Beloved friends,
What an amazing day to be alive. What an incredible day for America and for the world—the dawn of a new era for humanity and the planet. Over the last few months I had the privilege to serve the Campaign for Change to elect Barack Obama for President. During that time, I had the profound honour of meeting this great man and experiencing directly his loving, bright presence, deep passion and true commitment for meaningful change.
Millions and millions of people across America and around the world served the campaign, each one in their own way according to their ability. The hearts of millions were inspired by the values and integrity that Barack Obama represents, by the vision of oneness and hope that we can all live on the planet in harmony. This vision is grounded in the most fundamental truth that we are all connected as one people regardless of race, religion, country or background.
This simple truth resonated and inspired the beginning of a new movement based on core values that are common to all—a new movement that recognised that the core values that connect us are much deeper and real than the different opinions we might have, that appear to separate us. The power of so many inspired hearts connected in common vision and purpose gave birth to a new spirit of selflessness and service and allows this spirit to shine like never before.
Over the last 24 hours I received hundreds of emails, text messages and phone calls from friends from America and all over the world, each describing in their own way the tremendous upliftment, relief, happiness, and hope that we are ready to start a new chapter in the history of humanity. A chapter where we recognise our connectedness to the earth and therefore to each other, where we look for sustainable solutions that reflect our core values.  A chapter where peace, liberty and prosperity is available to all.
Yes we can!
I’m deeply grateful for the luck and privilege of serving the Campaign for Change. Over the last few months I met, worked with, and came to love people I would never have met otherwise. This campaign is living proof that different people working together and serving a common vision and purpose that resonates with their heart, can achieve anything.
Electing Barack Obama to be the President of the United States of America is like a miracle and to my mind the most important historical event of our lifetime. But this is only the beginning.
We all must draw inspiration from the result of this election so we continue to work together for a brighter day. Now is the time to show up, come together, and contribute—each one in their own way—towards meaningful change on the planet.
In Barack’s own words from his speech yesterday, ‘…This victory alone is not the change we seek, it is only the chance for us to make that change.’
Barack Obama is a rare transformational, inspiring leader—courageous, wise, compassionate, honest, intelligent, and maybe most important of all, humble. But as great as he is he will need the support, participation and engagement from all of us to facilitate meaningful, transformational change in the world.
Last month I had the luck, honour and privilege to meet, and spend some days with an Aboriginal elder at Uluru. His name is Bob Randall, respectfully called Uncle Bob. He is an embodiment of compassion, kindness and timeless wisdom. Uncle Bob speaks of ‘Kanyini’—which he describes as the principle of connectedness through caring and responsibility towards all things.
Now is the time to embrace this responsibility—as a privilege—in response to this transformational opportunity represented by Barack Obama’s victory.
Never before in modern history we had such an opportunity for a quantum shift represented so magnificently by the election of this amazing being.

It is for each one of us to look within his own heart and find your innermost calling, and offer it—no matter its form—to this vision of change. And in this calling, to stay connected and engaged in our commitment to honour our greatest human potential.
A meaningful change can only come through change in consciousness. It is up to each and every one of us to stay connected in the intention and vision for change through our presence and therefore our actions—small as they may appear to be. Treating each other and all things with kindness and respect and keeping the vision of oneness alive in the heart at all times will bring a change bigger and beyond our wildest imagination.
Yes we can!!!
That is the truth. And the time is NOW.

In deep gratitude and with much Love,
Bharat Mitra (Yoav Lev).

compassion in action - Steve and Josh Gardner 

This letter hereunder was sent to me by Steve Gardner my friend in Kansas City. He is asking for help. In my way i will help him, i hope you will too.

Here's a little story from the Talmud about asking and giving help. The great Rabbi Yehuda ha'Nasi was crossing the Galilean town of Tzipori one afternoon with his entourage of student scholars; they were heaving over him; collecting his words as if they were rare gems. Climbing the western hill towards the synagogue, oblivious to the bustle of daily street life they paid no attention to a peasant that was dragging a relentless calf when suddenly that calf broke free and charged straight at the Rabbi, grabbing him by the corner of his coat and pulling it as if to say: ‘Rabbi, don’t you see, they are leading me to the slaughter, help me’. The Rabbi looked down at the calf and without hesitance replied: ‘go, for this is the way of the world.’ Much suffering befell the entire city from that day on until the Rabbi understood his lesson and repented.  The place of compassion is higher than that of wisdom. Indeed a calf led to the slaughter is the way of the world, but not so if that calf grabbed you personally by your coat and asked for help. Here's Steve's letter:

We need your help.

I am sending this email out to raise awareness of a tragic, chronic, and lifelong disease we are facing with our 3 year old son, Joshua. A little over one year ago, Josh was diagnosed with Eosinophilic GastroIntestinal Disease (EGID), a very rare immune system disease. The short explanation is that we all have eosinophils in our body whose job is to attack parasites. In Josh's body, they attack all food as if it's a parasite. As you might imagine, there are a number of complications that come from having your esophagus, stomach and intestines in a perpetual war zone, of sorts. Josh was placed on a naso-gastric feeding tube July 28th. We have removed all food from his diet since then and he has been sustained by a formula that essentially breaks food down to the amino acid level so the body doesn't recognize it as food. 

Due to the complexities of this disease, we have transferred his care to a specialist in Denver who is one of only a handful of experts on EGID nationwide. We are returning there November 6th for the next surgery and to evaluate whether our 18 month old son, Timothy, who is exhibiting all the same symptoms, also has the disease. (Many of you have asked how we are doing and we do have a blog at www.caringbridge.org/visit/myjosh.)