|
Gratitude – Forgiveness – Peace – Every Single Day …
As we approach Thanksgiving next week, we are reminded the holiday is about giving thanks, expressing gratitude.
In the spirit of giving thanks, I always finish my morning meditations with a deep sense of gratitude for all the blessings I have in my life. I also endeavor to maintain that attitude for the rest of the day. I find when I am able to do that, my life remains in the flow. We all have many blessings in our lives, but our human tendency is to focus on the lack in our lives.
 We would be wise to not only be grateful for all the good in our lives on Thanksgiving Day but also in a ritual every day. Similarly the celebrations of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Valentine’s Day and others could be in our daily prayers, acknowledgement and gratitude. The Season for Nonviolence runs from January 30 (Gandhi’s assassination) to April 4 (Martin Luther King’s assassination), and while it’s a worthy remembrance of the practice of nonviolence, the season needs to last all year long. As exemplified by Gandhi and MLK, we can make peace-making a daily practice 7/24, 365 days a year. On this Thanksgiving, my affirmation is to continue my daily practice of gratitude for all my blessings and recite prayers for everyone, friends and foes alike. All that comes into our lives comes for a reason – to teach us lessons and to learn from us. Although I have had health challenges this year, with shingles, which is almost healed, and lower back issues, which still persist, it has been a good year with many blessings. The work of TKF continues to grow and help saves lives of children, as it successfully teaches children and youth the principles of nonviolence. The CANEI (Constant and Never Ending Improvement) also continues to turn around youth offenders in eight cities around the country, with efforts to bring the program overseas to Morocco, Tunisia and possibly Palestine. Also efforts are being made to introduce the program in Los Angeles. The Forgiveness Workshops also continue to help many heal, which in turns help others heal. More forgiving people results in more peace for us and others in our community. These workshops are now available for couples, families, individuals and intact management teams.
My new position at the Child Safety Network has helped create new collaboration not only with the programs I founded but also with many other national organizations that serve the youth, adults and parents. While much work needs to be done these new partnerships are focused more on creating impact (change of public policy) rather than just creating outcomes. This new inclusive and collective vision brought me an invitation to address the General Assembly of the United Nations recently during the High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace (Link HERE). Many positive responses have come from this talk, as new efforts are being forged with the UN to bring this work beyond our borders.To continue the focus on gratitude, I also just completed my fourth book “From Fulfillment to Peace.” The third in a trilogy, it completes the journey from the first two books: “From Murder to Forgiveness” and “From Forgiveness to Fulfillment.” I’m also excited to share that the foreword of this latest book is written by Tony
Hicks, the young man who killed my son. Now 33 and still in prison, Tony wrote a well articulated piece that demonstrates his redemption and commitment to forge a new life-path, one that includes joining with his grandfather and me in the work of TKF so that other young souls do not make the same choices and tragic mistakes he made in the past. Through forgiveness, Tony has been saved, but he in turn is now saving many young souls by sharing his testimony and journey. I am excited to have finally completed this book after three years of work. It shows that peace is possible even though the path may begin with a painful tragedy.  The choice I made 18 years ago to forgive instead of seek revenge put me on the right trajectory to then make the choices I have made to create programs, teach the principles of nonviolence and offer the process of forgiveness to many – young and old. However, the biggest blessing in my choice has been my own spiritual growth. Living a life of gratitude, empathy, compassion, forgiveness and love helps me to be more in the flow with a profound sense of peace in my heart that was not there previously. This book is about the journey to find that peace, and I do hope many other seekers can find peace in their lives. This is a personal journey and one that I was blessed to choose. Who would have ever thought that such a decision 18 years ago would have the impact it has on me and on those who share such a journey.
My very best wishes to all of you for a blessed, joyous, loving Thanksgiving. You are all in my heart, thoughts and prayers. I thank you all for the support and love you have shared with me and the work we do together. Many Blessings, Azim N. Khamisa |
Click below to receive Azim's Monthly Musings in your inbox.