On Leadership

I thought it might be interesting to post a weekly blog of my journey ..

I have just finished reading “Mutant Message Down Under” By Marlo Morgan. I found the book fascinating and inspiring and couldn’t put it down. She describes how she was invited by a group of aborigines “Real people” and taken on a “walkabout” through the desert. Her journey is four months long and it is life changing-essentially the book is about how “mutants” have lost their way and the hope that leaders will emerge who will help mankind to realise that we are closer to experiencing paradise than ever before. “We have the technology to feed every person in the world and the knowledge, self-worth, shelter and more, for all people everywhere if we wish to do so”

And part of the experience we all have is the feeling that it’s time to lead the change. It my case I wish at times someone else would do it-maybe there’s enough all ready happening for the change to a happen anyway. Why me?

I do feel fear at times and daunted by the task and then I question my own ability and then I realise that there are heaps of people ready and willing to help.

Tina Turner has collaborated on an excellent CD which merges Buddhist and Christian teaching called “Beyond.” She says “We need to go beyond fear to take you to the place where love grows, when you refuse to follow the impulses of fear anger and revenge. We all need a repeated discipline, a genuine training to let go our old habits of mind and to find and sustain a new way of seeing”

I find this to be a daily challenge as I believe I have been conditioned to use my left brain but my natural inclination is to use my right brain-creative side. I have clear days when I a feel totally at peace and other days when I am in a state of nervous tension. I find mediation helps a lot and often the ideas of what to do next emerge after meditating.

I believe we all need to find our own ways of dealing with the fear and use it so we can go beyond to the place where love grows.

Paul Blackman

The double decker London bus boy.

The mid night air was pierced by the child’s screams . Screams filled with terror, “ help, help me my Dad’s trying to kill me.” His pleas fell on death ears as he is dragged inside, thrown on the bed and threatened within an inch of his life. A punch delivered in the right spot finally silences him leaving him sobbing and filled with fear. Another sleepless night added to the drama and at 5am in the morning he risks waking the man he calls Dad to say he is scared and needs a cuddle..

“Man up boy, “ is the response ,“ Go back to bed and get out my face.”
School wasn’t much good either ,he wanted his Mum to know what was happening to him and he kept trying to tell the teacher that he needed his mum to pick him up. She wasn’t able to deal with this so instead he makes a huge scene in the class and finally they call his Mum to pick him up.

“Stop telling lies,” she said “you know your Dad doesn’t beat you her just wants you to be a Man he’s not about to risk losing everything .”
The next day the boy is in the op shop with Dad choosing second hand clothes for school. He spots something really neat it’s a model double decker London bus and it’s only $2.00. No way will Dad buy it for him he knows that already maybe I could just borrow it ........and in a flash it’s already up his jersey and he’s home free walking out the door towards the car. A boy on a bike narrowly misses him as he walks across the road and he jumps out of the way. To his horror the bus falls on the ground and his Dad spots it.

“Where did you get that from boy-how many time have I told you not to steal stuff-you just wait until I get you home I teach you not to steal.”he screams.
The look of terror in his face says it all and he is noticed by Angela the volunteer from the OP shop. Although Andela is only 15 she loves helping out at the social as he Dad calls it and she is wise beyond her years. Her mum is a social worker -she makes a mental note to tell her what she saw.

Two weeks later ….

Angela is sitting in the principals office, the boys parents are there with the boy and the CYF’s lady. Angela tells them what the boy has told her about the way his Dad beats him up-Dad starts yelling and threatening her and makes a big scene-the principal tells him to stop and says he will call the police . Eventually he does shut up and then starts crying telling them how badly his Dad used to treat him and that he doesn’t want to loose his son-loose the benefit more like says the boys mother. It ends when the CYF’s lady takes the boy away.

The boy now lives with his grandmother and attends school everyday. He’s doing well. The double decker bus has pride of place on the mantel piece…..

Finding Happiness

I would like to kick off the World Youth Peace Foundation blog with a poem named 'Finding Happiness' that was read at the 2006 World Scholar Athlete Games.

Finding happiness is like chasing a butterfly...
The more you chase it and chase it and chase it
The more it will elude you...
But... if you sit quietly and look at the beauty that surrounds you,
Count your family, count your friends and count your blessings...
Happiness will come and rest softly, softly, softly on your shoulder.
-Billy Lee Long

I hope you like it as much as I do.

Paul