GAZA RED ALERT

Have you seen the news about Gaza? I just signed a petition calling on the international community to help end the blockade and reach a ceasefire, take a look and add your name if you agree:

GAZA PETITION

Here's the letter from the organizers:

Dear friends,

Gaza’s southern border has broken open, 350,000 Palestinians are crossing it and Israeli retaliation is expected. The world must step in urgently to prevent an explosion – so let's call on the United Nations, European Union and Arab League to oversee the opening of borders, and to help broker the ceasefire which civilians on all sides desperately need. Please click below to sign the emergency petition -- we'll deliver it when we reach 150,000 signatures -- sign now and forward this email to your friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_end_the_siege/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

The months-old border blockade of Gaza by Israel has finally hit crisis point. This week's blackouts caught the attention of the world, now the situation is slipping out of control -- militants have blown open Gaza's southern border with Egypt and Israel could act by force to close it.

The world can stop this crisis, and help save civilians on all sides. This isn't about taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: it's about 1.5 million human beings locked up in the biggest prison on earth. The blockade must be lifted and the border opened properly, with international controls to prevent weapons smuggling. The missile war between Israel and Gaza can only be stopped by a reciprocal ceasefire that Hamas stands ready to negotiate.

While Israel and the US remain committed to the failing siege, the UN, European Union and Arab League could step in to end this blockade, oversee open borders, and help broker the ceasefire which civilians on all sides desperately need -- so sign the petition and spread the word:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_end_the_siege/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

The humanitarian crisis of Gaza is only getting worse, as patients die in hospitals for lack of care, and clean drinking water runs low. Palestinian militants are still launching missiles at the Israeli town of Sderot, and Israeli missiles claimed 35 Palestinian lives last week -- many of them civilian.

No genuine peace talks will be possible while this crisis continues. In the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006, we saw how global pressure and assistance can stop such a crisis and protect civilians from harm -- we cannot stay silent about the crisis in Gaza. Please add your name now at the link above, and forward this message widely.

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Paul, Galit, Esra’a, Pascal, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

Meditation Poem

I received this poem in my inbox this morning, and wanted to share it:

Meditation

To meditate does not mean to fight with a problem
To meditate means to observe.
Your smile proves it.
It proves that you are being gentle with yourself,
that the sun of awareness is shining in you,
that you have control of your situation.
You are yourself,
and you have acquired some peace.

by Thich Nhat Hahn


If you'd like to receive inspiring daily quotes, and a weekly poem, you can get them from the Daily Inspiring Quotes Newsletter. I've been a subscriber for quite some time now, and they send out some truly wonderful quotes.

A Belated Happy New Year

We're almost 2 weeks into the new year. How has it been for you so far? Have you broken all your resolutions yet? I've broken the one about exercising every day, but I'm standing firm on the "not buying sweets" resolution I made. If it survives the month, I'll be impressed.

Generally I don't really make resolutions, but I do like to think about how I'd like to approach the coming year. This year I expect to be quite busy with a variety of activities. I want to approach this busy-ness with a sense of peace. In other words, I don't want to get caught up in the motions and forget the reasons for what I've chosen to do with my time. I don't want to panic and get stressed, and in particular, I don't want to let panic and stress affect how I relate with others. Ideally, and I'm nothing if not an idealist, I want to bring a sense of peace to everything I do this year.

Wish me luck!

And in return, I wish you luck with whatever goals and resolutions you have made this year.