True Reality

True Reality

In my perfect world there

Would be only sunshine and rain

Rain to help things grow and sun

To make all things new again

There would never be a sign of war

And hate wouldn’t have evolved

There would have been no sign of drugs

And no need for gangs to be dissolved

Our streets they would be safe

For our children all the time

And I would watch over your children

As you watched over mine

There would be no need for debate

About ending a long war

And no reason to explain what

We were even fighting it for

No weapons of mass destruction

No threat of nuclear attack

No talk of man made supremacy

And what other groups may lack

There would have been no trail of tears

And slavery would only be in books

No segregated water fountains

And no disapproving looks

Women always could have voted

And we all started on even ground

We didn’t hold each other back

And no bias could be found

We all looked at one another as equals

As God has from that start

We didn’t try to kill each other with words

Or tear one another apart

There was no unlawful imprisonment

And the jails aren’t over run

We don’t have racial profiling

Be patient I’m almost done...

But like in your world...there is God

Whom we turn to as day is done

Whose will is as constant

As the rising and setting of the sun

I wonder sometimes why

If we say we believe in Gods will

Why we are selling drugs to children

And becoming more violent still

We still make excuses for

Attacking our fellow man

Fighting over boundaries

Killing people over land

We still point a finger when

We think someone else is doing wrong

Yet turn a blind when it’s us

Different day...same song

I wonder if we will ever

Even want to get it right

And start seeing who we really are

And start using our clear sight

How many children will the world

Bury in one day

Because of wars their parents waged

Instead of letting kids just play

How many people will we hold back

From the path that God has set

For some selfish goal that we

Are certain must be met

I pray that there will come a day

That my perfect world will be

Nothing I had to dream of

But our TRUE REALITY

God's Holy Light

God’s Holy Light

Do you think my eyes tell you?

All there really is to know

Do you make assumptions about my life?

Before first asking me so?

What means of measure do we use

To decide a persons value in our eyes

And if my hair color comes from a box

What am I trying to disguise

If I do not disclose my true weight

Does that mean that my soul is more lean

Or perhaps our judgment system

Has just become a little bit obscene

If I am homeless...heated only by a fire

Burning in an open can

Does that make you better than me?

Or make me less of a man

Or perhaps you think your bank account

Will make your words have weight

And perhaps...even you...

Believe the lies that you create

For you see within my soul

Lives the story of God untold

And that cannot be purchased

With any diamonds or gold

The monetary value we place on life

Will guarantee us nothing but a mirage

After all we can’t get to heaven

By driving what’s parked in the garage

Your new hairstyle...while very cute

Does not pay homage to our King

Neither does thinking that

You are better than anyone or anything

The color of my hair and eyes

Do not tell you what you need to know

Anymore than watering a plant with sand

Will encourage the seedling to grow

Ask me about my Lord and

The promises to Him I keep

Then you won’t guess but know

That my love...it runs deep

Ask me about my path and how

I face adversity when it comes

I will tell you...with my faith in God

My feet firmly planted...facing toward the sun

I challenge anyone...anything

And when it’s given all it’s got

I will tell that mountain to get out of my way

Because the love of God...I’ve got

When we challenge the value of anyone

We are challenging God and all His glory

And the wrath of God is steep

You know...you’ve read all the stories

So I’m saying to you be cautious

And when you talk of others be bright

Because you must look beneath the layers

To see people with God’s Holy Light

The Face of God

The Face of God

The thing about God’s light

It can show up in an unexpected place

A flower growing out of a sidewalk

Or in the innocence of a child’s face

It can show up out of nowhere

Like in the breaking dawn

You hear it in the chirp of birds

Or the first steps of a fawn

You can hear Our Creators light

In the laughter of a child

It’s His way of reminding us

That life is certainly worthwhile

I have heard God’s light

In my sorrow...yes even in my grief

It steals away my sadness

Like a most welcome thief

It’s His way of showing us

That we are never alone

By giving us the proof of life

And how it does go on

What love a father shows

When He wipes aside a tear

And warms us without a single touch

But the knowledge he is near

He shows the balance of His love

Because even in the heart break of death

He reminds us life goes on

As we watch a newborn take the first breath

It’s hard to remain bitter

When the most beautiful sounds

Can be experienced flying over head

Or walking all around

Have you ever sat on a park bench

And just listened to children play

Not worrying what tomorrow brings

Living only for today

I believe this is the true message

That only love of God can bring

He who has the gentleness of a lamb

The royalty of Our King

So when the day gets heavy

As we all know that it can

Smile at the adversity

Relying on the word of no man

I tell you love each other often

I say smiling with a nod

Because when you love one another

You are loving the face of God

Memories To Love

Memories To Love

How many lives must we lose

How many children gone too soon

Don’t text and drive it is the law

What a sad lesson to us all

Common sense or so one would think

But then again who would drive and drink

Gone to soon because a mistake was made

And too soon a body to rest was laid

So many tears...so many losses

Too many memorials of roadside crosses

If we learn nothing at all let it be this

Don’t let your child be the next one missed

For death is permanent it can’t be I’m “sorry’d” away

And while you are enjoying the moment...living for today

Don’t be irresponsible...think before you drive

It’s such a blessing to be alive

No message is so important that it can’t wait

We would rather you show up late

Then to watch your car on the news

And to watch your body being viewed

For funerals are sad enough the entire while

Without it being for a teenage child

Because the cell phone clinched in their hand

Became there smoking gun...their last stand

Don’t text and drive save the world a tear

Allow your mom and dad to enjoy you here

You are not invincible as you may think

And life can become shortened in a blink

So put your phone away or wait to leave

Because the loss of a child...cannot be conceived

Until God comes and carries you above

And we are left with only memories to love

Making Time

Making Time

Once upon a time

In a land far away

There were parents

Who made time to play

They sat down to dinner

And bowed their heads to pray

Then asked about school

And the rest of our day

They made time for their children

One and all

There was no problem

Too big or too small

They spent evenings together

And when nighttime fell

They rested comfortably

Knowing all was well

It seems long ago

And a fairytale dream

But those who remember

Know just what I mean

We should make time

Give thanks and praise

Make your children a priority

Every single day

Work and all else

Should always come last

Because when children start growing

It happens so fast

And what fonder memory

Would you want left behind

Than a child who remembers

A parent who took time

Time to say I love you

To say what is wrong

And listened to the story

No matter how short or how long

We all need to feel needed

And when you are a little one

Hugs are like flowers

And I love you is the sun

So take care of your young hearts

They need you to say

How important their lives are

And you love them always

Layers of Love

People are similar to onions. We all have many layers and there is not one simple trait or characteristic that will be the determining factor as to who or what I am. When we peel back the first layer you will find the physicality that attracts us all. It may be our shape, height, hair or eye color that draws people to us. But we must realize that this is a temporary fixation, eventually there must be more. For us to decide that what we see… is all that matters would be a sad truth. After all how can a physical feature tell you what kind of person I am? There is nothing about my eye color that will give you information about what kind of intelligence or spirit that I have. I didn’t stand in the line for eyes and request a specific color. It was chosen for me, at birth. Now on the opposite side of the spectrum, every week I can go to the pharmacy and choose from hundreds of boxes of dye which will alter the color of my hair; just as I can readily change my eye color. These changes however do not change that which I really am. It just makes me feel more appealing to myself or others; nothing about any of these parts of me will give you any insight as to me, as a person. If you are caught up in the curve of my spine or the way light shines on my face…you will be missing out on the many facets of me.  The contents of my heart and depths of my soul have been growing and evolving since the day of my birth…this is where my Creator lives; and therefore is the most important part of me. Unless you are willing to peel back the layers of what makes me…me. The essence of who I am may very well get lost. How many people do we over look, daily…simply because they do not have the “look” we are comfortable with? We will glance at them and decide, based on some ill advised judgment that they are not for us. What a shame it would be to miss out on the experience of another because we have narrowed our perceptions of people based on what we have grown accustomed to. Some of the greatest messages ever conveyed have come from the most unlikely sources. How disappointing it would be to not be aware when your message is coming to you. A specific hair color and tone of skin does not define the contents of our hearts and when we believe that it does…we become the losers in the scenario. The experiences of others can be like road maps for us. They can relay the traumas of their lives and we can learn from them so that we may never have to know the pain first hand. Who is to say what venue will be used to relay the message of God to us?
  Does the home I live in tell you who I am? It may tell you something about my income bracket or about my taste in décor…but is that all you want to know? There is some information that you can get from my home…such as my social preferences; rural locales over urban neighborhoods, mountains as opposed to the ocean, a gated community over a cabin in the woods, a bus line over a skyline. You may see what brings me peace or what is important in my life…for example I may prefer the sight of basketball courts over the sight of horses grazing in a grassy field. You may be able to tell if I have an eye or wallet for high end architecture…or maybe you can just tell what was important to me at the time that I moved in. I, however, will go out on a limb and tell you that all you learned…was my address. And what if my address was a homeless shelter or a park bench? What would you know about who I really am by that discovery? Perhaps if all you were searching for was information to use to degrade me or demean me…you will leave satisfied; but even that is only a portion of a story and if you are content with that…maybe you weren’t ready to know me anyway.
  If you had knowledge of my religious affiliation does that tell you who I am; I can understand how you may think that it might…but I will gladly show you how that is not enough information. It is never enough to know how or even if someone prays or worships because we have preconceived notions and ideas about religious or spiritual people. For instance, if I tell you that I am Jewish and on Tuesdays…I only eat pancakes…you may think that ALL Jewish people only pancakes on Tuesdays, but is that true? Of course it isn’t. But we tend to think that all groups of people are exactly the same. But all Christians aren’t the same, some are more devout than others and some don’t even believe the same…this is true of most people and most religions and philosophies.
  We are not the same and while we use our differences to separate us…it is how we were created so it is also makes us the same. We are as alike and dissimilar as snowflakes. Snowflakes are the same…they are, after all, snow. But snowflakes, when closely examined are completely different from one another. Do the differences of snowflakes separate them? Do we not still make snowballs and fall to the earth making snow angels with those very different snowflakes? So with that example we can say that even though they are different…they serve the same purpose. We are exactly like snowflakes. God made us with the same elements…love and peace; and while we have similarities…bones, blood, and skin, we are still different. Does that make one better than the other? Of course not, the only difference is that snowflakes do not spend their existence pointing out the “faults” in other snowflakes…and we do.
  Do yourself a favor…the next time you are tempted to point out how different someone is from you…or you them…count your similarities too. We all have our own journeys to take and the one constant of truth in that statement is that our path will forever be illuminated by God.

If You Are Listening

If You Are Listening...

 She is always a little reserved; some may say that she is shy. But I have seen this look before, she is not quiet...she is afraid. She only wants to walk through life quietly without conflict or confrontation; not realizing that what she is doing can not be called living at all. She wants friends, but who would understand the way she is forced to live? She can not even confide in the family and friends that she has now...without the threat of bringing the darkness to their doorway, as well.

  How would she live with the fact that someone she loved may be hurt or even killed simply because they stood by her? So she moves silently...careful not to draw unnecessary attention to herself or her life. She flies under the radar, this self-isolating being of God...praying silently that one day this will all end.

She falls to her knees in desperation. “Dear God, if you are listening...please make him stop”. “Please let me fall asleep forever”. But the next day will look very much like this one...he will watch her; even if he doesn’t speak to her. His presence will speak more loudly than words or actions...”I am here”. “I am not going away”. “I am in control”. “I can not be stopped”. “If you tell anyone, I will kill them...and you will know it was your fault”. And at the end of this day, again, she will pray.

  Understand, her story is not as unique as you may think. Most likely you know someone similar to her, as over 1 million women are stalked in the United States every year. And 89% of femicide victims, the misogynous killing of women by men, have been abused and stalked by their killers12 months prior to their murder.

  What these statistics show is that this is an ongoing problem in our nation. One way of bringing this issue into the light is to remind people that stalking...following...pursuing...and tailing people for the purpose of keeping tabs on them...is not a sign or symbol of love and affection. This is a crime. We need to stop placing blame on the victims of this offense and start pointing fingers at the assailant. We have no reason or cause to continually attack the victim by making excuses for the perpetrator. “If she had said no more loudly...”, “If she hadn’t smiled at him...”, “If she hadn’t worn that outfit”..., “If she had told someone”. She was not at fault...and chastising her will not make the situation get better; all we do when we criticize her...is empower the abuser.

  Stalking is a step below assault and murder. It is compulsive, controlling and violent behavior. We must become aware of this problem...by humanizing the women who are under attack. She could be your mother...your sister....she could be your daughter. Raise your hands up; this is not a big boys club. This is not about brotherhood, it is about mankind. Speak up whenever you can, put your foot down...take a stand against misogyny and femicide.

  Begin today, re-evaluate the way we treat the women in our lives. What starts out small can become enormous...and the beauty in that statement is that we can make it better. Create awareness. January 2012 is Stalking Awareness Month; be aware of this problem. There is no age cap on the female victims, embrace our children. Teach our young boys and girls about respect and boundaries. Guide these young minds and hearts...they are looking to you for support and leadership.

  Show love, by expressing your intolerance of abuse. Don’t make the assumption that the behavior is harmless just because no one has been harmed yet. And if you want to get an idea of what this behavior feels like, on the receiving end...try this exercise: Take down all the curtains, blinds and shades from all of your windows in your home. Leave all your doors wide open...including the front and back door, in fact even leave your bathroom door open; How safe and secure do you feel? How does it feel to think that someone may watch you while you are watching television, eating, sleeping, changing clothes, and bathing? Imagine that every day of your life is like this...are you having fun yet?

  We MUST make a change...in ourselves and then in others. Spend today showing love to all of the women in your life. It can be cold living in the shadows shame and doubt...tell her you love her...let the warmth begin with you.

Anything

Anything

Anything the light touches

Everything known to man

It all started

When your heart reached for my hand

My reason for smiling

The first thought of every day

Is how very much I love you

And it grows in every way

So blessed I have become

In simply knowing your name

And while I met beautiful people

On my path along the way

It feels like my life’s first breath

Began with that first hello

I felt you so deep

In ways you may never know

And if I ever fail

To make you feel divine

Know that I have your heart

As you have always had mine

You are my live unimagined

My wide awake best dream

My heart, my soul

You are my everything

On this unspecific day

In this non-particular note

You have become the best seller

Of the best story I never wrote

So when I raise my hand to God

With thanks for all he has done

No matter what else follows

You are always my number one

The number one reason

Our love is so refined

The number one reason

Each day is so sublime

The most amazing gift

I could have ever received

Giving me more love

Than a fantasy yet conceived

You are my purple spirit

You have become my shining light

Helping me stay focused

Whether during midday or still of night

I love you more every day

And thankful for whom you are

For such love is rarely known
Except amongst the stars

So my prince charming

I never needed a white horse

Because God walks beside us

And keeps us always on our course

 

The Sweetest Things

The Sweetest Things

  The most beautiful gift that anyone didn’t lay in my hands...was the most wonderful gift I have ever known.

  This tends to be the season for gift giving. The stores are mobbed with last minute shoppers looking for the greatest gift ever. You will find sales papers and inserts, in the retail industries attempt to bring up sales for the end of the year. The internet will display online only bargains. Not surprisingly, these sales will contain the very thing...which most of the time...you never even knew that you wanted. There will be boxes and gift bags topped with ribbons and bows of bright red, gold and green. I have to admit, I love giving gifts also, and it gives me a feeling of warmth.

  But I have recently started trying to do fewer gifts which lean on the monetary side...and instead give gifts from the heart. Tangible presents can be exciting, that video game that everyone is talking about, the newest DVD that was just released, the perfect diamond ring that says I love you. Don’t get me wrong, those are great gifts; but I am more impressed with the gifts that come from the heart. They can still be tangible...something that we can have or hold...but they are presents that are more personable.

  For instance, this year I am giving I love you journals to the most important people in my life. Yes, I actually purchased the blank journals. However, I am filling all the pages with words that come from my heart. I am expressing my gratitude, love and appreciation through my words. I am even going as far as to handwrite my thoughts to them. Now, of course, this isn’t something that I would do for everyone...writing everyday in more than 2 journals and keep up with my daily writing...would be quite a task. But through these journal pages I hope that they will find the treasures that can not be bought. I am translating the language of my heart onto journal entries...and hopefully, in the years to come...they will reflect on what I wrote and remember this moment in time when they were important enough in my life to take this effort for.

  There are other things that we do, at my house to express how special people are to us. For instance, we will make cookies and candy and send them out to our loved ones. It’s our way of giving a part of ourselves to those that we hold so dear. Again, these are tangible...but the effort put into each gift, makes them priceless.

  Wal-Mart and Target will not be putting love, affection, or friendship on a sale rack this year. They will not offer tenderness, devotion, or kindness at an auction on EBay. We will not be able to Google the business address for joy, happiness, or delight. There will be no website to visit in order to find where or how to express jubilation during this holiday season.

  In order to give the gift that keeps on giving...and is unique every time you give to another person...we only need to seek it within ourselves. We can give the gift of love and life...simply by touching the hearts and minds of others. A homemade card can mean more than anything that Hallmark may have to offer. It is amazing how a little glitter and paint can warm a soul.

  This year I am asking all my friends and loved ones to give the gift of self. Donate time at a children’s hospital reading Christmas stories, to terminally ill children. Volunteer to work in the local soup kitchen serving dinner to those that have less than we do. Offer to babysit for a neighbor so that they can spend some time on themselves; shovel the sidewalk of an elderly person...just for the joy of doing it. Go out with a bunch of friends singing Christmas Carols in your neighborhood...and watch your gifts multiply.

  The best gifts given are those we give of ourselves. We can give our time or energy...and that investment will spread like a wild fire. When we give from our souls and not our wallets...we are giving a part of ourselves. We are touching the hearts of people who probably have forgotten how very special that they truly are. We should start reminding people that the most valuable offering we can give...is the gift of God’s undeniable love for us. Visiting with the elderly or disabled at a nursing home, can be more important than any diamond necklace ever would be.

  This year give compassion and watch it grow. The sweetest things in life do not cost anymore than a smile or a hug. Love is endless...eternal...and infinite, but it cannot be bought or bartered. Give the gift that gives back...the radiance of God’s unwavering love.

Breath of God

Breath of God

Love one another

Is that too much to ask?

Give from which we receive

That is all HE asks

Uplift your brothers and sisters

Gently wipe away their tears

Make amends for the cruelty

We have caused for so many years

Don’t just say you are sorry

Touch one another’s heart

Reach out and love someone

Begin playing your part

Smile up toward the heavens

Realize your true path

Embrace your differences

Let love be the aftermath

Wash away tears with smiles

That can be carried like a crown

Lift each other towards God

Stop tearing each other down

Know that we all are loved

Regardless of how it may seem

This is not a request

And this is not a dream

The true meaning of life

Is that it begins today

Don’t fear getting lost

Or forgetting your way

For life begins when you

Lay down your murderous rod

And set aside your anger

By inhaling the breath of GOD

Prevalence of Peace

Prevalence of Peace

  I often write and refer back to the fact that we are supposed to be peaceful with one another; and often I remind us that peace is what God wants for us. However, what is meant by “peace on earth”? What is peace? If I do not speak to you, if I ignore or avoid you...in the name of peace...is it actually peace? If we elude, evade, or dodge people are we giving them peace?

  Let’s us look at it this way...if I ignore you...do you feel warm? This can not become a matter of “If you can’t say something nice than say nothing at all”. What have I given you to pass on to another person...silence? In the quiet, are you reflecting? In the avoidance, are you contemplating how to show your love to another person...or managing a wartime strategy? Peace is not quiet time. Peace is not obtained through a spiritually motivating conversation...unspoken. Peace does not exist when there are guns going off...on the battlefield or in our minds. Peace is destroyed when we are developing ways to divide and conquer for our own personal or professional gain. Peace can not be developed when we are allowing people to dictate who we should love and support. Peace does not exist when we allow violence to touch the hearts and minds of our children.

  When we allow the growth of drugs, gangs, and domestic bloodshed within our neighborhoods...how can peace prosper? How can we expect our children to thrive in conditions that are indicative of hate? Yet, we send our children walking through these neighborhoods to school...which is similar to sending them marching through a mine field. How can we lead other countries into peace...if our own backyards are combat zones? Don’t our children deserve peace of mind? We typically want the very best life has to offer, for our children. Yet we turn a blind eye to the harsh conditions that they are met with...simply by walking to a friends house.

  How do our children learn about peace...if no one even taught us about it? Is peace...quiet? Absolutely not; peace is loud, boisterous, receiving, participatory, and Godly. I will yell...scream...stomp and point at any and all injustices. Until we make changes in our world...there can be no peace. Peace is not nodding and smiling. Peace is not stifling oppression. Peace means change.

  Peace is only obtained through understanding and love. We can stop war...but if we still have hate and indifference in our hearts then peace can not survive. Please understand that indifference is worse than hate...because it implies that we have no concern one way or another, for another human being.  Reflect on that statement for one moment...it means we do not care about a being that was created by God. Is that what we have become? Peace is obtained through consideration of others, kindness and compassion toward our fellow man/woman. We must learn the ways of our Creator, by becoming accepting, kind and considerate of our brothers and sisters under Heaven.

  Peace is not silence. Peace happens when we learn how to live in harmony...when we start caring about other people as much as we do ourselves. Peace is the practice of out stretching our arms to those in need. When we become God’s life raft...and put ourselves second to the needs of others...only then can the quest for peace begin. Remember that if we only show love and concern for ourselves...one day we will look around and see that we are all that is left.

  We should look around at the world we live in...God has populated it with beings that are intended to help uplift us and others. Our true path is found when we start doing God’s work...by nurturing other beings.

  Peace can not be obtained by waiting for lightning to strike in an unusual place. Peace is what we strive for...it makes us better people. It changes those around us. It stops wars and builds bridges. It does not cause separation due to some boundary or limit that man has selfishly created himself. It is the understanding that without it...we have no hope of survival.

  I pray that each of you finds a way to make peace with everyone you touch. May this circle of hope...go unbroken and stand the test of time...because time is running out.

To Thine Own Self Be True

To Thy Own Self Be True

      I wish I could show you, When you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being. ~Hafiz

  I pray that today can be the beginning of a new tradition...a tradition of love and peace. Don’t worry we will not need to travel to a foreign land, or learn a new language. Today we will start the change within ourselves.

  I want to spend some time reminding you about how precious and necessary you are in this life. Often we may feel that our place in this world is so minute that it is insignificant. We may feel like if we can not have things the way that we think they should be that we have no reason to go on. I promise you the only reason that you feel this way is because you are not seeing life clearly, right now.

  We are often tested...pushed to our limits. While this may seem unfair or harsh...it is the same principle behind letting go of our child when they are learning to ride a bicycle. We are pushing them beyond their conceivable limits. We are teaching them that if they believe in themselves that they can overcome adversity. Can you remember the first time that you rode a bicycle without your mom or dad holding on to you? I know that I felt like I was soaring with eagles...and in my mind I probably was.

  The thing to remember is that our limits or adversity do not own us. We are tested to show us that we can move past a certain level. Often the pain that we feel is placed there so that we will move on...not give up. Giving up means that we were defeated...but it doesn’t have to end this way.

  I understand what it is like to have to deal with real problems head on...I have struggled with my limits also. I always kept in my mind, however the issue that I was facing...was also facing me. I did not have to overcome it...it had to overcome me.

  I am not suggesting that the struggle is an easy one...or it wouldn’t be much of a struggle. However we can rein supreme...I just had to keep telling myself that I alone am enough. I can face my demons...I can walk out of the darkness; I only need to decide to do it. I also am not saying that it is something that needs to be done alone. Reach out to the positive people in your life. Talk to people who are interested in uplifting your spirit and soul. Seek support for your particular demon, it is out there. No matter what issue you are up against, I promise you that some one else has also gone through it.

  You are loved. It can be difficult to see that when it feels like the scales of life seem unbalanced. However the fact that you are here...breathing in and out every day...means that your path is still unfinished. God created you out of love and peace...it is up to you to find your way back to that place.

  I want to help you understand that you never have to struggle alone. The world doesn’t have to be a lonely place. You are a child of God and because of that fact...I love you unconditionally. Your life is very important.

  Treat your body and mind with the respect that you would a temple, church or masjid. You are a temple of God...you hold all His love and peace within you. Love your body; fortify it with the wholesome goodness that you would a sacred shrine. Give your inner self the same love and care that you would your outer covering.

  Fortify your mind with educational, spiritual and emotional love. And spread all of your love to those that you touch every day. You are a vital presence in every one’s life that you come into contact with...from the cashier at the grocery store to your family. We touch others...by just existing. Often we may feel that we do not matter to anyone...but have you ever felt the love of a complete stranger? Love can be transferred through a smile or handshake; we can spread God’s love with a kind gesture or comment. This is the true purpose of our existence...to keep the free flowing love of God all around us.

  My message to you is simple...don’t allow adversity to be the most important thing in your life. The most important thing in your life is to spread the message of our Creator...love all things. Just as I am giving you this message from God...I beg you to give it to others. We are not alone...we never have been...and we never will be. Love yourself...inside out; be true to yourself...and spread His truth in all you say and do.

I Protest

I protest

  I think, growing up, I just believed that everyone lived as I did...in my own remote part of the world. I thought good would always prevail and that we would all love each other. I was raised to believe that we were all supposed to watch out for one another. When I moved out of my comfort zone, however, I learned that the “real world” was full of all of the things that I never fully understood. There were abundant injustices going on all around us. I found so many fingers being pointed in blame that very few people were coming up with viable solutions. I looked in desperation to find my path in all of this. It took me a minute to catch my bearings, but once I did...I began to protest EVERYTHING! No, I didn’t picket or camp out overnight. While those options raise awareness, they do not necessarily bring about change. I began speaking up and writing about the world and its social issues. I spoke up even when no one else seemed to be. I always understood that not everyone would see my point of view...but it did not deter my course. The only pointing that I ever wanted to do was the pointing out of injustices and wrongs that were occurring and re-occurring on a daily basis. It is not about the evil of man but the evil of his actions; since I have always been of the belief that man is inherently good.

  As I looked around me I saw a world filled with anger and void of humanity...or at least our actions gave that impression. I rarely saw people behaving in loving ways just for the sake of being loving; rather I saw people verbally and physically attacking one another just for the sake of the kill.

  The world is filled with people and while we live so far away from one another...we are amazingly similar. We may have cultural differences...but our human nature is very much the same. I found that for most of us, we can see other people’s situations clearly while still viewing ourselves through a thick London fog.

  For instance, we may chastise a parent for speaking harshly to a child while we are waiting in line at Wal-mart; yet we go home and do the same to our own children, within the confinements of our houses. What makes this any different? Is it okay to speak to your child or anyone else for that matter, anyway we choose as long as no one else sees or hears it? Is this a matter of us being too harsh about some one else’s behavior...or us not being harsh enough about our own? Is the shame in this, how people are reacting to us...or is it the fact that it occurred to begin with?

  All of this brings me to the purpose of my writing today...the writing topic of whether or not I have ever protested anything. I think that we all could find a cause or reason to speak out against one thing or another. We only need open our eyes and hearts to see a world full of people reaching out...reaching for understanding...compassion...and concern.

  Growing up I couldn’t imagine that I would ever be one of those people speaking out against anything...however growing up...I was unaware of the true evils of the world. I knew nothing about how people would use any reason to pray upon unsuspecting victims. People will verbally annihilate a person without giving them a second thought. For some reason...we began to view people as objects...numbers...or statistics. We failed to remember that we are talking about our fellow man...our brothers and sisters under God. I have watched people use other’s hardships and difficulties as ammunition. In this war of tongues, the true victor is easy to spot...because they aren’t crying. But at what price was this win? I have witnessed the laughter of evil at the expense of another individual. What would cause another person to rip at another person’s self-esteem like this? Pain... Pain causes us to strike out at people that we love and we will even strike at those which we do not even know. Tearing other people down, can temporarily makes others feel invincible...but it is just a bandage on an open wound. So the cycle continues...and it breeds anger and hate. It spreads faster than you can imagine...until suddenly, before you realize it, you are in the middle of it.

  I protest verbally about many things...and yes there are so many causes that there probably wouldn’t be enough time in my life time to do justice to most. So my protests are on the roots of the problem...otherwise we are tossing a blanket on what is wrong. I had to try and see what element was missing. What was the common denominator that linked all of these atrocities together? One day, the missing link became painfully obvious.

  I want you to try and bear with me on this though, because you might want to roll your eyes and shake your head when I tell you my solution. The determining factor behind every problem that we are faced with is that we do not love. We do not love ourselves and we do not love others. And ironically we will fall to our knees and pray to God for the things that we may think we want or need...yet question it when we do not receive them.

  I can explain my solution, because if it is left at that...the message may seem too basic. You are partly right though, love is basic. Love is the basis of everything we touch, see, and feel. Love is the basis of who we are.

  Love mends bridges; it does not blow them up. Love repairs relationships; with others and with Our Creator. Self love is important because it does not speak to our egos...it appeals to our hearts. Loving ourselves does not mean that we think that we are better than anything else...that is vanity and many people confuse the two. Love of self, includes how we take care of our bodies...which are temples...temples of God. Love of self is the way in which we verbally touch others...through kind and responsible speech. Love of self includes humility, respect, kindness, and gratitude which are exhibited in the way we act and react with others.

  Love is not divine judgment. And when I say that I mean, it is never our place to judge what we think, believe or expect what God Himself will judge. We are not in a position to say what God will or will not forgive. Keep in mind that while we might feel certain that a person’s sins or transgressions are something that God will judge harshly...in your moment of judgment...God is also judging you.

  We must always remember who we are...and our purpose. If we love one another...we are doing the work of our Creator. Loving people is what we were sent here to do. Yes, I know that it is not always easy...but then again if it was easy...we wouldn’t have so many books reminding us to do it. If we think back to childhood...we might remember that the most important lessons were not easy but painful. How many times did you have to be told to not touch the stove before you learned the lesson? Or did you learn a more powerful lesson the day that you touched it while it was hot? The burn was a painful memory, but it was far more effective than we may have realized.

  The painful lesson that we are being taught now is clear...when we do not love one another...chaos prevails. We find that we are in wars, our brothers and sisters struggle with famine and genocide, our Earth’s animals are being killed off, our oceans, rivers, lakes and streams are being polluted. We find justifications for treating people badly; blaming race, religion or various other diversifications. In fact, if we trace back every single horrendous deed done in history...we can see how love and understanding could have made it better.

  You may not know what my personal struggle is like...but you could try and understand. The important thing to remember is that understanding my plight...does not lessen yours. You and your life is just as important as mine is. You do not matter more or less depending on where you live or where you are from.

  I can love you a million miles away...and I can prove it by NOT condemning you. I can love you merely because you exist. I can love you for our similarities, as well as, our differences.

  I can love you...because with love...and God...All things are possible.