And so a new year begins.  Seasons greetings everyone.  Hope you had some rest over December and feel refreshed and ready to take on a new year.

I’ve had a lot of time to think over the past month doing all the things I love – roadtrips, the bush, the sea, animals, friends, family, gardening, cooking, laughter, tears, movies, good food, good drinks, good books – thinking about the world and what I want for my life.  2013 was a big personal growth year for me with many ups and downs in the process.  It didn’t start or end the way I expected.

The world has been going through just as many ups and downs hasn’t it. There’s an almost palpable change in the way people are thinking – for the better I think.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about all the hundreds rules and regulations we all have to live by and impose on each other, and I find myself asking – why? And how?

There are 7.2  billion people on the planet.  No two are alike.  No two look the same. No two have the same outlook on life.  No two have the same dreams. No two have the same insecurities.  No two have the same wants.  No two have the same personalities. No two have the same fingerprints!

There might be similarities, but not exacts.  Which begs the question – by what and who’s rules and regulations should we be living by and why?  Why do we need to be ‘ruled’ in the first place?  Who is it we are supposed to look like to be ‘the ideal’ when there are 7.2 billion different bodies and faces?

It is abundantly clear that none of the global economic, financial, governmental, social or religious systems currently in place on earth are working – and when you look at the variety of people on the planet, is it any wonder?

There is so much judgement, hate and anger in the world because we see ourselves as separate from each other, “us” against “them”.  We believe there is not enough of anything so we must fight to the death for our share.

What if all these assumptions are wrong?  What if we’ve got it all wrong?  What if the stories we’ve been told are incomplete?

We have no right to judge or rule any other.  We came here to experience variety, joy and love.  How about we let people experience what they want to without telling them they can’t.  Can’t by who’s estimation when there are 7.2 billion different ideas about how the world should work?  If you don’t like it, don’t do it or don’t look; but we can’t stand in judgement of what other people want to experience.  There is no right and wrong because we cannot know what any person’s journey is inside – there are only choices.

We need more compassion, love and understanding in the world.  Instead of pointing fingers at another, how about we point fingers at ourselves and look inside to see why what we viewed made us so angry.  Each and every one of us is responsible for our own happiness.  When we get infuriated by something ‘out there’, it is not that thing that is the problem, it is something inside of us we are denying.

But instead we blame, break, strike out and hurt people when all we are is scared to death and feel so utterly alone.  We don’t want our stories challenged and we’re greatly threatened when they are.  We take action when we are angry and vengeful which only compounds the problem instead of getting to a place of peace, understanding and acceptance first and reacting from there.  Why?

What if there was nothing to be afraid of; what if we are never alone?  Will we have the courage to look deep inside ourselves instead of judging others?

If we truly knew who we were, we would never harm another; ever. And we would know that there is enough of everything – love, money, resources.

All is well.

Live, and let live.