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Growing up I remember being told many times how fortunate we were to live in a democratic society and how one of our greatest privileges in this country was our right to vote. I was also told that participating in government by exercising our right to vote was one of the responsibilities of citizenship. I'm not sure exactly why, but I never bought this. In my heart, it never made sense to me. Voting was not something that my spirit ever moved me to do, though I've been of "voting age" for over 20 years.
Some might say that like many others, I simply do not care ... that I am apathetic (?) ... but is this really true? I think NOT! My writings clearly show that I care deeply about society and about building the foundations for a better world in which SPIRIT can more fully express in flesh. Further, I take action in accord with what I DREAM and what I believe ... action that is far more important in the long run than my vote on anything that anyone has asked me to vote for to date.
You might say, I choose to SERVE my fellow beings, my country, and my world in a more direct manner than my vote could ever do. I choose to do things that no one asks of me except my SELF, and the ONE, Spirit herself.
I feel no obligation to country, or to the economic system, or to the government for that matter. My obligation is directly to SPIRIT, though it may manifest in ways that benefit any aspect of the world in which we live. My "civic duty" is to be a wayshower ... demonstrating first hand what it means to walk my talk and LIVE as I believe.
This is no easy task. Yet, I truly have no choice in the matter. This is how my soul must express. I can live no other way. LIFE for me is the expression of SPIRIT, the expression of the I AM that I truly AM. Such is my choice ... such is my destiny. I would have it no other way.
Sure, there have been several who have tried to convince me that my vote had meaning and would make a difference. However, thus far I have found that the "choices" we are given on the ballot are not really choices at all. Being the maverick that I am, I choose NOT TO PLAY the game, I choose NOT TO VOTE, but rather to expend my energies on what I believe in. Whether this makes a bigger difference in the long run, only time will tell.
The bottom line is that I believe in a VISION of what the world is to be, and what my role is in making that VISION a living reality. If I am wrong, so be it ... however, if I am right, the world that we create will be glorious BEYOND IMAGINATION.
This month has been quite interesting. I've had several instances at work that provided perfect opportunities to point out where effort was being wasted because the people tasked to do particular job did not have the access to information, appropriate tools, or abilities and skills needed to do the job effectively.
In a few of these cases, I was able to step in and provide guidance and recommendations that improved things. In other cases, I was able to be somewhat of an impartial observer ... and simply provide feedback on what I saw happening. In all of these cases, several others were there that could have made the same observations ... they saw the same things happening that I saw. However, none chose to take action and provide feedback.
This is a common problem that I see nearly everywhere I look. Current systems and organizations are NOT set up to empower people to continuously improve the processes that they participate in. Something is seriously wrong. The overall quality and quantity of work is far less than it could be. The sad part is, that ALL of us LOSE as a result. We lose the benefits that WE, the collective, would have received had the work been done more efficiently and effectively. However, the system is not set up to show us what we have lost. Further, from an individual standpoint, it may even appear that we have won, because our job is easier, we can get by with doing less.
Here is where integrity comes into play. In particular, personal integrity. So long as we are acting against an uncaring employer who is out to enslave us or get as much work out of us as he/she can, we are coming from a LOSE/LOSE or at best a WIN/LOSE perspective. We must find a way to get beyond this and see our work in a WIN/WIN context, where all parties WIN ... we, the workers; WE, the consumers and customers being served; as well as the owners and shareholders.
If we want to work to change the economic system so that the fruits of our labors are shared and distributed more fairly, that is GREAT. However, until such changes occur, we must make the best of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
The bottom line is that continuous process improvement serves everyone. One of the key ways to work more efficiently and effectively is to ensure that we apply the right resources to the job. This can only happen if individuals are willing to observe what happens around them, and provide feedback either to the people involved and/or to management. This requires a more open atmosphere than presently exists in most work environments. Further, it requires courage to speak out when YOU see that there is a better way. Mistakes are a natural part of doing things in this world. They are only a problem if they are hidden or downplayed. When we transform them into lessons learned we can reap the gifts/treasures that they hold for us. It is all a matter of perspective, and of caring and sharing enough to make a difference. It is also a big RISK to take, but a risk that is more than worth it.