A Single Drop of Water

A Single Drop of Water

  During this time of year, there will be people who will be singing and celebrating; laughing and crying; shopping and worshipping; remembering and mourning. It is the season of many emotions and experiences, for most. Not unlike any other time of year, I have spent time reminding us to be kind and loving with one another.

  I realized long ago that we all are different, in one fashion or another. No matter how similar we appear to be, if we search deep enough...we will find our distinctive characteristics. By the same token, if we search deep within those that we find to be our polar opposites...we will find the very likeness of us.

  What is the point of this? It’s a point in which, I take great pride in shining light on. We were all created from the same source and created with the same foundation. Our Creator, our point of origin...the maker of all things great and small...started our lives with a single drop of water. And throughout time we can visit and re-visit how water restores, replenishes, revitalizes and revives all living things. That single drop of water, brushed with the love of our Creator...is where we all started and where we should remain focused.

  For all of our differences and unique qualities...one thing tangible keeps us connected...like it or not. Our Creator, no matter what you refer to Him/her as...built us with love. We know this is true because no matter where we look, in music, lyrics, movies, art, even in our most divine books...we are told to love each other. At this point, we should have realized that loving our fellow living beings is important...because we are constantly being reminded to do so.

  The one constant we will have in this life is that as much as we are dissimilar...we are exactly the same. Our foundation cares nothing about how we look differently, speak differently, behave differently, or even worship differently. In the eyes of the Creator, we are the same.

  When the time comes and we are asked how we made use of our time here on earth...I pray that we have something more to offer than we spent time separating people because we have convinced ourselves of the superiority myth. None of us, not one single human being...is better than, above, greater than or superior to ...ANYTHING. Your hair color or texture, the pigment of your skin, the accent of your voice, the size or shape of your body, the location of your earthly home, nor the religion, faith, or the life philosophy that you adhere to...does not put you above anyone or anything else. And as long as we have that delusion in our minds...we are not doing the work of God/Allah.

  Our time here is brief...to prove that fact you only have to ask anyone who has ever loved someone who passed away. So knowing this information...why do we waste so much time on hate and indifference? We are supposed to build our fellow man and woman up...we are supposed to help and guide one another. But in order to do that we must stop trying to isolate one another.

  I hope that during this season of love and hope...that we water the seed which God/Allah planted within us. Love is instilled within our being, but we must cultivate it, water it, and share it with the world. Touch everyone you can...through your fingertips... your speech or your deeds...God’s message can be delivered through us; just as electricity travels through water.

  I implore you to stop wasting time on the negativity that darkness can breed. Remember that just like mold needs darkness to thrive...so does negativity and hate. The Creator’s light is all around us...we need only to seek it. We can see it in compassion, empathy, joy, kindness, thoughtfulness...and when you aren’t watching...you can feel, smell, touch and absorb it through the laughter of children.

  Love is a gift that we are supposed to give to others; and because we were born with it we are supposed to do it all the time. We can hardly hold love hostage, by attaching stipulations to it. The statement “I will love you if...” is a statement of darkness. So here is my message to you: I will love you because God loves me. I will stand by you and defend you against any being that is of the belief that you are not good enough. I answer to our Creator, He holds me accountable for my actions, thoughts and the intentions of my heart.

  Today I would ask you to stand up...become accountable...spread love and joy...for only then can peace prosper.

Resolving My Resolution

Resolving My Resolution

  Every year around this time people talk about resolutions, I guess that makes sense...wanting to start off the year with a clean slate. There will be millions of promises of cutting calories, avoiding alcohol, cutting back on spending, and various other habits that we may want to change. All of which is good, I know that I am always aware that there are things that I could do to improve upon myself.

  But, even in knowing this information, I don’t really do resolutions. I feel like I am setting myself up for failure that way. I never say this year, this month, or even this week...I will give up...anything. Why? Well, because for me, life is a moment at a time. If I can make it through today, being a little stronger...a little kinder...for myself and those around me...then I am a success. I will mess up. And since I am human, I allow myself that reality. But the real beauty is found in the fact that even though I may not be perfect...tomorrow I will again attempt to do better.

  I will speak more softly and less rapidly. I will try and listen more intently. I will try and avoid those tempting conversations that I know will grow to become a war of wills. I will attempt to show people how very much I love them, with all that I say and do. I will continue talking to God and pray that the intentions of my heart remain as pure as they were when I was a child.

  And just as certainly as I have written this...I will fall short. I know this may sound like I am giving myself a “free pass” to fail...but it is really just a matter of saving myself from my most destructive critic...me. I learned long ago that the bar I set for myself is, more times than not, unrealistic. I tend to hold myself accountable for the actions of others...thinking that if I had just done a little more, maybe I could have made a difference. But the sad reality for me is that we all are responsible for ourselves. We all have the knowledge that everyday is a new day; a new beginning. We can learn from our shortcomings, or those of others. We can add to the light of others or we can splash water on their flame...it’s a new day.

  I don’t really need a resolution to remind me that I should push myself away from the table a little sooner, or that I didn’t really NEED that new dress. But these are lofty goals, and I can accept them as such. The definition for resolution is to make a firm decision to do something; the process of resolving something such as a problem or dispute. So, for myself, I would find the resolution for world peace to be a good resolution...although perhaps one that we should work at everyday, and not just on New Years Eve. I would resolve to end hunger, in the Horn of Africa and every where in the world, I would resolve to end senseless killing on the global front, as well as in our own back yard. I would pray that we would stop rationalizing the killing of people by the state. I would resolve that we stop creating barriers as a means to avoid our own inner conflict.

  These are real problems or issues...so perhaps if we all resolved to work at these...all the other changes that we want to make would come a bit easier.

  I would resolve that everyone would read about something or someone that they know very little about...for with education our bounty is limitless. I would resolve that we become more compassionate about our fellow man and woman. We may learn from the very people we are careful not to touch with our hearts. I pray we stop sitting in judgment of others, lest we be judged. I hope we rally around the fact that together we are united...and as history has proven...divided we will fall.

  I wish one day that we could all sit at one giant table, and have a conversation about our day and our plans for tomorrow without fear of letting our hearts be touched by those we have been led to believe are less than us. I trust that if we open our hearts...love will lead us back to the Creator.

  Living in despair out of fear that has been bred in us causes us to lose hope. We often are walking in the blind...never quite realizing that we are making life more difficult than it has to be. I understand hesitancy. I understand it because I have been hurt before. I have reached out to someone just to have my hand burned by their flame. But had I hesitated, as a reflex from that experience...I would have not had the pleasures of my life. Instead I walked on, my head held high...knowing that the gifts of Allah/God are worth the risk of the pain.

  So in the New Year...I wish you hope...love...peace...compassion and the ability to see past what you think you know. Find a beautiful place, within your heart, mind or soul and focus on it with this thought: if you have it within you someone else also has it within themselves. Focus on your higher purpose...give back and lift up...not only for a New Year, but for a new life. Give our children a reason to smile...become the example that we all search for. Give thanks, for with God...the possibilities are endless.

 

The Rule

The Rule

  Today is Human Rights Day. On this day we are supposed to remind each other that we all deserve the right to be treated fairly and justly. I guess the only way to do that is to remind each other that we treat each other unjustly and unfairly all too often. We have taken the rights and privileges of others and revoked them...as if we had given them these rights to begin with.

  After all, we didn’t give people the right to be who they are...we took that right away; and when that didn’t work we enslaved, tortured and maimed creatures of God. We shouldn’t expect acknowledgement for treating people with respect, we were supposed to do that. Should I thank someone for treating me kindly, in spite of the color of my skin or the origin of my culture? Should I be relieved if I am not attacked verbally or physically after others realize my religion is unlike theirs?

  I am always thankful when people treat others with peace and love, but not in spite of our differences...because of them. We were all created with the same concept...diversity is what connects us. We should never think that we are permitted to be unkind to other human beings, because they are different than we are. I know this can be a concept that many find hard to grasp, but we didn’t actually create anything.

  God/Allah uses us as vessels to show His love. We are permitted to give birth or participate in the lives of children. He allows us the opportunity to touch others and to have them touch us as well. It has never been written that tearing people down physically or emotionally is the will of God.

  On this day let is remind our selves that a geographic location does not tell all that there is to know. We are all of the same orientation...living beings created by that which has created us all...great and small. We are labors of love, and are supposed to convey that message to others. We don’t need praise for loving that which God loves. And sometimes we just need a friendly reminder...a memo, so to speak, refreshing our hearts. God created us from His divine love and continues to do so...even past our transgressions. God finds forgiveness...even in that which most would find unforgivable. It is that thought which gives me hope. It doesn’t give me a free pass to do whatever I may want...but it makes me aware that as long as I am trying to do the right thing...God will know it. God knows because the true intentions of our hearts are never hidden from anyone, but us.

  God’s journey for us is no secret, but we have to choose to know it. We have to own our actions and hold our selves accountable for those actions. We have to stop making excuses for our short comings. We all have them, and separating one another due to some trivial differences will always sell us short and we get exactly what we deserve when we sell our souls for the sake of a win.

  Love your fellow man today...regardless of race, religion, creed, geographic location or physical appearance. And I pray that past today we can love for the sake of doing what we were created to do. Use today as a building block not a stumbling block; but know that it is okay to stumble...as long as when you pick yourself up that you aren’t so mad about falling that you forget to keep moving forward.

  Let us live by one rule...the only rule which matters...love each other as God loves us. Shake hands, listen intently and embrace the differences that we were created with. That, my sisters and brothers...is the will of God.