I asked my buddy Jordan Paul to write a piece describing his new blog so I could share it with all of you.  Hope you enjoy--check it out and let me know what you think.  Conventional Wisdom has never been my cup of tea so it speaks to me for sure.

Have you ever come to the realization that something that was supposed to make you happy didn’t?

Conventional thinking tends to take us away from the essence/heart of things, as well as from our own heart. Yet in the essence is where the fulfillment for which we yearn is found. For example, at the heart of most religions are simple ideas like compassion and love. When conventional thinking disconnects us from that heart the promise of the spiritual life is lost.

One of my favorite interpretations of the 10 Commandments is far from conventional wisdom. Instead of Moses getting a series of “Thou Shalt Nots.” I like the idea of Moses hearing God say, “Tell your people that when I (God) am in your heart you will not . . .” Trying to legislate the 10 Commandments has been a colossal failure. I’m interested in finding a better way.

It took years for me to discover the simple truth that everything for which I truly yearn, such as happiness, peace of mind, joy, abundance, a meaning life, serenity, and meaningful connections with others and mys elf, happen when I’m connected to my heart.

Without that knowledge, I wandered in the desert of many spectacularly failed careers. I didn’t have a clue that my heart was not in being a stockbroker or building contractor. It wasn’t until I stepped into the classroom that I recognized that teaching was my heart’s desire. Even when I became a psychotherapist, what really lit my fire was teaching, whether as an author, workshop leader, motivational speaker or guest expert on television and radio programs.

Although I found my heart in my career, I never fully embraced it in my marriage. Instead, the fears of losing myself and not being able to create my own sense of well-being, left me fearful and needing to stay in control. Only from the ashes of that failed relationship did I rise to confront and learn how to listen to, and give from, my heart.

The path of the heart is the road less traveled. The pool of beliefs that we unquestioningly accept as true, often create the fear that disconnects us from our essence. Heart-less living is a recipe for dissatisfaction.

The first step in rediscovering the soul of most areas is to embrace our human hearts. If we are designed to follow our nature, then living more heart-connected is how we can simultaneously improve our lives and change the world.

I’m excited to have launched a project that supports our journey to evolve past the conventional wisdom that takes us away from both our own hearts and the heart of the institutions that deeply affect our lives. Beyond Conventional Wisdom Blog is a place that brings together the ideas about the heart of many issues from people who are thinking outside the box.

In the past I have written about my dear friend Valerie Sobel and all the great work she does with her foundation Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation.  I wanted to share with you the opportunity she provides to support those who need it most on this very special day--Mother's Day.

The foundation provides urgent finanical support to single parents whose children are seriously ill. The foundation has helped the hundreds of overwhelmed parents that have exhausted all financial resources, and wish only to be at their child's bedside. Their urgent assistance helps a single parent cope during this fragile and frightening time.

If you go onto their website  you can support a single mother of a catastrophically ill child, and at the same time, send a card to a special mother in your life

To see all the Gift Items that you can choose to support a single mom's needs (for example, buy cellphone minutes so that mom can stay in touch with her children back home, or pay for busfare so she can get to the hospital.) Gifts for these moms are priced from $10, to $20, $25, $35 and up, so you can select a gift that speaks from your heart and respects your budget.  At the same time, you can honor a special mother on Mother's Day by selecting a greeting card to send to her. You will find all the instructions at the above website.

There are plenty of moms on this Mother's Day who feel grateful that they can care for their seriously ill children, yet the crushing burden of their child's illness has left them in finanical despair. With your gift, you can relieve their economic burdens and give them the gift of time with their child.  To show appreciation for your gift, the foundation will send you the story of the parent and child that you have assisted.

Please go to the website and help if you are able.

Last week young Christian leaders joined forces to launch a new initiative aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons. I was on the call and wanted to share what I thought was a great project.  Two Futures Project is a broad-based citizen mobilization, which in the next year will come to schools and churches, in partnership with organizations like former Sen. Sam Nunn’s Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Through Two Futures, citizens can take action in lots of ways—from lobbying their elected officials to educating their peers about the issue.

Tyler Wigg Stevenson, the founder of the Two Futures Project, said “Nonpartisan security experts are telling us that abolition of nuclear weapons is the only alternative to their eventual use, and scientists are telling us that we have the ability to do away with them.

Christians have the capacity to bring moral clarity to an issue that is about enacted blasphemy: who do we think we are to claim authority over life itself and the welfare of all future generations? That power belongs to God alone. I believe that American Christians—especially the rising generation—can and should be at the vanguard of a movement to ensure this important work is accomplished.”

Shane Claiborne, a Christian activist and advocate for the homeless, summed it up like this: “God does not bless bombs… We cannot simultaneously love our enemies and prepare to kill them en masse. It’s time to imagine a different future… and [to] end the instruments of war and move closer to the things that bring life”

Visit the Two Futures Web site to get involved in this important issue!
 

Writing a column coming up, but thought I woudl give you guys a peek on the draft. Tell me what ya think...

As the unemployment numbers grow grimmer by the day, everyone is hoping for an end in sight, but no one knows for sure when that will happen. The March unemployment rate has reached a 25 year high at 8.5 percent.

Upon further inspection of the unemployment numbers, I discovered an eye-opening fact—for people with at least a bachelor’s degree, the March unemployment rate was at only 4.3 percent; however, for Americans with only a high school diploma, the unemployment rate more than doubled to 9.0 percent. If anyone needed statistics attesting to the power of education, there you have it.

While education has always been important to me, the current state of our economy makes it more important than ever. Although a college degree will not guarantee job stability, it adds increased security in tenuous economic times. This will not be the last recession our country experiences, so it is important to be prepared when another downturn strikes. As important, when the economic engine regains its steam, education will serve as that competitive edge to gaining or maintaining employment.

What I’m finding amid the rubble of the economy is that many people would love to go back to school to expand their educational horizons and increase their marketability, but confront the barriers of time, money and confidence.

A Philadelphian woman, Angela Yu, is one of those individuals. She is a mother who thought the idea of juggling schoolwork, work and parenthood seemed insurmountable. But Angela found hope in online education. She had the good fortune of being awarded a full-ride scholarship as part of a program called “Project Working Moms and Dads Too” (www.projectworkingmom.com). It’s a program that provides full-tuition online college scholarships.

Now, Angela is going back to school to get her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and ultimately fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. “This scholarship has made me feel powerful and given me the strength and belief that I can do anything to which I set my mind,” said Angela.

Project Working Mom represents a microcosm of the overall education crisis among American adults. This small campaign has generated more than 300,000 applications for the scholarships, showing an overwhelming demand for financial aid as people aspire to go back to school.

But, this isn’t just about the parent going back to school for the parent’s sake, it is setting the expectations for the next generation of American citizens. My uncle, who serves as the dean of Boston University’s School of Education led me to a book that shows how important education is for parents to build future leaders. The book “Consequences of Growing Up Poor” by Greg Duncan and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn looked at the education of mothers and found that their education level is a leading indicator of how children will perform in school. This research backs up what I have always believed - to help children improve their lives we need to first help parents improve their own life.

Renee Sellers is another Philadelphia-area “Project Working Mom” scholarship recipient who knows the value of higher education. She is going back to school to get her associate’s degree in business. A big motivator for her is her son. Renee has witnessed both of her parents struggle without a college degree and she never wants herself or her son to be in that position.

“I hold the value of education highly and when my son is old enough to understand, I will preach to him that a college degree is necessary in today’s world to achieve success,” commented Renee.

Despite widespread confirmation of the importance of a college degree, the sad reality is that only 17 percent of the U.S. adult population has a bachelor’s degree, according to 2007 figures from the U.S. Department of Labor. So, while conversation continues over the economic stimulus to catalyze America’s economic engine, there needs to be a rally cry around the faltering intellectual engine of this great country, which needs financial fuel. Empowering people to go higher—as in higher education—is not a luxury anymore, it is a necessity.

Unfortunately there are not enough discussions about the crisis surrounding the affordability of a college education. As a country, we need to do more to help people, particularly adults, afford a college education

Sorry I have not posted in a week - I was traveling a lot and it was difficult to get online.  A shame since this amazing email has been sitting in my inbox.  I asked Gail to write a piece for Citizen Hunter (which I'm cross-posting on Earth to Philly tonight) since I recently read her funny, uplifting and super-smart book Cancer is a Bitch!

As I am sure you noticed I have written about the topic more than usual lately as a close family member is in the throes of this terrible disease.  Gail and her book is just what the doctor ordered.  I figured she'd write me a summary of her book to post but she didn't.  So check out what she wrote, because she is frustrated and wants to get moving with her plan to implement change!

So read on and then go get her book Cancer is a Bitch: (Or I'd rather be Having a Midlife Crisis)  - it rocks!

I was a competitive runner, a yoga practitioner, an organic mostly-vegetarian eater, an arm-chair nutritionist, a person others consulted for health and anti-aging tips, a person with no aches, no pains, who rarely caught a cold... when I was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer in my mid-forties. This made no sense to me. I literally could not believe it. I was positive there had been some kind of big mistake.

This was not the me I knew. This was not the healthy persona I wore and preached and flaunted proudly.

After the reality sunk in and when I was recovering from surgery, I started Googling carcinogens obsessively and learned that even though I thought I was living a consciously healthy and clean lifestyle, carcinogens are everywhere, impossible to avoid unless you live off the land in the middle of nowhere. I even suggested that to my husband until he reminded me I wasn’t really a country person and was a terrible gardener. After reading a very small Canadian study about parabens found in breast tumors and learned that they were in most cosmetics and hair products, I realized I’d been rubbing parabens into my skin and scalp for years in the name of anti-aging. Ha! I threw out all those products and started making my own homemade organic lotions.

»  More Let's get healthy food into hospitals

I wanted to share an e-mail I received recently with all of you. 

Though I am often not a fan of a month for this cause or day for that cause, it is helpful in just reminding us of things we should be working on all year round.  April is National Donate Life Month, and LifeSharers.org told me in their e-mail that they have a solution to the organ donation crisis that is causing needless loss of life.

There is a need to create awareness regarding the critical shortage of organ donors, and the ease and benefits of being a donor, is vitally important.

Will you help get the message out? They asked.  My reply: Heck yeah, and so will other Citizenhunters!

I promptly called the number at the bottom of the e-mail and asked what can I do to help oh and by the way how in the world did you get my e-mail and why are you writing me? To which the nice voice on the other end of the line said.

"I don't know you from Eve. I contacted you because you're a member of the press in the hope you'd help spread the word about an easy way to save lives.

Lots of problems are hard to solve. The problem of people dying waiting for organ transplants is not. In the United States we bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year, which is more than enough to save the 8,000 people who die every year waiting for organ transplants.

»  More April is Donate Life Month

I have been getting to know Don Wilheim because of a mutual friend and Facebook!.  A 5-time cancer surivivor who does not know the definition of the word quit.  I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of his book, which I hear is amazing!  I reached out to him to ask if he could share some thoughts with Citizenhunters and here's what he sent.  I hope it helps you like it did me.

Folks, I know things are tough right now.  Everyone is paying the price for our collective gluttony of years gone by.  We are facing a global financial collapse over the next couple of years.  In addition, many of you who are reading this are facing cancer, or someone you care about is. There’s a lot to be down about right now.

But you have a choice.  The circumstances that are occurring in your life do NOT dictate how your life turns out.  The only thing that directly impacts you is how you choose to view your situation.  You control the thoughts that you have!  What thoughts are predominant in your mind each day?  Are they upbeat thoughts of how you and your family are going to make 2009 an outstanding year?  Are you picturing yourself healthy and happy?  Are you smiling and enjoying the time doing the things you love?

Or are your thoughts mostly negative… what I call “Being in the Weeds”?

While I think that it’s important that you pay attention  to the media and what’s happening in our world right now, I think that it’s wise to continue to manage your daily thoughts and keep a positive spirit. 

After all, if you died tomorrow, would you have wanted to waste today with useless, negative mental energy worrying about things you can’t control?

Food for thought, my friends…

As promised - I wanted to share the other great work Ryan is doing in his community and I thought it was best for it to come straight from the horse's mouth!

On Monday I was reminded of a major point in Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, Outliers.  He talks about "The Rule of 10,00 Hours" as an indicator of success.  

“The idea that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice surfaces again and again in studies of expertise. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”

I'm 31 years old and have lived in Hunting Park for the past 9 years.  I've been a volunteer and church goer here since 1997.  I studied Sociology in college and my final paper was a study on "Asset-Based Community Development in an Urban Hispanic Context" using Hunting Park as my subject.  Every day, religiously, I read an assortment of RSS feeds that monitor all kinds of things that impact our neighborhood.  I frequently scour the internet for pieces of neighborhood history.  I manage multiple blogs related to neighborhood issues.  I run the neighborhood civic association.  I work my butt off for our neighborhood community center where I am the Director of Development.  I live here.  I eat here.  I walk my dog here.  I watch baseball games here.  And I try to be as friendly as I can to everyone I know here.  I think I'm getting close to 10,000 hours of time spent trying to develop true expertise on this community.

After about 10,000 here's what I know:  Hunting Park is a beautiful place full of beautiful people.  You can spend 10 seconds watching a tv news report or 10 minutes reading a newspaper article.  These things will often give you a slanted view of our community.  Don't believe the hype.  Hunting Park is beautiful.

I have the good fortune to work somewhere that I love.  Ayuda Community Center is more than a job for me.  It is a community of friends who live and work in Hunting Park and are committed to seeing our community grow.  This Saturday you can get a crash course on beautiful Hunting Park.  Spend 3 hours at Ayuda's annual banquet and you will walk away with a satisfied belly and a full heart.  Tickets are $25.  Details are at www.ayudacc.org

Gladwell said that "excellence at performing a complex task requires a minimum level of practice."  The magic number is 10,000 hours.  We've got to practice loving our neighbors.  Get a head start on those 10,000 hours.  Spend 20 minutes watching this video and then come to our banquet.  This Saturday.  5pm.  The Ritz Hall in beautiful Hunting Park.  633. W. Hunting Park Ave.

The second person I interviewed for this video was Keisha.  Keisha is not someone you would expect to sit down and open her soul to a video camera, but that's just what she did.  At 21, she is no fool and she has plenty of reason to guard herself.  When I got home to edit the video, I found this clip from a moment when I went to answer the door:

Keisha opened up because I had known her since she was little.  Those 10,000 hours pay off in more ways than we'll ever know.  Go become an expert on your neighborhood or on someone you love.

p.s. - Bid on our online auction items at http://www.tinyurl.com/auctionbids.  Free shipping to online winners!

-Ryan Kellermeyer

The actions of AIG executives--with their reckless credit default swaps--contributed to the economic collapse we're experiencing today. The fact that $165 million of federal bailout funds were funneled to these same AIG execs symbolizes the core corruption behind it.

While it’s easy to be consumed by outrage about the AIG bonuses, we also can’t forget that millions of Americans are suffering. People are losing jobs and health care, unable to provide for their families and to ensure their immediate needs are met. Non-profit organizations across the country, like food banks and free health clinics, are stepping up to help, but they are buckling under the pressure of this recession. With donations sagging and investment values plummeting, these organizations are facing debilitating budget cuts.

These programs are lifelines for thousands of struggling families, and we need to help.

Sign the Faithful America petition and insist that the government bail out food banks, not just investment banks.

Don’t let local service providers get left out in the cold. Insist that the federal budget increase funds to food assistance, and health care and providing tax cuts to low and middle-income families. Members of Congress will be under intense pressure to cut these vital funds. We need to remind them that difficult times are when th ese programs are needed the most.

The AIG bonuses are shocking, not just due to their size, but what they represent: the rejection of the idea of shared sacrifice and the common good. We might not be able to get those executives to reconsider their priorities, but we can demonstrate our values and commitment to the well-being of all -- not just a wealthy few.