POWER

     "We got the power" would go the chant as the floor shook with the power of stamping feet. Easy to say, but the application of that thought? Not so easy and to be carefully used, for the misuse of power has led us into our present situation.
     As far as I can tell, there are two powers, one within and one without. The power within says to a person that he/she can do whatever it is that is the goal, or at least make some headway. That power depends upon the inner strength of a person, upon the power of the spine and the heart and the mind. The power without often combines with the power within at that point. It is the belief that there is another power beyond that which humans have and that power will help them, give them the courage to persevere against all odds.
     Today, Dec. 7, is a perfect example of the powers of humanity. One side used powers to inflict harm, as much harm as possible and the other side had no united power, only the small powers within the individuals who stood up amongst the violence and terror of Pearl Harbor, and fought back, rescued people, and went above and beyond. People can reach within and rise above even the vilest situations. Even within the concentration camps of the Nazis there were heroes, ordinary people who rose above it all and helped others, remembered their religion and the power above, or who simply managed to remain human and survive in nonsurvivable situations.
     Today we are in a situation, in a time of history, when we must look deeply within and without and decide on what power we will use and find. Will it be the power that seeks only to increase, to harm, to aid and abet miscreants, to encourage the selfish and the cruel, or will it be the power from within that seeks to help others, to search for and support the right and the good, the power within that knows that with the outside power much can be done.
     History is replete with the proper use of power and the misuse of power. A combination of the two allowed the Maccabees to take on the powerful Greek rulers and overcome them, establish a return to their own state and the ability to practice their religion - at least for a while. The misuse of that power years later destroyed what they had achieved. On the other hand, the Inquisition was a total misuse of both powers from the getgo and only did grievous harm to all.
     Today we, humanity, stands at the crossroads of history and we must choose. We must recognize, acknowledge, that there is a gargantuan misuse of power both within and without, as people use their power to increase their own wealth and standing, as thieves fall out with each other only to have new thieves take their places. We must recognize the power of power - to help or to hurt. We must take courage from those who have found the power within to stand up and do the right thing.
     We must learn to rebuild trust and the only way to do that is to be and do right. There is no other way. We must be grownups again and remember how to talk with each other rather than play chicken with the lives of those under their control. This time of year, the end of the year and a time of holidays supposedly representing the good powers of the world is the time to step back, reevaluate and make decisions. Unfortunately we do not seem to be doing that and it seems that the power that is most prevalent today is one that we should wish gone, replaced by a better power, better people, better practices, more humanity and goodness and a pledge and actions to support that pledge to do better, to stand up for humanity in every way possible.
    This is a huge responsibility and  a difficult road, but it must be done. Else our power, both from within and from without, will have been wasted, misused and become destructive. Choose, people, choose. "We got the power" - we really do, but the song gives no guidelines for its use. We need to define those guidelines and use that power for the best, for the people.