Thistle blossom

In every moment of your life, you have a choice: 
to live your truth and light or diminish it. 

Be brilliant.

-Mayor Cory Booker's Facebook entry

Paradox

I discovered this wonderful list of paradoxes on Newark Mayor Cory Booker's Facebook page.  
‎

Crabapple blossoms reflected off of a glimmering pond 

1. To create wealth: give more than you get

2. To obtain freedom: adopt discipline

3. To gain tomorrow: sacrifice today

4. To be secure: take risks

5. To lead: serve

6. To get up: lift another

7. To get revenge: forgive

8. To win: find the lessons in loss

9. To fly: fall often

10. To change the world: change yourself

Empowering words by Newark Mayor Cory Booker

Cory Booker

You were not born to be average, normal or typical.
You were not born a carbon copy.
You were born unique, born to excel, born to manifest the glory of the universe in your authentic truth.
You are not weak.
You are stronger than you imagine, wiser than you know, and have vast powers that you have yet to actualize.
Stop playing small.
Be YOU. Tell your truth - now, today, this very moment.
Manifest your true self - not a poor reflection of your circumstance.
Don’t walk through this world unconscious of your greatness, sleep walking, surrendering your light to the bland grey around you.
You were born to be brilliant,
to be light,
to be fire.
Infuse your glory into this moment, into your choices, into your deeds, into the habits you create.
Consciously choose.
Choose your body through conscious consumption,
Choose your attitude, through conscious thoughtyour destiny by being present right now – for remember mindful moments multiplied, totally transform tomorrows.
Today choose integrity, choose discipline, choose joy, choose joy, choose joy.
Rejoice in your blessings AND, most importantly, know that EVERYTHING is a blessing.
And your blessings are rich soil.
So choose to grow into the boldest, proudest, most glorious version of YOU. 
You were born for this.
                                                                             -Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ

National day of Thanksgiving and Humility

Our pastor, Christine Bellefeuille, delivered a well received sermon yesterday at Valley of Peace that had at its heart a recommendation that we reconsider naming Thanksgiving to a national day of Humility.  It was the first time at our church that I heard applause after the sermon. Pastor Chris noted how none of us can claim total responsibility for our success, or even the food on our table. We depended upon drivers, farmers, store workers and countless others for our daily existence. She referenced Elizabeth Warren's observation that none of us became successful on our own.

Suburban turkey

“You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police-forces and fire-forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory — and hire someone to protect against this — because of the work the rest of us did.

     Being a national holiday, she also read President Barrack Obama's Thanksgiving proclamation.
   
Another Thanksgiving thought from Newark Mayor, Cory Booker's Facebook page...
     We drink from wells of freedom and opportunity we did not dig. We must give thanks not in words but in continuing this tradition of service.

So, as you are loading up on your Thanksgiving meal today add a slice of humble pie to the menu. Enjoy it in honor of all those upon whom we depend for our blessed existence.

Mayor Cory Booker speaks on Martin Luther King Day

Mayor Cory Booker (left) and myself

"If it is to be, it's up to me." proclaimed Newark Mayor, Cory Booker, during a captiving talk at the Martin Luther King Jr breakfast in Minneapolis.  He concluded we can't expect the world to change if we aren't willing to change.

Mayor Booker's parents challenged him to stand up and be an example for others.  He noted the silence and inaction of good people is our nation's greatest concern. Democracy is not a spectator sport, it requires small acts of love!

To hear his audio presentation simply click on this link to MPR.

Practicing good nutrition & active lifestyle

Skier at Theodore Wirth

With the start of the new year, Newark, New Jersey's mayor, Cory Booker, has publicly pledged to change his lifestyle in order to to lose 45 pounds.  As an Honorary Vice-Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America he realizes despite the hectic schedule and daily stresses of his work he needs to take better care of his own health.  He then referenced the following story about Mahatma Gandhi. 

A woman waited in a long line with her son to see the Mahatma. When she finally got her audience, she asked him to speak to her son. You see, Gandhi was known to emphasize dietary discipline and her son’s health was deteriorating due to the amounts of sweets and sugar he was eating.

“Mahatma, would you please tell my son to stop eating sugar.”
Gandhi looked at her with sympathy and compassion, looked upon the boy as well, and then shook his head and said, “I will not.”

The woman protested, and began to ask Gandhi again, but Gandhi raised his hand interrupting her and said, “Please, come back in two months and ask me again.”
 Disappointed, the woman left

Two months later she returned with her son and made her plea again, “Mahatma, please tell my son to stop eating sugar.” This time Gandhi got up from where he was seated. He reached out his hand, touched the boy on his shoulder, and said, “My son, you must stop eating sugar.

The boy was obviously affected by the great Gandhi touching and speaking to him. The mother was overjoyed and profusely thanked Gandhi and then turned to leave. After a few steps, she stopped, turned around and said, “Great Mahatma, I am so thankful, but I am confused. Why didn’t you just tell my son to stop eating sugar two months ago?”

Gandhi looked at her kindly and said, “Because two months ago, I was eating sugar.”

Sledding sculpture at Theodore Wirth

He also reference the following observation made by James Baldwin: “Children are never good at listening to their elders but they never fail to imitate them.”

If you are interested in following Mayor Booker's progress, he will be posting it on his Facebook page, using the slogan from the White House's campaign "Lets Move!".  His first lifestyle commitment is not to watch television, unless he's working out on his stationary bike. 

You go Mayor Cory Booker!