A request to our leaders

I want to remind you that one day in the future, perhaps in a few decades or perhaps in a few days, who knows, you will be lying on your death bed. And, as they say, it is likely that your life will be flashing in front of your eyes. There will be images of the things you will regret, and of the things you will feel joyful and grateful about. You will remember things that brought meaning into your existence as well as the things that brought pain and sadness. For some things you will wish you had done more of, and for others you will wish you had found strength to restrain from. We all will face this moment and I believe that we all hope our hearts will be filled with content and joy rather than regret and guilt.

Now, our dear leaders, after Copenhagen, after Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Darfur, Tibet, Myanmar…, after observing and experiencing the state of the humanity nowadays and throughout the history, I have a request and I strongly believe that should you choose to comply with it, this is going to be one of the things you will feel good about when recapitulating your life during your last hours.

It is a series of steps and I believe it can all be done within 24 hours. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

1. Please have a look around yourself and find people who are full of enthusiasm about changing the world and making it a better place. Look for the new type of people, those who eagerly want to find new ways. Because, as you will probably agree, the old rat-race ways of trying to get to the top and have power over other people just do not work. It is so easy to see that, isn’t it? These old ways serve only some people, a very small percentage really. When you find these spirited, motivated, idealistic and enthusiastic people (they are all around, you see, in NGOs, in activist movements…), give them power, make them leaders so that they can work before they get spoiled.
2. Have another look around and look for people who have compassion for everybody, whose heart is in pain about the billions suffering, about 30.000 children dying every day, about the destruction of Nature… Find those who have enough compassion in their hearts to be genuine servant leaders, you know, leaders who know that their one and only mission is to serve people, to take care of others and not of their pockets and egotistic desires. When you find them (look in humanitarian movements, seek people who work for free, who have devoted their lives to helping and giving…), make them leaders, give them power.
3. Then go home and spend the night with yourself. Think about what is it you want to be proud of in your life. Think about what you want your life to be about. Think about what you want to tell your grandchildren when they ask you how you had contributed to the well-being of this planet and to the beauty of lives around you.
   Then let it all out. Cry your heart out, let yourself mourn over the fact that you have failed to be as good leader as you hoped you would be. Get all the sadness out, it’s all right, it’s all right…
   In the morning take a shower, have a healthy breakfast, dress up nicely – this is going to be a big day. At the first glance it may seem like a failure, but don’t worry, the history of humanity will praise you for that. Grieve not, because this is going to be a big contribution, remember? You will help this world become more beautiful and you will be proud of it. You will help humanity make a step to the higher level of coexistence. Now take a long walk to your office, to your Tower of Power. Don’t forget to smile and breathe, smile and breathe.

   When you walk in, hand your letter of resignation – you know where to put it, right?

   Now walk out, smile and breathe, and, please don’t forget, you have done a beautiful thing, you have contributed to the beauty of life on Earth. And there is going to be so much gratitude.