Welcome!
by Marian Dobbs
Greetings!
My name is Marian Dobbs. I'm the Coordinator
of the NSP in Connecticut and I'd like to introduce myself. I am a long-term
fan of Tikkun Magazine,
a mother, retired lawyer, a past caregiver for my Dad, who had Alzheimer's,
a widow, 64 years old, a daughter, a sister and an enthusiastic member
and leader of the Old Lyme-Old Saybrook chapter of the Network
of Spiritual Progressives.
We all come to NSP in our own way. Many
therapists are drawn to the NSP because they see the spiritual crisis
and yearnings of their clients. Political types may be drawn to NSP as
a way to gain success for their party. Others are attracted to the values
of the New Bottom Line.
In my case, I feel called to do what I can
to make the world a better place. I love the values of the New Bottom
Line:
- compassion,
- generosity
- love and caring
- ethical and ecological sensitivity
- nonviolence and peace
- seeing every person on the planet as an embodiment of the sacred
- and responding to the earth and the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement.
I
love that we are an all-inclusive organization with religious people,
spiritual people who are not drawn to organized religion and also secular
people who want to see American values change.
I love that we try hard to practice the
values of the New Bottom Line in our chapters, the world and our individual
lives. As Gandhi said, "We must be the change we want to see in the
world."
I love that since we believe in love, we
are not trying to win against anyone. Instead we are trying to win others
over and learn from those who disagree with us. We practice deep listening
and communication skills that allow us to appreciate shared concerns.
I love the Spiritual Covenant with America
and the policies that flow from the New Bottom Line. As a former lawyer
who handled divorces, I particularly admire the emphasis on the family,
our most important institution, the one focused on love and caring. The
reforms we propose are the centerpiece of the Spiritual Covenant with
America and would make families more loving and secure.
I love our proposed Global Marshall Plan
as a way to deal with the world ethically and to make us more secure.
I invite you to read the summary of the
Spiritual
Covenant with America. I also invite you to read the fuller discussion
in Michael's book The Left Hand of God.
I love that we are non-partisan and challenge
the right and challenge the left.
I love that we speak from the depth of our
highest values and discover that so many others share these values.
I
love that we are a growing movement that will change the world.
I'd
love to hear from you, answer any questions and hear about your interests
and passions. Email
or 860-388-0483.
Peace,
love and hope,
Marian
Coordinator CT NSP
