America is celebrating our military's raid and assassination of Osama Bin Laden last evening. Jubilation at "ground zero", in front of the White House and at Times Square. One of the great injustices purportedly inflicted upon our country has been, at least, partially rectified. The media is eluding to the "war on terror" is nearing the end.
Or is it?
When Dorothy's house landed on the Wicked Witch of the West, the munchkins celebrated in much the same way that we are celebrating Bin Laden's assassination. The tyranny inflicted by the witch was over. Now their lives would improve. Much like the jubilation of Americans these past 24 hours. However, the story of the Wizard of Oz, I believe, is a parable for the primary challenge of the human experience.
Dorothy is told that the Great Wizard has the knowledge which can return Dorothy to her beloved Kansas. Much the same as we place our ability to be happy or successful in someone else's hands or upon some future event. (Does "I'll be happy when..." win the lottery, get the right house, job, relationship, weight, degree, etc. etc. etc. sound familiar?)
So Dorothy sets off down the Yellow Brick Road (the only correct way to get to the Wizard) and comes upon the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion, each possessing their own "I'll be happy when". On the way, success at finding the Great Wizard is taking too long and adversity besets the group of seekers in the form of the Witch's sister seeing revenge for killing the ruby-slippered tyrant. Finding that life is tough, the group takes a gander through the poppy field (the source of opiates such as morphine, heroin, Vicodin & Percocet). Subjecting themselves to the poppy's influence, usual caution is thrown to the wind and instead of relief, the seekers' lives complicate greatly. (Dang flying monkeys).
After getting the "monkey off their back" the troupe find the Great Wizard. Upon beseeching the Wizard's advice, they are told that their power has always been within them. All they needed to do was to choose to experience their desired result! Focusing upon Dorothy, the Wizard instructs her to click her ruby heels together and repeat "there's no place like home...there's no place like home...there's no place like home". Similarly to asking ourselves: WWJD? we remind ourselves that Spirit is our true nature and we are at "home" when we emulate the great spiritual masters such as Jesus.
As a parable, the story of the Wizard of Oz is meant to teach us a life lesson. Just as our power, rather than being held in someone else's hands, is found within us; our tyrannies are also experienced because we choose to experience tyranny - either because of the way we perceive things or because of boundaries we fail to set. Even Victor Frankl and Anne Frank perceived these truths while being subjected to the treatment while in a Nazi concentration camp.
And neither is our relationship with terror; until we choose otherwise.
The evening news is filled with items that we should be afraid of; each other, a certain race or nationality of people, a new virus or chemical; even growing older. If were to take each of these fears to heart, we wouldn't get out of bed in the morning (unless we were told that this behavior was dangerous as well). There are folks, however, who live their lives around one or more of these fears.
Who amongst us hasn't terrorized another to some extent? We yell at the clerk who answers the phone to a creditor that we owe money to. We blare our horn at the driver who drives too slow, doesn't move when the light turns green or who cuts us off in traffic. Our youth are inspired by the shoot-outs we see in the movies or on television and seek their 15 minutes of fame by overpowering the pharmacy or convenience clerk, or brandish a gun when disagreeing with others. The true terrorist is within ourselves.
When we cease our tyranny we will experience the liberation we seek. When we stop viewing our world as a dangerous place requiring our toughened spirit to be ever ready to do battle and practice true forgiveness of others - extending peace, comfort and compassion rather than embracing offense, we will do our part to end terrorism in our society. As I write this post, I am watching "Roads to Memphis" on PBS an American Experience documentary about James Earl Ray and his assassination of Martin Luther King. In it, Andrew Young, an aide to Dr. Martin Luther King says "We always said we were not concerned with who killed Martin Luther King. We were concerned with WHAT killed Martin Luther King. And what killed Martin Luther King was a reactionary attitude that was afraid of change for the better in America. It was trying to hold America, keep America still, when America was crying out to continue the evolution of freedom. I learned from Martin Luther King that you have to do what you think is right and accept the
consequences as they come. You can’t do things to stay safe."
Pertinent words then...pertinent words now.
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