
global citizens meet and humanize one another.
She illustrates her transformation from seeing the people of the Middle East
as the Other to brothers and sisters.
WATCH & HEAR Janessa embodying how each
one of us can become a peace builder and change agent when we open our heart
and mind to create human connections.
Turn the 'Other' into a Brother
Janessa
Gans Wilder
TEDxRedding
-- 15 Oct 2015 --19-min video
= = 2 = =
People Gathering to
Un-box One Another
Un-boxing One Another
in a big room
What Happens When We Un-box Each Other
3-1/2 min video -- TV 2 Denmark -- 03 Feb 2017
Un-boxing One Another
at a mosque
In March, 2017, HANDS AROUND THE MOSQUE inspired 700 diverse women, men,
and youth -- mostly strangers to one another -- to gather in Santa Clara,
California, USA as community, as one.
Event Flyer -- http://www.amuslimvoice.org/Hands-around-the-mosque-flyer-1.pdf
Mercury News -- http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/19/muslim-supporters-turn-out-in-south-bay/
National Peace Academy -- http://www.nationalpeaceacademy.us/news/hands-around-mosque
Participant Video -- https://youtu.be/8MvKLYlSpAM
FOX-2 TV News -- https://youtu.be/huwlSwy6BLsl
KRON-TV News -- http://kron4.com/2017/03/19/community-organizations-show-support-for-muslim-community-in-santa-clara/
NBC-TV News -- http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Dozens-Gather-For-Hands-Around-the-Mosque-in-Santa-Clara-416566683.html
Un-boxing One Another
in a community center
In post-election January, 2017, CROSSING LINES IS SAN MATEO: Sharing
stories, Creating Community attracted 115 diverse citizens -- mostly
strangers to one another -- to circle up at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community
Center for hearing one another's stories and begin creating a new culture of
connection in their neighborhoods.
VIEW, HEAR, and READ more at http://traubman.igc.org/sanmateocrossinglines.htm
= = 3 = =
Creating Our New Story
A NEW STORY FOR A NEW PEOPLE examines the importance of stories, each person, and how we
think about ourselves and each other to help bring about a more sustainable
world together.
It's Time for A New Story of the People
7-1/2 min video
http://sustainablehuman.tv/remix/a-new-story-of-the-people
NEW MUSIC FOR OUR NEW STORY comes from The YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus -- https://ymca-jerusalem-youth-chorus.bandcamp.com
-- a choral and dialogue program for Israeli and Palestinian youth in
Jerusalem.
Through the co-creation of music and the sharing of stories, the youth empower
one another to become citizen-leaders in their communities and inspire singers
and listeners around the world to create relationships and community.
They sing: "If you wanna make the world a
better place, take a look at yourself and make a change."
They conclude: ""Stay with me, 'cuz
you're all I need."
A Mashup for Change
Jerusalem Youth Chorus
5-min music video
THE GOLDEN RULE Spiritual Playdate Wheel explores
the prescription common to many religions around Earth to treat others a you wish to be treated.
Students and youth groups can spin this interactive wheel to discover the many
cultural and spiritual expressions of The Golden Rule found on all continents.
Adult participation is allowed in this joy of discovering how we are one in
this principle.
Exploring The Golden Rule
A spiritual playdate wheel
http://spwheel.businesscatalyst.com
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This message is on the Web at http://traubman.igc.org/messages/703.htm
Hundreds of other success stories are preserved at http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm