A new America

Is America in need of a new awakening?

Don’t expect it to come from society’s leaders. They are more focused on divisive special interests than more fundamental problems: the loss of human connection and caring among neighbors, family, friends and community.

Americans are more concerned about our moral and spiritual meltdown than they are about contentious political issues. They are concerned about how the materialistic side of the American dream has spun out of control and how this has led to so many of the major problems we see today.

Only spiritual awakening to something greater than ourselves can address society’s most pressing problems and answer our most heartfelt needs and aspirations.

Can we believe in something greater than ourselves, bigger than even our religious or political beliefs? Instead of always arguing about our differences, can we spend more time on building the world that we want right now?

Let’s start by making a conscious commitment to bring people together, especially those who don’t share beliefs. The most practical way to do this is to get to know the person right across the street—our neighbor. You might think of your neighbor as only a barking dog. It’s sad, but while we may travel around the world, we may never take a few steps across the street to get to know our neighbor.

The Conscious Community Campaign encourages Northern Nevadans—young and old, urban and suburban—to participate in “Get To Know Your Neighbor Day” on Saturday, Aug. 26 by hosting a pot-luck, block party or coffee klatch. You might just go out and meet your neighbors by knocking on their door and saying hello.

“Get To Know Your Neighbor Day” is part of the Conscious Community Campaign, a new region-wide movement for social renewal, that, as part of its mission, encourages creating a purpose-driven community that focuses on demonstrating Goodness in our lives. We are connecting the good being done by individuals and organizations to create a consolidated grassroots movement.

By bringing people together to talk about common needs and making a difference, we put a face on the person next door and help people reconnect with the larger community they participate in.

By connecting neighbors and others through common virtues that we all care deeply about, such as love, integrity, courage, service and respect, we can begin to build a solid foundation to solve community’s problems from the bottom up. Imagine thousands of people consciously connecting in this way. There will be generated such a tidal wave of goodwill that loving our neighbor will become an everyday occurrence.

If you are interested in hosting a gathering, or if you want to learn more about the Conscious Community Campaign, see www.ccbnreno.org or contact <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> </script> or 721-3287.