Recently, I have wrestled with a nagging, fourteen-year-old dream of a time in the not-too-distant future when individuals, groups, towns, communities, races, religions and nations will join in a world-wide celebration — what I call a Global Day of Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
In January 2004, when I shared this recurring vision with friends in Colorado Springs, I was strongly encouraged to “just do it” — to make the vision reality (as if it’s that easy).
Because I have recently committed myself to a Sabbatical and an intensive inward focus, I am systematically shutting down my outer world commitments in order to concentrate on the inner. Thus, I am faced with a dilemma: what to do with/about this “hot potato,” this dream?
That is why I am offering, as a gift or inspiration to anyone who wants it, my version (see Disclaimer) of what is clearly a commonly held vision.
I believe that evolution is demanding that we — ordinary and extraordinary people — take charge of our lives, our planet and our collective future. Perhaps, as Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn suggests, we need to transcend our traditional roles as “children of God” to become self-aware, responsible “adults of God.”
Acts of forgiveness and reconciliation are mature acts of mature people, groups and nations. What if the world — Life — is waiting, just waiting for us to mature, to take responsibility for what we do and what’s around us and to move to a higher plane of evolution and consciousness?
— Paul W. Burke, Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 2004
