Mission 7: Nourishing the Diversity of Life

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Yesterday, we began to see how biodiversity is the “insurance policy” of the natural world. If one species is not able to perform its role within an ecosystem - say, a bacteria in the soil that provides specifics nutrients to the roots of a plant - then there are many, many more microorganisms that will take its place. Biodiversity is a form of abundance and security, woven together by countless relationships that provide the conditions that allows all life to thrive. Likewise, the human world - which is but a part of the natural world - benefits from the diversity within our own species. And diverse we are! Agents, the New Story will require ALL of our strengths, which when brought together, vastly outweigh our individual weaknesses. Yesterday, we asked a simple question about a person or group that is somehow labeled as being “different” than us. We asked… “What is it like to be you?” Let’s think back on our insights to this question. Our mission today, Agents, is to reach out to this person or group in a gesture of peace, friendship, and celebration of our unity in diversity. Such a gesture might come in many forms… such as a letter that lets a person know we are happy they are in our lives or community. We could bake them our favorite dessert, and give them a gift of some kind with note of its meaning to us. Or we could simply tell this person or group their importance to us in words of affirmation. Met with a friend from Peru and we talked about being an entrepreneurial woman and the challenges of being in a position of power. Whatever the gesture of peace may be, know it will strengthen the connection between us and nourish the bonds of the New Story of our world! Remember to report and share your experiences on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents! The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are thrilled for Day 8 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight Reconciliation Canada! Read about the profound work of healing and peace of Reconciliation Canada here!

Mission 6: Venturing into Life's Diversity

In the emerging New Story, we are seeing how life can become an ally rather than an adversary, whereas the Old Story once saw life as an enemy to control and overcome. In the New Story, Life is on our side - because we know the life within and around us wishes to survive and thrive. In our previous mission, we began to explore how nature forms complex, win-win relationships between many forms of life that lead to unexpected benefits. Nature can offer us unbelievable insights into how we might want to design systems within our New Story to create abundance, stability, and even peace.   Agents, what other lessons does nature have to reveal to us? Let’s take a look… In healthy ecosystems, countless lifeforms interact and perform important jobs that benefit the whole, from pollinating flowers to creating healthy soil to providing shade for others. As it turns out, the healthier an ecosystem is, the more diverse forms of life live there to take care of these many important jobs. If one species isn’t able to perform its job - say, a pollinating bee - then there are other pollinators (such as butterflies!) that can pick up the slack and ensure the ecosystem continues to thrive. The human world - which is part of this more-than-human world - works in the same way. Not only would it be very boring if everybody were to be just like us, we actually become stronger and more resilient because of our diversity of differences. The collective reservoir of our gifts, skills, experiences, ethnicities and cultures is actually what in part makes our species so unique. We have so much to learn from each other!   Our mission today, Agents, is to strengthen the ecosystem of the human family by honoring our extraordinary diversity.   Differences are beautiful and rich, and human life is full of them! How lucky are we?!   Yet, honoring other people’s differences can be challenging. Often, we humans create stories about a particular group of people that is based off of fear and misunderstanding. Instead of really seeing them, we see the story we made up about them, and often times that story was given to us from someone else.   Instead of fear, let us use a more exciting tool to gain some insight: curiosity! Today, identify a person or a group of people you have previously thought to be different than you in some way. Let’s ask... ”What is it like to be you? If I was born in your life, and I have seen what you have seen, who would I be? Would I be you?” I did not perform this mission yet. We will return to our observations in tomorrow’s mission! Remember to report and share your experiences on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents!     The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are excited for Day 7 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight Films for the Planet!   Read about the wonder-filled offerings of Films for the Planet here!

Mission 5: Unleashing the Life Around Us

We human beings are an inseparable expression of life itself. The life within us is but a vital reflection of the life around us, and within all living beings. We humans belong to life, and are here to be a beneficial presence to the Story of Life, which is an exciting aspect of the New Story we seek to tell! When we are healthy and thriving, all of the cells and organs in our body work in harmony together - fighting off diseases, regenerating new cells - providing us with the vital functions we need to live. One organ - say, our liver - wouldn’t be able to survive without the community of relationships that exist all around it, from the heart to the brain to the lungs to the digestive system! Similarly, nature’s ecosystems are made up of these types of infinitely complex relationships. The Earth is like a MASSIVE body made up of the trillions upon trillions of life-forms who call her home. Her water and air are like the circulatory system in our own bodies. Her trees, turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, are like our lungs. In fact, yesterday, we began to observe some of the relationships woven into but a single tree. From there, we began to notice the many relationships around us that we depend on to live.   Our mission today, Agents, is to unleash the power of these relationships for the benefit of all life!  I have always felt this connection of life naturally The New Story understands the power of relationships, for what is gained from these relationships is so much greater than what we can achieve alone. Did you know that energy from one person, for example, can actually be stored within another person? When we give a gift to someone else - like helping them do a task we’re good at - that energy is stored in the other person in the form of gratitude. This relational energy betters both people’s lives, and creates a win-win situation for the giver and the receiver, whose roles one day will be reversed! Let’s find ways today to strengthen the relationships with those around us. Make them breakfast, write them a note, give them a hug. Offer to help them with a project they are working on. Offer one of your skills to them. Expect nothing in return, knowing you are filling them with gratitude that will one day be given to someone else!   Remember to report and share your experiences on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents!   The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are excited for Day 6 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight the Parliament of World Religions!   Read about the extraordinary initiatives of the Parliament of the Worlds Religions here!

Mission 4: Observing the Life Around Us

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Agents, for us to succeed in making a New Story of the World, one thing above all else must be true… we must believe in it! Which means we all must feel fully ALIVE within it! By observing the life WITHIN ourselves - and trusting in what makes us feel most alive - we are able to harness our energy in powerful and often surprising ways. This natural power, we could say, is the living fuel source of our New Story. However, the life within humans is part of an even greater source of life, a source that exists all AROUND us…   And that source is Mother Nature herself! In nature, every element and living being is deeply interconnected to everything else. In fact, life is only possible because of these unexpected relationships where many seemingly separate parts become integrated into a larger, living whole.   Let’s look at just one example of the power of these relationships… When a tree captures energy from the sun and absorbs nutrients from the soil, it grows and produces seeds. Animals and insects can then use this tree for shelter from the cold of night and the heat of day, and eat the seeds for food. In return for the food, the animals spread the seeds to many parts of an ecosystem, where they can grow into more trees, to provide more shelter and food. But Agents, there’s more... without beneficial microorganisms breaking down organic matter in the soil, the tree wouldn’t be able to access the nutrients in the ground to grow. In return for the microorganism’s help, the tree’s roots release sugar to feed them, keeping the little beings happy and alive, which keeps the tree happy and alive.   It is only through the power of working together that each form of life can survive!   Our mission today, Agents, is to begin to the unveil the quiet power of relationships that exist all around us. In the New Story, we can benefit from the extraordinary results of many elements and forms of life working together in harmony. These relationships already exist all around us! Let us begin to ask ourselves… What relationships do we depend upon every day for food, for shelter, for clothing, for our well-being? How might we amplify the power of relationships to make life richer for ourselves and others?  One way is by being grateful that they are a constant in our lives We will return to our observations for tomorrow’s mission!   Remember to report your observations and reflections on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents!   The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are excited for Day 5 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight the Isle of Aero!   Read about the extraordinary initiatives of the Isle of Aero here!

Mission 3: Harnessing the Life within Us

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In our previous mission, Agents, we began to observe the life within us. We started to notice how little energy it took to do tasks we really enjoyed, and how much energy it took to do ones we really didn’t. The difference between the two isn’t necessarily the amount of physical energy it requires to do a job… it's actually whether or not the life within us believes in the work.   In other words, life rewards us if we nourish it! By nourishing a fruit tree, for example, we are eventually rewarded with delicious fruits. The same is true for the life inside of us: if we nourish ourselves, we can surprise ourselves by the energy, joy, and productivity we get in return! Recall what you observed yesterday. What made you feel full of that good kind of abundant energy? Our mission today, Agents, is to take time to do the things that make us feel joyful to be alive!  Loved helping make and pinwheels with my intern and YAC students, the few who have the time to focus on this creative and nourishing activity. In the New Story, we don’t need more people who are always tired because they dislike their jobs... that’s Old Story stuff. In the New Story, we can actually value happiness, purpose, community, connection, and all of the abundance they create. Maybe you’d like to go for a walk. Start that project or book you’ve been thinking about for years. Call a dear friend you haven’t spoken to in some time. Write a poem. Explore that career change you’ve been dreaming of. Start a community garden. Or simply just take time to be. Try to give yourself space to really enjoy this activity, without interrupting yourself! And remember...share your insights and experiences on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents! The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are thrilled for Day 4 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight We the World! Read about the truly remarkable work of We the World here!

Mission 2: Observing the Life Within Us

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Agents, yesterday we started to explore the idea that we are living in the rare space between two stories. When people no longer believe in where their Story of the World is taking them, it begins to fall apart. When this happens, a space is left behind, which actually allows for something more vibrant and beautiful to grow instead. In fact, it takes a lot of time and energy to keep a story in the world that doesn’t work or want to be here anymore. We can actually observe this effect happening all around us. Observe a time, for example, where you had to do a job or activity you didn’t love or want to do. You may have done the job, but how did you feel afterward? Exhausted? Stressed? Did time feel as if it dragged on and on and on? On the other hand, when you do something that really interests you, how do you feel? Energized? Alive? Do you even remember to look at the clock? It makes a difference if you believe in what you are doing, then the obstacles, hurdles, and negativism does not derail you from your path. Our mission today, Agents, is to observe and interact with what fills you with life and energy, and what doesn’t. Do you dislike maintaining your lawn? (Who says we need grassy lawns, anyway?) Do you miss seeing butterflies in your neighborhood? (Why not turn your lawns into patches of wildflowers so they will return?) Notice how you feel throughout the day, and where your mind wanders to. You can make a list to keep track of your experiences. We’re going to return to your observations for tomorrow’s mission! Remember...share your insights and experiences on the Compassion Report Map! Good luck, Agents! The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are excited for Day 3 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight 9/11 Day! Read about and participate in 9/11 Day!

Global Unity Games: Building Bridges Begins -Mission I: A Journey into a New Story

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Agents of Compassion, We have critical information for you from Compassion HQ… Since the times of first peoples, we human beings have sat in circle together to tell stories. Passed down over the generations, we told stories to delight and entertain our wonder, but also to warn and inform our curiosity. All stories, in one way or another, answered important questions that have captured the human spirit since our beginning: “Who are we?” “Why are we here?” And, “Where are we going?” These are really Big Questions, and so our answers to them make up a really Big Story! Lately, Agents, it may feel like the Big Story of the World has “gone mad” or “turned upside down.” We may feel that we do not like where we are going right now, as things feel more uncertain, confusing, and divisive on Planet Earth. We begin to ask, “What exactly is going on here?” One possible explanation is that the Old Big Story we once believed in is not taking us where it once promised. The story and its answers are no longer working - or they never worked all that well - and so the story is starting to fall apart. When a Big Story starts to fall apart, something very interesting happens: a crack appears where it once stood. This crack, although scary at first, is actually the space where a New Big Story about who we are, why we are here, and where we want to go can emerge. Agents, we find ourselves now in the rare space between two stories. In this crack, what type of a story do we wish to seed? What grows here is up to us… But we cannot do it alone! That’s why our mission today, Agents, is to joyfully invite a friend or community to join us on our journey into the New Story. Send your friend or communities a link to this story, and take on tomorrow’s mission together! (They can sign up to receive the mission here!) If you are called, please share your experiences from today on the new Compassion Report Map! The Champion Spotlight illuminates outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are excited for Day 2 of the Unity Games Relay to highlight the Network of Wellbeing! Read about the incredible work and origins of Network of Wellbeing here! Sponsors of the Global Unity Games!

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Dear Agents of Compassion, We warmly invite you to kick off the beginning of Global Unity Games: Building Bridges with this short-film made in partnership with UNIFY. The Global Unity Games: Building Bridges is about envisioning and living into a New Story of the Earth - a unified and abundant world with enough resources and care for every living person and being. The New Story is growing, right now, wherever we are. Begin by sharing the video above with your networks, and signing up for the Global Unity Games. Over the next 16 days - from September 9th - 24th - we will explore and share ways in which we can contribute to the emerging New Story of our time. We will ask… What is global unity? What is abundance? What bridges peace, prosperity and the planet? What role do I have to play? Each day of the Global Unity Games, a mission will be sent out featuring the following: Simple, meaningful ways to seed Global Unity and the New Story in our own lives and communities. Opportunities to reflect, report, and share our actions on the global Compassion Report Map. The Map has received major upgrades, including sharing individual reports on social media. Highlights of “Champions of Compassion” from around the world. As well as local, global, and online events and initiatives we can participate in! Agents, we are the authors of what happens next… Let the Global Unity Games begin! Sign up to play in the Global Unity Games! The Compassion Relays illuminate outstanding organizations and individuals around the world whose work is contributing to a more peaceful, just, and compassionate planet. These entities are known as Champions of Compassion. We are honored to begin Day 1 of the Unity Games Relay with ABC Charity!   Their charity focuses on kids helping kids by imagining and creating “Letters of Compassion” that build bridges.  Read about the incredible work and origins of ABC Charity here! On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each of the 17 goals (found here) has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. Want to get involved? Start by telling everyone about them! Here's a list of actions that you can take in your everyday life to contribute to a sustainable future. Sponsors of the Global Unity Games! The Global Unity Games are made possible by the incredible support of UNIFY, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, and the Maritz Family Foundation. Maritz Family Foundation

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