Wow, it was hot! In fact I think I got sunburned on my face a little. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. As my friend from New York, Lila said, " we have been burned to compassion." That's what I thought of when I looked in the mirror and saw some red. It's one way to awaken to the presence of love, to be "burned" into it. Oftentimes that's what it takes.

However, it doesn't have to be that way. Instead of being burned, we can be gently "warmed" into compassion.

That is what I felt yesterday at our 9/11/11 Coexist Celebration. I felt the heart and the presence of all those who worked to create a beautiful expression of love, and all those who came to add their heart and soul. I believe we did set a world record, a world record for acceptance and love and forgiveness with the largest multicultural, interfaith gathering of people ever to partake in the Muslim prayer ritual of Salat.

The Oregonian covered it, and KOIN News Channel 6 was there. In my imagination I saw people reading the paper or watching the television who may still be carrying prejudice, residues of anger or hate, and suddenly "seeing" another way.

The truth of course is, we all carry prejudice. Every time we "pre-judge" anything, we have been prejudice. It tends to create suffering. Haven't we all suffered enough?

Today, try and catch yourself every time you are tempted to "pre-judge."

Here is a simple one. Realize, every time we dub something as "bad" we have made a "judgment" call. In that moment, it has become bad because we have made it so. We have become the judge and the jury.

Let's suspend judgment, and allow things to unfold as they are, and as we do, we will see that which we once thought was bad, most likely, was always "neutral" waiting for our judgment.

May Peace Be With You,
Barry