23/7/2003

I have always worked on gut feeling, not the best way to run your business as my accountant would say. The one thing I like about gut feeling (listening to your inner self) is even if you are proved wrong, you can live with it and your mistakes, as you have been true to yourself.

Being very poor, over the past few weeks it would have been so easy for me to do some business with two very different people. I said no, as my gut feeling told me they might both make me lots of money - but at what price.

I maybe very poor - but boy am I wealthy and like a pollie in the Queensland Government who once said to me, as to why he will never be promoted to the front bench, "I can always lie straight in bed and get a good nights sleep"

Just because you are poor doesn't mean you have to compromise your principals.

Now for all the good news.

Where do I begin.

Alliance for the New Humanity.

I received from Arsenio (someone who I knew was amazing from the first day and someone I knew I wanted to work with ) lots of information about the Launch in December.

The opening statement is

The most practical thing in the world is to be spiritually-minded. It needs no special time, place or circumstance. It is not necessarily concerned with anything out of the ordinary daily routine. It is never too early or too late to be spiritual. It is just a simple question of having the proper mental attitude towards lasting value, changing circumstance and avoidable eventualities, as well as a healthy sense of the inevitable. Spirituality is not restricted to, nor can it be restricted by, anyone or anything, anywhere, at any time. It covers all life for all time, and it can easily be achieved through selfless service and that pure love which knows no bondage and seeks no boundary. A mighty surge of this spirituality is about to sweep over the world.” – Meher Baba

They also asked for a photo to go with my 120 line bio. Interesting when asked to put down in so few word what you have achieved in your life.

Kerry Bowden (Australia): Kerry Bowden is an artist, poet, activist and grandmother. Dedicating much of her life to improving conditions for indigenous people. In 1991 she received an O.A.M, for her work with indigenous artists and her major roll in setting up the Noosa Regional Gallery. In 2000 when her third grandchild Caitlin Jean was born, fearing for the future, Kerry made a promise - to work to make it a better world for Caitlin and all children by the year 2015. In 2002 she set up the One Mind One Voice website, based around a poem of the same name. Currently working on the HOPE, Hands of Peace Exchange & Exhibition projects and Global Children's Alliance.

Funny I don't even mention my years as a "business women"

All that was just a means to an end and seeing some of those indigenous people,like Colin Jones, Steven Bond, Debbie and others now doing amazing things is the rewards from that journey of my life - not money.

My gut feeling was right - I knew it wouldn't be easy - I knew it would cost me lots - but I also it had to be done. It was an amazing journey of learning.

My accountant is worried about me, he sees and knows my talents and worries I will be poor when I am old if I kept turning down opportunities when they come along.

Don't worry about me, I tell him, even if I am doing it tough, I am so very wealthy. I also found from the Alliance information that Mandela is on the same invitation list as me. Who would have ever thought, my name would be there along with people like, Desmond Tu Tu, Mohammed Ali , Drew Barrymore, Madonna, George Clooney, Mandela, Dustin Hoffman, Goldie Hawn, Mikhail Gorbachev, Woopie Goldberg, Al Gore, Jerry Hall. Yoko Ono, Ophra, Spielberg to name a few.
There among the list is Kerry Bowden Australia/Artist/Poet/Grandmother.

Or that I would be asked to be on an Advisory Council by the Alliance Board of Oscar Arias Sanchez, Deepak Chopra, Antonio Fas Alzamora, Baltasar Garzon, Kerry Kennedy-Cuomo, Ashok Khosla, Ricky Martin, Saran Ozacky-Lazar, Betty Williams and Roberto Savio, who by the way I will be a panellist with at the conference during the launch. News media and public opinion our subject.

The Alliance has always known how poor I am, money didn't get me on to this list, spirituality did.

All I can say is WOW!! my gut feeling was right. One day I might get to meet Mandela.

Thank you Arsenio and the Alliance, together we will make it a better world for Caitlin and all children.

Have a nice day, I will as I listen to the One Mind One Voice poem, recorded for me by Mic Conway and Jeremy Cook, out of the goodness of their hearts.

Give me more of these sort of people and we have soon have our New Humanity.

Kerry Bowden. sorry nearly forgot, I will be on the Today Show channel nine, tomorrow or Friday I think. Now which Op Shop outfit will I wear :-)

Worst!! which Op Shop outfit will I wear to the Gala Dinner to be hosted by Deepak Chopra and friends !!!!!! at the Condado Plaza Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Poor but very very Happy, that's how I will be when I am old. Oh hell, I forgot I am old already!!!

Kerry Bowden
Global Children's Alliance
One Mind One Voice.
A Famility of Humanity

Proudly part of the Alliance for the New Humanity

PS: Caitlin say