A response from Mariska Hargitay

Most of you know that January has been an intense month for me. I certainly didn’t think I would begin 2009 like this, but as I look back on these past weeks, I’m so grateful for the lessons I’ve learned. More on that in a minute.

I’ve said before that I have the best fans in the business.  But this time, you’ve truly outdone yourselves.  Your beautiful, sincere and deeply personal messages have been a ray of healing light for me.  I couldn’t believe the outpouring of love and support and prayers! What a gift! Your words helped me heal, and I am so grateful. I’m a lucky woman.

It’s no secret that I push myself, that I love my work and my life, and that I dive headfirst into everything.  But, as I said, I’ve learned a few lessons. The first and most obvious one is that when we blind ourselves to what our hearts or our bodies are saying, when we push ourselves past our limits and ignore the red lights going off of the dashboard, we can end up in pretty rough shape.

The other, equally important lesson is that healing and rest is as important a pursuit as anything else in life. I needed to learn to dive headfirst into healing, to get really good at resting—and that doing nothing can be a profound endeavor.  I resolve, for this New Year, to be more mindful and aware—to listen more to the messages from my body and my heart. And to become a champion of rest.

Now that my 2009 has gotten off to an unexpected start, it’s time to focus on all the incredible things happening around us.  Like last week’s inauguration of our 44th president.  I watched President Obama’s speech and found myself shedding tears at the hope and possibility before us. I don’t think I have ever felt more inspired to be of service.  When he charged us as Americans to “summon a new spirit of…responsibility,” asking each of us to “look after not only ourselves, but each other,” I took him seriously.  And I wasn’t alone.

Dozens of artists collaborated to produce the MySpace Presdential Pledge http://www.myspace.com/presidentialpledge, a direct response to President Obama’s call to service.  Setting our country on course for a brighter future isn’t a job for one man; it’s a job for all of us.  This year, I renew my pledge to shed light on the darkness of abuse and assault, to offer my hand and open my heart to those who need to be heard and healed.

What can each and every one of us do to make our communities, our neighborhoods, our schools, our families stronger?  What can we do to be of service to each other?  What can you do?  What do you pledge?

No one is immune from the hardship of these difficult days. But hearing our president —who, as he said, is the child of a man who “sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant”—address our nation in a time of uncertainty and fear was beyond moving; it was transcendent.

Good things are ahead this year, for all of us.  I just know it.  It’s time to roll up our sleeves, mix the colors in our hearts and boldly touch brush to canvas.  It’s time to get started on the masterpieces that are our lives.

Happy New Year to all of you!  Embrace this new beginning.  I know I will.
God Bless,

Xo M