One In Consciousness: The Great Divide

On my most recent retreat to the Oregon coast, I was surprised the very first time I walked out to the beach - "my beach" which I had visited regularly for many years - and I found the landscape of this beach to be entirely different than what had become familiar to me over the last decade. Much of the driftwood that had gathered over time at the edge of the seagrass was gone - only a few scattered pieces remained. And there was a noticeably large indentation in the sand about halfway to the shoreline which ran the entire length of the beach as far as I could see.

I looked around for familiar landmarks to make sure I was at the right beach! I was quite puzzled for several minutes until I remembered... Of course! The earthquake in Japan in March of this year and the tsunami that followed and travelled halfway around the world to our shores! I had heard reports that there were some large waves that made their way to our coast a few days after the tsunami hit Japan, but I had not really thought about the effect this would have on the landscape. There had been no serious damage to any property near the beaches, but just seeing the change in the landscape gave me an eerie feeling about how we are all connected to one another and that what happens halfway around the world can have a powerful impact on all of us. The vast bodies of water which separate us do not necessarily keep us safe and protected when tragedy strikes our neighbors across the sea. The "Great Divide" is not a true barrier and does not shield us from the effects of Mother Nature nor our environmental conditions.

When one looks at the earth from a distance, it is true that you see the contrast between land and water on this beautiful blue planet. But there are no dividing lines anywhere. We are indeed ONE body together in this world during our time here. That which effects one country or continent, most always effects everyone on the planet. The accidental release of nuclear energy following the earthquake in March is a prime example of this. I have prayed numerous times for this disaster to bring about positive change in the way we work together with other government leaders to solve these problems. I don't believe that is happening yet, but I still have hope that it will.

If Michael were still here, I have no doubt he would have responded to this disaster with not only relief aid to the most devastated areas, but also an important message in his music about our responsibility to each other, no matter our race or culture or religious beliefs. He would be reminding us that we are ONE in Consciousness as we grapple with the challenge of solving the problems we have created by our divisive thinking. Once again, he would be attempting to bring us together in the name of Love for our fellow human beings, for the children, and for the planet!

FORCE OF NATURE

The landscape of the shore
Has changed its form
When did this happen
How could this be

The force of nature
Traveled ‘cross the sea
From an earthquake in Japan
And the inevitable tsunami

It touched our shores
This long distance away
Our hearts were transformed
And our land caught the fray

It tells a story of disaster
A tragedy unmeasured
Lives lost, homes destroyed
Their landscape changed forever

A nuclear threat
Unleashed to the world
We cannot escape it
No matter the distance

Suddenly this earth
Is smaller than it’s ever been
We’re in this together, you see
Always have been
Always will be

He’s been trying to tell us
But we haven’t been listening
The brotherhood of man
Has been deaf to his cause

We must reach across the ocean
This great divide
And take responsibility
For the sake of our lives

Hold hands across the sea
Say a prayer to One God
That we can find a solution
To these problems we’ve got

We created them together
Even though we’ve never met
It’s time to come together
In the name of common sense

We must recognize
Our neighbors over there
Look each other in the eyes
And say I’ll meet you where
We can find a compromise

Our lives are not so different
As we often think they are
We can’t hide behind this great divide
Can’t close our eyes anymore

‘Cause the force of nature
Has traveled ‘cross the sea
And touched our shore

06/21/2011
Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess

THE GREAT DIVIDE

The great divide
Really isn’t what its name implies
It’s what connects us
The water of the sea
It travels ‘round the world
Shore to shore
From you to me
Carrying with it untold treasures
Stories of life and love and natural disasters
Only the sea knows where it’s been
Its secrets will tell
It is where we begin
To see our connection
‘round this beautiful globe
This gift from the heavens
The place we call home
Though people are different
In culture and name and color of skin
Inside we’re all the same
We’re all God’s children
We laugh and we cry
We love and we hurt
Can’t always say why
God made us to be
In His image, you see
And that is why
The great divide
Cannot really separate us
One from the other
We’re each the same
We are not our color

06/21/2011
Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess