It's the end of an incredible day. We attended the Interfaith Gathering this afternoon at the Convention Center (see photo with the blue bear and the beautiful white sculpture). This kick off event set the perfect tone for the convention, celebrating the diversity of spiritual traditions, but also highlighting the common themes among all the traditions: justice, the need for social action, care for others, especially the weak and vulnerable, and personal responsibility.
After a moving welcome by CO Gov. Bill Ritter and Rev Leah Daughtry (who said "We did not bring faith to the democratic party, faith was already here"), the prayers and reflections by spiritual leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian traditions were divided into responsibility to our children, to our neighbor (including those in other countries), to our nation and to our world. 
Key messages and moments:
a pro-life bishop, Charles Blake, who emphasized how, while he may disagree with many dems on the issue of abortion, stressed that the dem party is the one that stands up against poverty, and for health, education and the future of our children and hit the nail on the head when he said that some of the loudest, ugliest voices who claim to be "pro-life," advocate for the rights of the unborn, but constantly refuse to support the rights of those ALREADY BORN.
Sister Helen Prejean moved the crowd of thousands to their feet by passionately imploring us to challenge violations of human rights, torture and the death penalty; and she reminded us all about the power of compassion and true forgiveness through the words of a murder victim's father, "I am not going to let hatred and bitterness take over my life, or then I will be dead too."
Rabbi Dr. Tevi Hersh Weinreb shared the message from the story of Hillel that "what is hurtful to you, do not do to your neighbor."
Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America reflected on the beacon of hope and freedom that the US has been and must continue to be as an example of a just, true and free people and how important it is to the world that we not lose that example.
The event put me in such a compassionate place, that I was able to keep smiling at the angry "pro-life" man leading a group of protesters with large horrific photos of mutulated babies, and it seemed that he was so thrown off by my smile that he became unable to keep spewing his anger into his megaphone, at least as long as I had him locked in a gaze with my smiling face. (I was glad to have felt differently than I did when I had entered the event - those protesters and their photos had really been getting under my skin and the event helped me let go of that ire).
We'll, ater a fascinating day, which culminated with a lovely dinner reception for our NV delegation, it's time to rest up for Day 1 of the Convention More tomorrow....
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