Being

Gandhi was the unquestioned leader of over 500 million in India, he was India. He regarded himself as a coward, afraid of the dark, a man with a damaging inferiority complex. Gandhi, in his early days had impairments that could have impeded his life and mission.

Gandhi had disadvantages; however, he became great in the eyes of millions. He worked his entire life to remake himself. He is quoted as saying: “I am a self remade man.” Gandhi believed in being, not in having or in seeming. He understood that the breakdown of governments, institutions and people was due to the discord in deed and creed. He believed that to believe something and not practice it was dishonest. Hypocrisy will never promote Balance and will never be seen as integrity.

The man practiced discipline. What he believed in was simply what he did, he wasn’t idle. The man overcame obstacles through action and discipline. When he made a choice he forced himself to follow through and translate every thought into action.

Given the society in which we live it’s evident that self control is far from the principles most espouse. More is given to the man who WORKS toward noble goals because of belief. More is achieved by the man who concerns himself with being and not having or seeming.

Having: to possess, partake of, gain possession of

Seeming: Outward true or false appearance

Being: Complete existence, lacking no essential characteristics

America the Beautiful

O' beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea. This is our majestic tribute to this great country in which we live. The words from Katherine Lee Bates in 1893 while visiting Colorado Springs, Colorado were prompted by her journey on train visiting the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the wheat fields of the Central United States to finally arriving at the sublime mountainside overlooking the vast Great Plains. Through inspiration, Bates was able to write down her emotions and capture the American spirit that resonates every time we sing “America the Beautiful”.

Inspiration and Ingenuity are often given yet hardly received, our mind must be clear of waste and we must be ready to act. Most of the men and women who have had a profound impact in our lives have been individuals that we have looked to for inspiration and guidance. The reason we did this is because of a feeling given or an example shown by them. The givers of these feelings or the person we admire become who you admire through accepting inspiration and acting upon the inspired promptings.

Like New Year’s resolutions inspired guidance is useless unless acted upon. If your intention was to lose weight by better diet and increased exercise you have received inspiration that will improve your physical well being. However, if you don’t start eating better and exercising you will inevitably not increase your ability to not only become healthier but also receive inspiration. Intentions are simply meaningless without action. When you receive inspiration and fail to act your ability to process inspiring thoughts will begin to diminish. As you accomplish resolutions or inspiring thoughts through action you will inevitably become more attune to your abilities.

Katherine Lee Bates' glorious poem would have been meaningless if she hadn’t written down the words. It’s a simple concept that yields monumental results: upon receiving inspiration, do it.