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Martit^ Luther^ King^
W^tfe ^ o r tla n it (©bseruer
Jun. !3, ¡999
C 23
Unity In Diversity
B y D onna S elby
I believe that M ahatm a Gandhi
speaks of the unknown factor in “Our
ability to teach unity in diversity will be
the beauty and the test of our civiliza­
tion.” How do we find balanced aware­
ness in our universal world'.’ How do we
pay attention without prejudice? How
do we find balance while keeping an
open mind and heart ? I cannot answer
these questions for you as these are
questions for each individual heart and
soul. lean only through daily introspec­
tion and action walk my talk or talk my
walk.
No one person is alike, not even
twins. The way we see our world de­
pends upon our points o f view which
may be right or wrong. It’s like six blind
men trying to tell what an elephant is like
by feeling it.
“Six wise men oflndia an elephant did
find and carefully they felt its shape for
all o f them were blind. The first he felt
towards the tusk, ‘it does to me appear,
this marvel o f an elephant is very like a
spear. ’ The second sensed the creature ’ s
side extended flat and tall, ‘Ah ah' he
cried and did conclude, ‘this animal’s a
wall.’ The third had reached towards a
leg and said, it’s clear to m e what we
should all have instead this creature’s
like a tree.’ The fourth had come upon
the trunk which he did seize and shake,
quoth he, ‘this so-called elephant is
really just a snake. ’ The fifth had felt the
creature’s ear and finger o ’er it ran, ‘I
have the answer, never fear, the creature's
like a fan! ’ the sixth had come upon the
tail as blindly he did grope, ‘let my
conviction now prevail this creature’s
like a rope.’ And so these men ofmissing
sight each argued loud and long though
each was partly m the right they were all
inthpwrong “ (FromM apsoftheM ind)
‘To reach unity in diversity will be
the beauty and the test o f our civiliza­
tion.’ Why? Because we get so caught
up with measuring who is right and
wrong that we miss the real beauty of
creation. How do we balance our aware­
ness without prejudice ? Simply by keep­
ing an open mind and heart. Speak truth
as you see it, allowing others to do the
same. Rememberthat diversity is the gift
found in unity which works together to
create balance.
Nature is our greatest teacher and
healer. W e take a walk, go to the moun­
tains or (Kean when we feel stressed.
Why? Because nature in its emptiness
is balanced How does nature heal us?
Taking a walk makes us feel better be­
cause the natural exchange o f energy re­
energizes us. We feel more at peace with
ourselves and with one another. What
more can nature teach us? Nature tells us
to slow down, to breathe, to live peace­
fully. W e get out ofbalance when we try
to control life instead o f allowing it to
unfold naturally. This natural diversity
in the change o f seasons. Even the
process o f birth and death are natural
changes. This is no different than our
lives.
Even a simple seed is our teacher.
Within the seed is an alchemical labora­
tory ofDN A waiting to be birthed out o f
oppositionary forces, all perfect and
necessary for its growth. To look at he
seed you would think nothing is going
on yet a whole lot is happening This
same principle happens when we go to
sleep at night. As our body relaxes into
the void or darkness o f our dream world,
many changes are happening within the
seed o f us which hold potential for new
life. Silence in nature holds the key and
as we listen to our soul we will find the
beauty in unity and diversity. The sun
and moon are good examples of work in
harmony in that each work individually
yet are fully independent o f one another.
The balance o f power comes through
cooperation with each becoming more
than the sum o f its parts. Be not afraid of
the dark o f the moon for it is in the
stillness o f night the dawn o f a new
reality awakens.
Sisters O f The Road Cafe
Cherish The Dream:
Refuse To Hate
P le a s e jo i n S is te rs O f T h e
sp e a k O u t o n D r. K in g ’s d re a m
R o a d C a fe o n M o n d a y , J a n u a ry
1 8th at 5 :0 0 p m fo r th e M a rc h o f
th e D ream . In h o n o r o f th e b ir th ­
d a y o f D r. M a rtin L u th e r K in g ,
J r ., S iste rs O f T h e R o a d C a fe is
h o ld in g th e 6 th a n n u a l M a rc h fo r
t h e D r e a m in O ld T o w n /
C h i n a t o w n . W e w ill m a r c h
fro m th e a u d ie n c e . F o r m o r e
in fo rm a tio n on th is y e a r ’s m a rc h ,
p le a s e c a ll N a n c y o r J o h a n n a at
th ro u g h O ld T o w n /C h in a to w n ,
c r o s s B u r n s i d e to P i o n e e r
S q u a re , an d th e n re tu rn d o w n
B r o a d w a y to th e D o w n to w n
C h a p e l fo r a sh o rt c e le b ra tio n
a n d re fre s h m e n ts . T h e p ro g ra m
w ill in c lu d e s p e a k e rs fro m O ld
T o w n /C h in a to w n , m u s ic , a n d a
2 2 2 -5 6 9 4 .
T h is y e a r w e a re m a rc h in g to
c e le b ra te D r. K in g ’s m e ssa g e th a t
“ L o v e is th e o n ly fo rc e c a p a b le
o f tr a n s f o r m in g an e n e m y in to a
f rie n d .” In th e s h a d o w o f r e c e n t
h a te c rim e s a ro u n d th e c o u n try
a n d c o n tin u in g h a r d s h ip s e x p e ­
r ie n c e d b y h o m e le s s p e o p le h e re
in O ld T o w n /C h in a to w n , w e a re
m a rc h in g in s u p p o rt o f t o le r ­
a n c e , p e a c e a n d c o m p a s s io n fo r
all p e o p le .
S is te rs O f T h e R o a d C a fe is a
n o n -p ro fit re s ta u r a n t in th e O ld
T o w n /C h in a to w n N e ig h b o r ­
hood. W e opened on N ovem ber
7 th , 1 979, a n d o p e ra te fro m a
p h ilo s o p h y o f n o n - v io le n c e a n d
g e n tle p e rs o n a lis m . T h e C a fe is
o p e n M o n d a y th r o u g h F rid a y
fro m 1 0:00 am to 3 :0 0 pm w ith
th e la st m e a l se rv e d a t 2 :4 5 p m .
T h e o f f i c e is o p e n M o n d a y
th ro u g h F rid a y fro m 9 :0 0 am to
5 :0 0 p m . W e in v ite y o u to c o m e
in a n d e n jo y a m e a l a t th e C a fe .
A t S is te rs O f T h e R o a d C a fe ,
“ th e r e a r e n o s tr a n g e r s , j u s t
frie n d s w e ’v e n e v e r m e t.”
O re g o n
I C O N O M IC
1)1.\ El OILMEN I
Helps Oregon businesses create economic
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1)1 PAR 1 WI N I
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The Oregon Emerging Business Initiative, which helps
growing companies become competitive
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Facilitation o f workforce training programs in company,
industry and education settings
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For more information, contact 1-800-233—3306, or write to
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775 Summer Street N.E.
Salem, Oregon 97310
Fax: 503 -5 8 1 -5 1 1 5
Web Address: http://www.econ.state.or.us
W hen T he
" Somehow we must be able
to stand up before our most
bitter opponents and say:
We shall match your
capacity to inflict suffering by
our capacity to endure
suffering . We w ill meet your
physical force with soul force.
Do to us what you will and
we w ill still love you.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT
W as S igned I nto L aw . ..
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had already been
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fftejjttle
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offers employee assistance programs
and managed mental health and chemical dependency services.
Telephone 503.224.2214
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1912