This I Believe

I believe in Barbaro. More than ever.

Living, he embodied the true American spirit: honest, straightforward and industrious, joyful, open-hearted, trusting and honorable in relationship, respectful of himself and others, courageous to a fault. He captured America’s imagination as he galloped gleefully to victory in the Derby; he won our hearts with his brave struggle to triumph over life-threatening adversity after the Preakness. Even though he lost his battle, his impact continues to inspire me. Since 9-11, I believe our nation’s collective soul has been tainted and abused, our talents, energy, skills and youth misused for opportunistic, dishonest gain. I believe we live clouded by shame for our misdeeds and the world-wide suffering and chaos we have caused, supposedly in the name of “spreading freedom and democracy.”

Barbaro reminds me of who we can become again: a great nation of caring, joyful, hard-working people possessing integrity and goodwill, who lead the world by peaceful example with courage and dignity, not by inciting and perpetrating violence to garner profit and power.

I believe in Barbaro. Now and forever.

He is grace embodied, an American Karmic Icon, a “thoroughbred” in every sense of the word….