AS THE SEPTEMBER EDITION of PlanetLightworker is released, we are a few days short of September 11, 2002. For me the last twelve months seem to have passed quickly. Much occurred for me personally as well as for the world. The attacks on New York and the Pentagon jolted the USA like nothing since Pearl Harbor. The predictable response of attacking Afghanistan, toppling its government, and then becoming mired in a repeat of the Soviet invasion of that country years ago invokes the saying that those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. Horror heaped upon horror.

In addition, the Palestinians and Israelis are having at one another, and both sides are enthusiastically killing combatants, civilians, children, and anything else that gets in the way. It has become a cliché to say that the issues in the Middle East and Afghanistan stem from contorted interpretations of "holy writings." It is enough to make me want to throw up. Horror heaped upon horror.

That’s not yet to mention, the crisis in the Roman Catholic clergy that appears to have harbored priests more interested in pederasty and pedophilia than the papacy until media exposure forced alleged reforms. We’ll see. Let us not forget the crisis in corporate America where greed has become job #1 for many senior executives. Heck it ain’t corporate greed, it’s personal greed. Horror upon horror — when does it stop?

I don’t know. I wish I did. I could mark it on my calendar, sit on my mountain, and wait until it was safe to venture back down to the flat lands. Since that is not going to happen by itself, what can I do to be an agent of change, and what can you do? Those of you who have read some of my previous writing know that it often has a bit of an edge coming from a woo-woo kind of guy. This go around, my edge is bit sharper and the point a bit more pointed. Taking a deep breath here goes.

First, from a relatively safe, uncontroversial position (like the big rock jutting up in the midst of shark and crocodile infested waters — it’s safe but where do I go from here?), my practice is to never complain without also offering a solution to my complaint, and better yet, also do something about it. Shudder.

We all suck when it comes to really affecting a change in what’s happening on our wonderful, beautiful, bountiful Earth, and I am talking about more than the rainforests and the whales. I am talking about us human beings and what we do to one another in the name of some "greater" authority so that we don’t have to take responsibility for our actions. Not only the "big" actions (like war, genocide, the rape of the planet, etc.), we don’t want to take responsibilities for the little ones either. "I didn’t know the gun was loaded!" "There wasn’t anyone coming when I ran the red light." "Somehow the campfire got out of control." Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Why might you ask do we all suck? We all suck because nothing is getting better. If we all didn’t suck, then one year after 9-11-01, the Earth would be a better place to live. That’s a pretty easy measurement to make. Is life better in some way for everyone or not? Answer personally, answer globally. Many knowledgeable people maintained after 9-11 that the "event" was a wake-up call for global peace, understanding, and love. A year later, I think somebody hit the snooze button.

Hello! What will it take? Another cozy war in Iraq? The military-industrial complex will lead the way to economic salvation in the US, and our 401-K and IRA plans will have new life breathed into them? A few more thousand or hundreds of thousands (after a while the zeroes cease to mean much) of people will die in the name of what? Allah, God, George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, whoever… I am not picking on W or his desire to spank Hussein. I am picking on our indifference and unwillingness to take responsibility by passing it onto someone or something else. I am also not just picking on citizens of the US — we just happen to be very visible as the world’s self-proclaimed global police force. Those of you in other countries have no reason to be smug; you are as responsible as Americans.

Enough complaining. What can I do, what can you do? Well, I have a suggestion, and it applies equally to those of you who practice some religion, who are spiritual in its many flavors, and those of you who don’t believe in anything. My suggestion does not involve marching in the streets, writing your elected officials, becoming vigilantes, selling your possessions and picking up the rice bowl, or turning up the volume on the TV. Anybody, young or old, smart or stupid, any color, any sexual preference, any height, any weight, and with or without cosmetic surgery can implement my suggestion. Here it is.

THE SUGGESTION IS:

From now until the world is the way you need for it to be, every time something happens that you don’t like from the hugest to the simplest, consciously say to yourself:

"I am responsible for that!"

That’s it. Write it out and put in on your bathroom mirror above your TV set (or better yet in the middle of screen), on the dashboard of your car, on your computer monitor, on the kitchen cabinet, on your desk or workstation at work. Wrap it around the money in your wallet or purse. Do what you need to do to make it a constant reminder.

"I am responsible for that!"

A note of small clarification is in order. When you say, "I am responsible for that!" you are not totally, completely responsible, AND you do bear some responsibility. If you don’t believe that or want an explanation, email me for it is a bit too lengthy to explain now. It is, nonetheless, a fact.

Now, the bad news is merely saying or thinking, "I am responsible for that!" by itself doesn’t do much good. The good news is that as you begin to hammer this simple fact home, you will unconsciously begin to take actions to cause changes in your life, community, nation, and yes, by golly, good old Mother Earth herself. Isn’t that great! You really don’t have to be conscious of what you are doing. Take responsibility and right actions will automatically follow. What could be better? Nothing to join, nothing to buy, no operators are standing by.

Yes, yes, I know there are those of you who made it this far who think that I am full of kaka. I say to you, what have you got to lose by simply saying, "I am responsible for that!" each time you don’t like what you see, hear, or are doing? It is really simple. You don’t have to tell anyone else. You can be a closet "responsibility taker." Either it works, or it doesn’t. Won’t know unless you try. It only takes a few electrons away from other major thought processes like what are you having for lunch, is my team going to win the big game, or can I get away early on Friday?

We can improve the quality of life for us all, and it is up to us, not the UN, not nations, not "peace keeping" forces (interesting that peace must be kept), not the Red Cross, not the United Way, not churches, not bodies of law that stack higher than the twin towers. It is up to us individually. I am not the first, nor will I be the last, to make that pronouncement. I am providing a simple, universal way of implementing a grass roots, individual, method of doing so.

"I am responsible for that!"

If this simple suggestion resonates with you, I urge you to suggest it to others. Not everyone in the entire world needs to implement, "I am responsible for that!" for it to work. A critical mass is needed however. I don’t know how many people that is, but it’s a lot. Make up bumper stickers, T-shirts, put it on memo pads, hang banners, buy a billboard and advertise, pay it forward. I would really like to hear from you when you commit to saying, "I am responsible for that!" Please email me if you take up this practice — you can simply write me, "I am doing it!" I would also like to know what results occur for you out of the practice.

I AM responsible for that!

© 2002 Ron McCray

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In addition to serving as Associate Editor of PlanetLightworker, Ron McCray is also a personal coach and author. He uses 9 Understandings as a foundation for Life Mastery Facilitation: Coaching, Tools, and Techniques, a telephone and Internet based practice that accelerates his clients' careers, personal development, and Spiritual evolution. He is formally trained in spiritual psychology and has studied Andean shamanism.

Ron also conducts Turtle Wheel Teachings - workshops and seminars with the focus on learning and practicing tools and techniques that support moving forward in life and Spiritual evolution. He is currently delivering The "Process" - Finding Freedom Within Fear, a one-day program based on 9 Understandings. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter, Modest Proposals at www.RonMcCray.com.

For further information please e-mail Ron or visit his website.