An Awakened Life

I am, just like everyone else in our country, bewildered of what happened in Vegas. Just like all of you, I can't help but feel deeply sadden for the victims' family. I can't imagine waking up tomorrow losing anyone in my family. The pain and the anguish are beyond words. I am not sure of any words I can say to ease their pain.

During this time we must reflect and reexamine our life...how we live, how we work, how we play and most important of all, how we treat each other on a daily basis.

I don't know much but at this stage in my life, I finally understand one complete fact: a hurt human hurts others.

I don't know anyone who is loved, happy, conscious, self-aware, awaken, spiritual and who wants to hurt others. Most of our hurts came from our childhood. As we continue to grow,  those dark feelings manifest in all forms; unfortunately, they are toxic behaviors and some even become deadly.

I love the saying "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Allow me to expand...

Imagine you are an 11 year old boy that just arrive in a foreign country. You don't speak the language, and you are dirt poor. The clothes you have on your back came from Goodwill, refugee camp or whatever the church has graciously given to you. You sit in a classroom 6 hours a day, but you do not understand anything anyone said. The best part of the day is lunch because it is one of the best meals you will eat that day.

Children are cruel! Being picked on, bullied and made fun of is a daily routine. What's even worse is when your teacher lost a son in the war and every time she looks at you, she blames you for his death.

I know, I know! How did I turn out to be like this? The answer is much more simpler than you think- kindness!

Oct 1976 Est.

Mr. and Mrs. Nobu.

With a family of 9, my father struggled to find a job that could feed the family. Not having any transferrable skills or speaking decent English, the only jobs he could find were janitorial or yard work.

On a miraculous Sunday drive, we stumbled on a persimmon farm. We asked to buy some fruits, but when Mr. Nobu saw our car (it looked like a sardine can with 7 children's body parts flinging outside the windows), he allowed us to fill the car with as much fruits as we could pick. In sign language and few words of English, he discovered that my father did not have a job that could feed the family. He offered to share some of his land, equipment and tractor to teach my father how to farm. The 1 acre that he shared with us had turned in to a 20 acre farm that my father eventually bought 15 years later.

It was Mr. Nobu's random act of kindness that has changed the course of 9 lives forever. (One of the saddest days of my life was when I came back to the farm 20 years later looking for Mr. Nobu after I became a VP and had a family of my own, to find that he has passed. I wanted him to know what he has done to change my life forever.)

It is our responsibility as Americans and as citizens of the world to act with kindness, honor and compassion in our circle of life. The power of kindness and compassion has healing & transformational power beyond anything I have experienced.

I still have great hope for our country and the human race. During this time we must be united and place humanity first. Let's ask ourselves these two simple questions:

1.What is the purpose of our soul?
2.What do you want to hear at the end of our lives?

The sooner we help our children (and ourselves) answer these questions, the sooner we will have a more gentle, loving, and kinder society. The power is within us and the best part of being nice or kind is IT'S Freaking FREE!

For all the heroes at Vegas, we salute and thank you! And for all the victims' families, may God provide you strength to endure this unimaginable time.

Much love everyone and please take care of each other,

- Dewey Doan