Find your breath.
And of course,
Your breath is coming in and out of your body,
Just as it has been your entire life.
But really locate yourself in your breath.
Ground in the rhythm of your breath.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Welcome to a hit of hope.
Have you ever come across something and it just won't let go of your brain?
That happened to me.
I read about an idea recently that came from Roger Fisher,
A Harvard professor of law.
And now I can't get the idea out of my head.
Fisher,
A World War II veteran,
Was disturbed by how easy it was for a president to start a nuclear war.
All the president had to do was enter some codes and one mushroom cloud later,
Thousands,
If not millions of lives were destroyed.
I do not make light of this.
This is the problem as Roger Fisher saw it.
Nuclear war was too easy because the president was able to remain distant from the damage he was about to inflict.
Inhale.
Exhale.
So Fisher argued that the codes to nuclear bombs should be planted inside,
Yes,
Inside a volunteer.
The president of the United States would then have to cut this victim open to get the codes that would start a nuclear war.
Impossible.
How could we expect the president to do such a thing?
Well,
Fisher's idea is that this act would be an immediate and undeniable reminder of what the president was about to do to hundreds of thousands of people.
Inhale.
Exhale.
When I talked about this idea with a friend,
I wondered if there had ever been a president who would be willing to do such a thing.
My friend countered,
Who would have the courage to sign up as the volunteer.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Grim ideas.
Troubling thoughts.
And that's what I want us to consider.
Troubling thoughts.
We cannot see our thoughts,
Nor can anyone else.
Which means only we know how often we are at war with ourselves,
With others,
With the world.
Inhale.
Exhale.
But because we cannot see our thoughts,
We might not even know how often we are at war.
Being mindful means being aware.
What are your thoughts?
Are they creating unseen damage?
What violence might you be inflicting on your tender self?
Are your thoughts ripping open the living,
Breathing,
Beautiful human being that you are,
Or that someone else is?
Do your thoughts leave behind abundance,
Joy,
Courage,
Grit,
Or devastation?
Inhale.
Exhale.
When the temptation to go to war sneaks in,
Pause.
Breathe.
Anchor yourself to the earth.
Feel grounded.
Stable.
Inhale.
Exhale.
When the temptation to go to war sneaks in,
Let your breath be your volunteer.
Let it be the one who steps forward and asks,
Are you sure about this?
Turning toward a deep and even breath is a great way to disarm,
To see the weapons for what they are,
Something that will likely cause harm.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Keep your fingers off the buttons.
Let your breath be your wise and loyal guide.
Live Light.
