I'm at a lose for where to begin...

I see in myself a clear sense of 'right action.' I still make mistakes, of course, but this path requires a certain amount of chutzpah. If a thousand people are talking about the cut of the Emperor's sports coat, I'm going to shout out that he's naked. Because, you know, he is.

A lot of times this is called arrogance. It's conviction, certainly, but I work really hard to remain open minded, remember that I get things wrong, to be aware of the situation... courage and wisdom, you know? Often the message is that it's either/or. Faith or curiosity, but never both. I think a lot of people see the conviction and stop looking. After all, conviction without wisdom is arrogance, or, as I like to call it, President Bush.

Myself, I was abused as a child. It's only very recently, as I process the fear and grief, that I've really gained a sense of... umm... what my life could be for? What good I could do beyond the internal. Of course I stumble across this page now.

I feel that we do live in ... well, if I had a flair for the dramatic I'd call it a wicked age. A single abuser scars a dozen lives, and each one is diminished in their ability to stand against abuse. Lies encourage liars, and liars produce more lies. In corporate America, a lack of morals or integrity is the fastest path to the top.

I don't think this is a natural state.

I mean, I suspect we as a culture are sick; like suffering from a really bad bronchial infection. Or perhaps, as a superior metaphor, our culture is like an alcoholic who has reached the end of the road, and is very close to hitting rock bottom. If you're familiar with addiction literature, you know that sometimes at rock bottom things turn around. The addict hears a little voice inside them that promises recovery is possible.

Maybe that's exactly what the catalysts are.

Incidentally, I know I may seem irreverent. And honestly, I am. But I do take this stuff seriously. A sacred trust and all that... I've been near crushed under the energy of the catalytic archetype, but you know... I'm honored to be able to do some good.