On Sept 10th I set sail with 2000 passengers mostly from the USA, sailing from Southampton - New York on the maiden transatlantic voyage of the Norwegian Sun.  I was the guest lecturer onboard, to give nine talks on finance, health, inspiration and motivation. On September 11th most passengers had left the ship and were enjoying a day trip to Paris from the port of La Havre. Upon their return dismay, disbelief and a sense of confusion filled the air as the appalling news travelled throughout the ship. Most folks would have given anything to be back home with their loved ones to comfort and aid each other. How does one continue on a cruise when the world has been turned on its head and nobody knows what will happen next? Many were thinking:"will we be the next target?". 

If all this was not enough, a large storm that had hit the USA was gathering pace in the Atlantic and we were due to come in contact with it in a week's time. The ship has a shallow draft and is not exactly designed for North Atlantic crossings in a major storm! What a way to start a holiday.

The next day my scheduled talk was entitled "How to deal in the stock market without anxiety".   With the stock market closed and folks fearing the worst when it reopens, many were tense, nervous and uneasy. I was also feeling the effects of the horrific, bloodcurdling scenes shown continually on CNN and I had to deliver a talk that could shine a light of enlightenment in a time of grief and despair. With my mind reeling with images of fireballs crashing into buildings I made my way to the Lecture room.

When the flesh and mind become weak, only the spirit remains strong. My spirit entered the room with "Michael" tagging along. The room was packed and we all began with two minutes of silence and then we meditated to mystical poetry. I then commenced my talk, with my soul taking charge and directing the show. All nine lectures were conducted in the same manner with spirit guiding my path. Our Spirit truly is our Shepherd and we will never want. When we surrender to the tune of the mystical piper, and the soul is allowed to flow freely, we live at ease. 

The real heros in all our lives are our souls. 

They know no fear. 

Water cannot drown them. 

Fire cannot burn them. 

They only give love and joy and that is the true reflection of a human being. No matter what chaos, devastation and disorder surrounds us, as long as we allow the light of spirit to shine upon us, then we will fear no evil.

As we sailed from country to country folks welcomed us with open arms. The people of Cobh, Ireland openly wept and embraced their fellow humans with love. It was the same in Glasgow, Iceland, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The folks from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia opened their homes for four days to all the folks (9000 and 6000 people respectively) whose flights had been diverted because of the devastation in NewYork. Heros one and all in a time of need.

The storm did not come too close to us as previously anticipated, for our trusty captain sailed around it and kept the ship from harms way, although we did have a few bumpy days, rolling on twenty foot swells.

The folks in New York were always in the minds of everyone onboard throughout the voyage. The firemen and rescue workers were led by their spirit as they tried to find any survivors. Again the soul is the hero in times of need. And all the folks that perished, they are the real heros, for their spirit lives on in the minds and hearts of every person who embraces Love and Joy. This is the core understanding of a soul. The only true feelings are Love and Joy and all the positive feelings that grow from them. Once we are aware of our Love and Joy then the spirit of past loved ones is sparked in our minds and we are aware it is "Alive" and connected to our souls. Otherwise it just becomes a memory that brings sadness, for we feel loss, which attaches to a negative emotion, instead of our soul.

Good will always come out of bad and we must have no doubt that no matter what actions will follow in the days and months ahead, when all is done, Love and Joy will win the day. 
It always does. 
It always will.
Once we are centered in the zone of universal intelligence we call spirit, no harm can befall us. Our finite mortal form is a precious gem but when the time comes to give it up our Love and Joy will remain as a constant eternal flow of energy, the same as it does here and now.

The True Hero is Love and Joy and when we understand that is what and who we really are, we can dance to the melodies of the soul and take all the power away from those who wish to take away our freedom and peace.

Copyright @October 2001 Michael Levy