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There's dancing in the streets, crying, laughing, celebrating... Why? Is it because Bin Laden, a simple mortal man is dead? Is it because "justice" has been done?

While on the surface that may be what seems to be happening, the celebration is really for something else. The happiness comes, I believe, from a feeling of relief, a feeling of being "free at last" to quote an old Negro spiritual made famous in Martin Luther King's powerful "I Have A Dream" speech.

Free At Last

What are we, at last, free from? Bin Laden? The obvious answer to that question is yes, but we are free from much more than that. Or at least we can be if we make that choice.

We can now be free of emotions that have lived in our heart and our head for almost 10 years. Free of the festering anger and hatred that has spread from being directed to one man, to one organization, to one religion, to one race, and to the countries where these were found... Hopefully we are now free from the inner feelings of rancur and thirst for revenge. Hopefully, we can let go of the rage, the hurt pride, the feelings of powerlessness to affect our future, and we can, finally, feel safe. Not that the death of Bin Laden is the end of all the hatred directed towards the USA or to the world of the "infidels", but it can be the death of our obsession with it and the fear that has been ever-present in our society since 2001.

Feelings of Pain and Sorrow

I am not in any way diminishing the feelings of pain and sorrow that all of us felt, especially those who lost those dear and near to them. I am not in any way disparaging the grief felt by parents, children, family, friends after the murder of their loved ones. This is real and remains a fact. The pain of the absence of loved ones remains long after their departure. And probably more so when they are torn from us so harshly and unexpectedly.

However, the feelings in our heart are what we need to be concerned about. Feeling love for our departed ones is good. Feeling gratitude that they were in our life for however short a period of time is healing. Harboring hatred and a quest for revenge is not only painful, but hurts us emotionally and also damages our physical health. It shows up in lack of sleep, lowered immune systems, lowered energy and zest for life, chest pains, etc.

The Need for Healing

Now that Bin Laden has been killed, maybe we can be free of the need for revenge and move on to the need for healing... healing for our own selves as individuals and as a nation. Healing for the world as one torn apart by racial hatreds and injustices. Maybe now that the one we identified as the prime cause of 9-11 has been disposed of, we can dig deeper and find the cause of that cause. In other words, what creates a Bin Laden? What gives life to an organization such as Al Qaeda? Yes, there may be roots in religious fervor, but are there not also roots in inequalities between countries, in injustices perpetrated by "the ruling races" of the world?

While it is easy to blame others for the negative events in our life, it is always good to remember that we are responsible for what we create. And then take a good look at what we are creating, and make sure it is what we truly want.

Mending Bridges

Once the celebration has ended or at least abated, perhaps we can reflect on how we can mend the bridges that have been broken and heal the hearts that have been torn apart both in the North American world and in the Muslim world.

We are all humans. We all have feelings, loved ones, and dreams of a better life. Maybe now that the "villain" has been captured, we can examine our hearts and our behaviors and remove any "inner villains" that we discover, and move closer to creating a world of peace on earth and good will towards all...

Recommended book:

The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics
by Riane Eisler.

The great problems of our time -- such as poverty, inequality, war, terrorism, and environmental degradation -- are due in part to our flawed economic models that set the wrong priorities and misallocate resources. This powerful book proposes that we need a radical reformulation of economics, one that supports caring and caregiving at the individual, organizational, societal, and environmental levels.

Click here for more info and/or to order this book.

About The Author

Marie T. Russell is the founder of InnerSelf Magazine (founded 1985). She also produced and hosted a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner Power, from 1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and reconnecting with our own inner source of joy and creativity.

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