 |
| Gettysburg, Pennsylvania |
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863
President Lincoln stood on the battlefield of Gettysburg in the aftermath of destruction of life. He spoke about unity, the nation and two sides of separateness and the cost for both sides of an issue.
Would President Lincoln be heartened to know that his words in 1863 still live on and serve as comment to all of us now in 2019? We do note and remember what he said there. We don't want to forget and need to remind every generation that follows. He might be surprised that we are still here as a country, but maybe not. He was wise to the drives and motivations, the best and the worst in people.
I found myself contemplating life as I drove to appointments. Once again I was struck by his wisdom and value of life and the importance of appreciating how priceless life is.
Not how precious life is. How priceless life is. We have and continue to demonstrate repeatedly throughout history how little some have valued life, their own and others, the quality of that life and the life of this planet we call home.
We now have knowledge and technologies of ourselves in terms of global as well as local applications. There is no separateness to any of it. We are all connected and to think otherwise just shows how silly and stupid we can be when we only live in a state of separateness and not a state of wholeness and separateness, as Consciousness is.
Take time this week to access Heart Centered Awareness and feel how you recognize the value of life and your life. Consider what your thoughts are and the actions they lead to.
Play it forward in thoughts and actions to those around you, be they strangers or loved one or acquaintances. Notice how you are treated.
What would you do differently to acknowledge your own humanity, theirs and the wonder in Being? What might your call to action be? Life is priceless and limited. Being the best we each can be brings out the best in each other,
and in this nation, within Consciousness.
Janet Barrett
Life in the Beyond/Journeys Into Enlightenment
janetb@janetandbeyond.com
www.janetandbeyond.com
