‘Think and do a whole other way’

‘Think and do a whole other way.’

Reading these words gives me pause.  What exactly could this look and feel like if we are to think and do a whole other way?  And why would we?

Firstly, other doesn’t necessarily mean new.  Nor does it mean different - you can do the same thing in a different way (producing the same results).   ‘Other denotes a person or thing that is different or distinct from one already mentioned or known about.'

We are at a major crossroads.  Which answers the why.

Around the world we are seeing public systems failing - both for Mother Earth and humanity.
 
Erosion of trust.  Infrastructure degrade.  Promises not kept.  Serious environmental decline.  Mounting debt.  Growing divide.  Secrets and lies.  The list is long.

This is not new of course.  Centuries of leaders from many different cultures and beliefs have taken the approach of taking/manipulating/scaring for power and control.

And if you think I’m being a bit harsh, consider the ongoing centralisation of our country’s public assets and services.  Consider the ongoing dis-empowerment of communities (whether of interest or geographically) to make decisions that affect them directly.

If democracy is government by the people and ‘the people’ are the entire body of the citizens … when did it become acceptable that the people lost their voice in our democracy?

Now imagine if a whole other way was empowered through asking the conscious question of ‘what would love do?’

Imagine a community, a district, a nation that made decisions from a place of deep affection.  In other words, with genuine care and respect for its people and its place.

What might it encourage?  Celebration for and of one another?  Prosperity?  A sense of safety and security?  Respect for our planet?  Personal accountability?  Tolerance?

As we begin to move into both local and central body pre-election activities, it is a time to seriously consider our collective future.

Our focus needs to be on brave policy and smart approaches that empowers and protects.  That holds our people and our place at the very heart of all that it undertakes. 

This is what love would do.