Transcriber: Alaa Azzam Reviewer: David DeRuwe
I grew up in a very open-minded and loving household.
I have seven of the coolest siblings a girl could ask for,
and my parents were, and still are, the most amazing people.
My father passed away recently, but in his lifetime, he taught the world
about self-actualization and many other brilliant ideas.
And my mom is a gifted teacher in her own right
and the most incredible woman and mother.
I have always had a beautiful life,
but people assume that I have no issues because of my upbringing.
I constantly heard, "You are so lucky to be Wayne Dyer's daughter,
and your life must be so perfect."
Don't get me wrong, I wake up grateful every single day,
but with that idea, I started to downplay everything that I felt.
The first time I dealt with death,
I held in my sadness because I felt that other people had it worse than me.
When any traumatic event happened in my life,
I didn't let anyone see my pain.
I couldn't justify feeling sad
when so many people went through horrific situations.
My parents never wanted us to hide our feelings.
They wanted the opposite.
But I created a stigma by letting people's words dictate my way of living.
I'm here to remind you that assumptions get us into trouble.
What if we didn't judge someone before we knew them?
Or better yet, once we got to know them,
we let them live their life free from our rules?
I have spent the better part of my adult life
coming to terms with assumptions about myself.
And the one thing that helped me was understanding
that other people's words are not about me.
We all go to a place of judgment
when we feel fear, jealousy, whatever it may be.
What if we came from a simple place of love?
I'm asking you to join me in finding and imagining that space.
I'm trying to get there.
It's an evolving and ever-changing process,
but it's one that I hope to reach someday soon,
and I hope all of you do, too.
So now, I'd like to sing you a song,
a song that encompasses a world that we wish to live in.
I know I do.
With words that share the simple act of love
because we never know what people are going through.
We only know about ourselves.
So please, imagine yourself,
your insecurities, your assumptions and judgments,
and find a way to diminish them from your life.
Even if it's just for this moment with me.
Thank you.
[Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity.]
(Singing)
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
No religion too
Imagine all the people
living life in peace,
Oh oh
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
sharing all the world,
Ooh oh
You may say I'm a dreamer
Oh I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world
will live as
one
(Singing ends)
Thank you.
(Applause)