When faced with a challenge, to whom do you turn? A parent, a spouse, a pet, perhaps. We all need comfort and support. We all have a need to connect. Those of us who have good support and a good connection are better able to face our challenges. It's magical, really. A few encouraging words, a hug, a "You can do it!" and we are fortified and ready to take on the world.

But there are some challenges that are so daunting that we feel powerless to do anything. We think, "This is a terrible situation, but what can I do about it?" And in times like those, we wait for a savior to appear.

When Barack Obama was elected President, many people saw him as a sort of savior. He was elected because a majority felt that he could "turn things around." And maybe he will. I'm very hopeful. But whatever he accomplishes, he won't do it alone. He just doesn't have that kind of power. No one does. And yet, we expect him to save the economy, prevent businesses from failing, create jobs, fix health care, save the environment, and create world peace—single-handedly! And if he doesn't do all of those things, we will consider him a failure and search for the next savior.

Locally, the city of Portland elected Sam Adams to be mayor by a landslide. Many people felt that Sam could lead us through a bad economy, bring in jobs, build a new bridge, save our schools, and make Portland super-green, all while bicycling to work every day and growing organic vegetables for the Oregon Food Bank. In other words, we thought we had another savior.

Except, of course, that this savior became a fallen angel after a month of service. Poor Sam, you let your frail humanity show. And show. And show... The truth is, Sam is the same guy he always was. He's a competent, driven public servant with good ideas. But the mask we made for him fell off to reveal a mere mortal.

Undoubtedly, President Obama's mask will slip a few times. Perhaps it will even crash to the ground and shatter, scattering our misplaced expectations to the winds. But who will be to blame when that happens? Him? Or us?

Why do we need a savior? Why don't we have enough confidence in our own abilities, and in our own power? Why do we give our power to others, only to be disappointed when they cannot fulfill our expectations?

When it comes to getting what we want out of life, there is no one more qualified than we are. No guru, no authority figure, no leader can do a better job of fulfilling us than we can. In fact, it is no one else's job except ours. Whatever it is we want to create, we can create. We have the power. We don't need to give it to someone else. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." If you can create the change you want for yourself, then you empower and inspire others to make similar changes. Positive change is viral!

If we want a savior, we need to look in the mirror. We are our own saviors. Only we have the power—and the responsibility—to make the choices that will improve our lives, and the lives of others. Yes, we need leaders in this world. But if we abdicate our power to them, we become part of the problem.

We are Spirit—energy—in human form, and this form is, by design, not perfect. We are all "fallen angels," because we all make mistakes. And yet we are also all saviors, because we all have the power and ability to move mountains when we need to, even if only to improve our own condition. If only! This is the whole point of healing:  to improve our own condition. To be happy. To fulfill our divine purpose, no matter how small and humble it may seem to us. In the big picture, every person's journey matters, and every person has an impact on our community and our world. But it's up to each of us to determine what that impact will be and have the courage to follow through.

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• Making exceptions to Love
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