Lessons In Hope - One Act Of Courage Transforms The World

In difficult and uncertain times, it is easy to lose heart, but we should not succumb to the idea that a brighter future is impossible. The question we consider in this meditation is "How do we cultivate hope when the weight of the world feels unbearable?" We look at stories of ordinary people who made a huge difference by standing up for what was right in times of darkness.
Background music: Paradise of Souls by Narek Mirzaei of Music of Wisdom.
Photo by pernilla11 (Envato Elements)
Closing Prayer provided by Cliff Reed - General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian churches

Transcript

Dear friends,

Welcome to part 3 of a series under the heading Lessons in Hope.

In difficult and uncertain times,

It's easy to lose heart,

But we shouldn't succumb to the idea that a brighter future is impossible.

The question we will consider in this meditation is,

How do we cultivate hope when the weight of the world feels unbearable?

But let's start with a breathing exercise.

The idea is to breathe in and out mindfully.

You know how we can take our breath for granted.

We can breathe very shallowly.

So right now,

Let's concentrate on breathing in and out more fully.

Let's really fill our lungs with the good air.

You might like to close your eyes,

But only if that feels comfortable.

And we'll start with the well-known formula.

As I breathe in,

I am aware that I am breathing in.

As I breathe out,

I am aware that I am breathing out.

As I breathe in,

I give thanks for my presence here.

As I breathe out,

I resolve to be the best I can be today.

As I breathe in,

I call to mind people who are worried or in distress.

As I breathe out,

I resolve to be a source of optimism and hope.

As I breathe in,

I think of people who look at life differently from me.

As I breathe out,

I resolve to be an instrument of understanding.

As I breathe in,

I think of people who are alone and lonely.

As I breathe out,

I resolve to be a source of friendliness and kindness.

Now let's have a one-minute pause before moving on to the theme of this meditation.

Welcome back.

In this meditation,

We are going to look at stories of ordinary people who made a huge difference by standing up for what was right in times of darkness.

Their courage and their determination to do good,

In the face of what must have appeared to them to be insurmountable odds,

Is an example to all of us.

Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist and a member of the Nazi party.

Even so,

He too went against the grain,

And he is credited with saving the lives of some 1,

200 members of the Jewish faith during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamel ware and ammunitions factories.

Schindler continued to bribe SS officials to prevent the execution of his workers,

Right up to the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945.

Righteous Among the Nations is a title used to describe people who made an effort to assist victims who were being targeted by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Oskar and Emily Schindler were given the honour of being named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1993.

Nicholas Winton was a British stockbroker and humanitarian.

He helped to rescue more than 600 refugee children to avoid persecution by the Nazis.

During a visit to what was then Czechoslovakia,

He helped compile a list of children in danger.

He worked to fulfil the legal requirements and paperwork needed to allow the children to be brought to Britain,

And he set about finding homes and sponsors for them.

This humble man kept his good work to himself until a notebook was discovered among his papers.

His extraordinary work came to the attention of the public through an episode of a BBC television programme,

That's Life.

Nicholas Winton became Sir Nicholas Winton when he was deservedly knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to humanity in saving Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

Nicholas Winton died in 2015 at the great age of 106,

Still regretting that he was unable to save more children.

But the 600 children he saved,

And their children and grandchildren,

Are now numbered in their thousands,

All of them alive today,

Thanks to the bravery and determination of this one man.

And then we have the brave example of Irina Sendler.

A Polish social worker who smuggled some 2,

500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto,

Often in suitcases or hidden in ambulances.

It seems the horrors of war bring out the best in humanity.

Let's have another one-minute pause now before we move on to look at some people who are examples to us of bravery,

Courage and humanity in peacetime.

Welcome back again.

These brave deeds of the people we've already mentioned rightfully reach the headlines.

But we have to remember that so many good people,

Just like you,

Are working day after day to improve the lot of people,

Regardless of the odds which they face.

Some more examples.

15-year-old Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg staged her first protest outside the Swedish Parliament in August 2018.

She simply held up a sign that read in Swedish,

School Strike for the Climate.

That one action by that one young person has given birth to the Fridays for Future campaign.

That campaign has organised environmental awareness protests in 104 countries and it has helped to raise the entire world's awareness of the climate emergency.

One young girl.

One simple gesture.

And who can forget the name Rosa Parks?

In 1955,

By refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery,

Alabama,

Rosa ignited the civil rights movement.

This led to the Montgomery bus boycott and ultimately the dismantling of segregation laws in the United States.

One woman of colour,

Tired of discrimination,

Making a stand for what she knew to be right.

While he was on vacation in Greece at the age of 16,

Boyan Slat was scuba diving and he saw the extent of plastic pollution in the sea.

Not only did he notice the problem,

We all hear about it,

We all see it,

But he took action by founding the Ocean Cleanup,

A non-profit organisation developing technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic.

Boyan has great aims.

According to his website,

Ocean Cleanup aims to put itself out of business with the goal of removing 90% of floating plastic from the world's oceans by 2040.

It seems a huge task,

Even an impossible one,

But we know that nothing is impossible to diligence and effort.

Boyan has a vision and we pray for his success.

Wangari Martai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977.

She founded this in response to the environmental concerns raised by rural Kenyan women.

Since then,

More than 51 million trees have been planted and more than 30,

000 women have been trained in forestry,

Food processing,

Beekeeping and other trades.

This training helps them earn an income while preserving their lands and resources.

Communities in Kenya have been motivated and organised to both prevent further environmental destruction and to restore that which has already been damaged.

Maidai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her work with the Green Belt Movement.

One woman's concern.

51 million trees.

Yes,

It can be done.

These are just some examples of ordinary people who have brought about great change by taking the action they deemed necessary to stand up for what is right and to make this world a better place.

The lesson for us.

If ever we feel ourselves downtrodden by an inundation of depressing news,

We can call ourselves back to hope and optimism by knowing that very many people have taken the step of lighting a candle rather than sitting back and accepting the darkness.

Each of these individuals began with a single thought,

Leading to a single act.

That thought and that act led to an outcome that still inspires others to work for justice,

For the environment,

For human rights and for social progress.

Their stories prove that you don't need an army of people.

One person can truly make a difference.

I went online to try to find an interdenominational prayer suitable for the conclusion of this meditation and I came across a PDF document which has been made freely available by the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches.

It's in a collection called We Are Here,

A book of prayers by Cliff Reed,

And I'd like to share it with you now.

When I use the word God in these meditations or prayers,

I'm referring to the ultimate underlying reality behind our existence,

Realising that the word God can carry too much baggage a word that is too easily used considering our smallness in the vastness of the existence into which we have come to be.

So here is the prayer.

It's called In the Spirit of Liberty.

In the spirit of liberty,

Peace and justice,

We pray with the people of all places where humanity is demeaned and denied.

We pray that those who work for a better future be strengthened and empowered.

That those who are crushed by their burdens be borne up and delivered of them.

We pray that those enmeshed in lies,

Deceit and delusion be freed by the power of truth.

That those who look on justice with fear may receive the courage to repent.

We pray that we may play our part in redeeming all lands,

Including our own,

From the touch of tyranny,

Whatever mask it wears,

But save us from the bitterness of the vengeful spirit.

We pray for the grace to feel our oneness with all people,

To feel the weight of their chains,

The joy of their liberation.

May we open our hearts to the cries,

The shouts,

The whisperings of humanity.

To live together in peace,

Plenty and mutual respect.

This is the long hope of the human race.

May all who work for its realisation feel the power of their communion.

Amen.

Namaste.

Reviews

Thank you for this positive meditation about how one person can make a difference. I was unfamiliar with the majority of the people you spoke of. I am happy I learned about their courage. Today, in the USA, people are demonized for standing up for what they believe in, cancelled, or even assassinated. It is good to see the ripple effect one courageous act can make. Thank You Tony. ❤️🛐namaste. 🪷✝️

My you remain a shining light in the darkness, bringing hope to all. Thanks for sharing this beautiful practice with us. Namaste, my friend (though we've yet to meet).

I am feeling the weight of all the ugliness & cruelty in the world today. And it scares me. Your voice & words are very soothing to me. It helps me to see there is still love in the world. I have hope & can focus on what positive actions I can take. Thank you 🙏🏼

What a beautiful prayer
Thank you Tony
Love and blessings to you

Beautiful reflection on hope and the power of one that resides within us all. Thank you Tony 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Indeed, darkness reigns here in the US and casts shadows over all of humanity. May we each draw inspiration from the heroic stories you shared and shine our light and love one another where we are. Thank you for this lesson in hope. 💖🙏🏼☮️

Thank you Tony. In this chaotic world, we need you

How very interesting, hearing these stories of regular people who did heroic things. Thank you for helping us remember them. And the closing prayer was beautiful.

Thank you Tony, so many inspiring people and their stories that have made such an important impact. 🙏🏻💕

Wonderful, people in your meditation today. Thank you so much. Most of these people I didn't know about. I can't say I'm too young!! 🙏💕🌟

Thank you for the inspiring stories of humanity at its best .a good antidote to the often overwhelming news 🙏

Thank you Tony for spreading hope! As always you show us good examples and the wright words.
All the best to you!
🙏🌟🙏💫🙏