While grooming our elderly cat, Maddie, the political news and horrific stories of national and global woes in this morning’s Los Angeles Times seemed uniquely juxtaposition in my mind. I felt genuine sadness for all the people in the world that don’t know how to be nice. In all of these widely varied situations there is room for at least improvement if only they knew how to skinnytheir opponents … their enemies. Or at least refrain from being intensely hostile and cruel.
“What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?” I asked myself. A song written by Nick Lowe, popularized by Elvis Costello played in my head. No coincidence here. It appears that the world has gone mad with hatred. This makes it even more important to reach out to as many people as we can to help calm our world down.
As I brushed my old kitty and listened to his purring, I wondered why it’s so much easier for me (personally) to be kind than it is for me to be unkind. Why is that? Is it my background? My upbringing? My current situation? My personality? My DNA? What I learned from Skinny? It might be some of “all of the above” but just as some people are easier to skinny than others, some people are more prone to the act of skinnyingthan others. But, speaking for myself, it really boils down to one key element. How it makes me feel inside.
At my core I get signals of what is right and what is wrong by how it feels in my gut. It never feels OK to be mean to someone, so I consider that a bad choice. Not that I’m perfect at it, but eventually, over time, it has become seamlessly automatic. I know there are zillions of you out there that have this same internal signaling system and you are the very people I want to call out to help Skinny the World.
How you can help can be as simple as becoming more conscious of your importance toward a more peaceful planet. It always starts from within and your immediate circumstances. The boomerang of kindness starts with YOU. Have a light heart. Find the humor in what’s standing between you and your happiness and skinny yourself into a better mood!
BTW … Here are the lyrics.
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding
Written by Nick Lowe. ( Here’s a link to a performance by Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe )
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside,
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh