The Cost of Humanity

The Cost of Humanity

  By now, most of us have read or heard about the story of Jesus Navarro, the man in California who needs a kidney transplant; briefly, Mr. Navarro has private insurance through a job that he worked for 14 years and he has his own kidney donor...his wife. In fact, the only thing Mr. Navarro is missing is a green card, He is an undocumented resident, and has been such for at least the [last 14 years. However, like it or not, the law states that he can not receive organ transplant surgery due to his citizenship status. To be specific, Mr. Navarro can not receive the surgery which will quite possibly save his life, but he can DONATE a kidney or any other organ...to save someone else...citizen or not.

  I am not disputing the cost of healthcare. I am completely aware of how expensive it is getting to be ill, every time I visit my doctor. It has been stated that the reason Mr. Navarro cannot have the surgery is because he may not be able to afford the medicine that will follow the procedure. This is definitely a very sad situation, not only sad but ridiculous when you look at the larger picture.

  This is not just an undocumented resident; he is a husband and father. He has a family that, without this surgery, will be planning a funeral far too soon. This follows me reading about, Amelia Rivera, a 3 year old who needs a kidney transplant and was denied because the administrators of the hospital said she was mentally “retarded”. SO...this child could possibly die from kidney failure, and because of her mental capacity. She is not eligible for a transplant.

  I know there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of Jesus Navarro’s in this country. It is actually that idea that prompted me to write about this.  I have never looked at human beings as countrymen or citizens of one country or another. I have never made a decision about one person or the next based on any monetary label. People are people; we are all different in one fashion or another.

  What I fail to understand is the logic behind having the ability to add years to a person’s life and then choosing not to. What have we become? When did a person who is not a resident of this country become expendable? We are so far away from where we are supposed to be, as human beings. This could not be what God wants for and from us. I was so disappointed in us, as children of one Creator, to know that the lines that make us different are actually becoming terminal. We are devaluing human life...placing a price tag on how much we will reach out for other people.

  Regardless of the politics behind the decision to not help these two children of God and others exactly like them, we should all be ashamed. We should find equal shame in the decision makers in these matters; and in those of us, who sit back and agree, by way of our silence.

  Love thy neighbor...not love only our documented countrymen...not only the healthy...but all walks of life. What is guiding us? When did we fall off of our paths? Often we get tested, it may be those very tests that display to our Creator what and who we really are. I pray no one gets judged based on these two cases, because the outlook looks grim.

  How much does humanity cost? Whatever the price tag...I pray that you can afford it. May the grace of God guide you all.

One Day

One day

Once blue skies filled with dark clouds

Birds struggling to fly

Blue waters of the oceans polluted

And we stop and wonder why

Cans laying along the roadsides

Factories running all night

Not even a Native American crying

Made everything alright

And when my daughter asks me

Why the glaciers are starting to melt

I tell her because man is careless

Thinking what a poor hand she was dealt

Starving children in Somalia

With little water there to drink

And we stand on the outside watching

Not knowing what to think

I mean is it really our problem

What is happening to them?

Or is it Gods will to kill

Innocent women and men?

Take away a few forests

What harm can that do?

It’s not like I live in a tree

Why does it bother you?

A hole in our ozone layer

Like a slow leak in a balloon

Exposure to gases and dangerous sun rays

Are problems but only a few

Large company vessels spilling oil

Into our oceans far and wide

Destroying aquatic creatures

We are killing everything... she cried

People all over the world are dying

War is in the air

Planets and animals are disappearing

Why doesn’t anyone care?

Every time I mention

Our world and this plight

All the adults say is...

Everything will be alright

But I see no plan

No way to make it better...they admit

But if you cant fix things

Can you at least stop breaking it?

They say it’s not the end of the world

Everything will be okay

But really...it’s what you plan to do

...not what you say

So she hailed in a voice so strong

It made my heart swell

I will not stop until things are better

Even if I have to yell

This is not what God had planned

When He created us one and all

We were supposed to love each other

Regardless of how big or small

Every tree that is cut down

Is another creatures home

And they can’t check into a hotel

They have no one they can phone

It is up to us to step up

And stand up for the cause

Too many things are going wrong

And after a brief pause

She stood up and looked at me

And said I will ask God too

I know He will have the answer

He will know what I can do

Because there is no doubt

Of the beauty in His sight

He will help to fix the problems

And make everything alright

He will help me tell others

To stop killing His earth

And remember we are all one

And we all have great worth

I can not remember being more proud

Of my angel than on that day

Because I knew she wouldn’t rest

Until she had found a way

So in keeping up my special promise

To take a step and do my part

I will ask each and everyone

To do what is right...look within your heart

Treat each other with kindness

Do not tear each other down

Love one another always

And enjoy the peace you have found

Be loving to your environment

Stop destroying what He has made

Maybe we can make up for our sins

And He will forgive us one day

Waiting For You

Waiting For You

A pulse races

Faster every night

She should feel safe

Hidden out of sight

He knows every rhythm

Her heart beats so loud

Like a trapped animal

Again she was found

Bruises, scrapes and cuts

Scars so real

Another is placed

Before others have time to heal

No relief in sight

No help at her beckoned call

Afraid to reach out

She sees no peace at all

She knows people hear her pleas

For help like a beacon in the night

People watching all around

But still...no relief in sight

She is your mom or sister

Or someone she could be

It could happen to anyone

It should be easy to see

But as long as we turn

Away from her plight

We all become her abuser

With no hope in sight

Reach out for her hand

Even if it seems there is no need

You may be her only hope

Her only way to be free

Let the bruises on her face

Be a lesson to us all

Watch out for her stumble

Don’t wait for her to fall

Be the net she needs

To know God loves her too

Time is too precious

And she is waiting for you

God Saw Us Through

God Saw Us Through

As an old year passes

And a new is on its way

I wanted to give thanks

For paths I crossed along the way

It may not have been forever

But in my heart you will stay

Sometimes the largest blessings

Are found at the end of the day

Even though our encounters

May have seemed too brief

Your life is forever written

In my divine memory

Your loss may have caused tears

And your absence may make me sad

But I am thankful for the opportunity

To share the experiences we’ve had

When the New Years bell rings

And lovers embrace

Let us not forget

Those we met along the way

The people who touched us

By simply taking a breath

Never leaving our hearts

Through life...or through death

Let us rejoice in the feeling

That God saw us through

With love and understanding

In all we say and all we do

Falling to our knees

In our most humble of prayers

Asking for guidance

In everything and everywhere

May the New Year bring us

Joy and eternal peace

And guide us down His path

With love and with ease

Join me in wishing

To man and woman alike

Happy Holidays for all

And to all a good night

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.

 

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.

Greatest Love

Greatest Love

  I found the greatest loves of my life when I learned how to love people inside out. I learned that the outer shell was only a peek at the person within. Of course, we must be attracted to something, before seeking the inner being...be it a smile, laugh...or just a sense of humor. However in some rare cases, the inner being will shine through the eyes of those that we may have over looked.

  Whatever brought us to this place seems irrelevant...for now all that matters is that we are here...together. Our inner light is that part of us that connects to others on a higher plain. It is our soul or spirit...our core. I have always been of the belief that our center...or core is the very thing that we started with. Our core comes from God; it is the very loving nature He instilled in us. It is the part of us that allows us to connect to others...similar to how magnets attract one another or how light will attract a moth. It is what brings us together...and sometimes, sadly, tears us apart. The core of us is what hurts when we see another human being in pain. It is the part of us that is moved to protect our environment. Our core is what causes 9000 people to search for an 8 year old autistic boy in Virginia...someone that most did not even know. Our center is the part of us that prompts an illegal immigrant to put his life on the line to save a little girl that he didn’t even know...placing his own citizenship at risk. It is the thing within us that has us get our bone marrow checked to see if we can save the life of one person...which can be a painful process. It is doing the right thing...without a second thought. This is our origin...what every other part of us is based on. This is our purpose under Heaven. And as long as we are listening to our center...our core...our spirit and soul...we are doing Gods work.

  So what happens when we are doing everything else? What happens when we watch someone who is broken down on the side of the road and we just drive past? What happens when we hear someone yell for help and we act like we don’t hear them? What are we thinking when we tell socially acceptable lies...and still teach our children the importance of telling the truth? Why do we make excuses for behavior that we know in our hearts to be wrong? What message are we sending when we punish a murderer by becoming murderers? Where are our hearts when we are telling our law enforcement officers to stop worrying about crimes and just look for people who have a “criminal look”?

  These may seem like extreme cases, but are they really? Or do we just say that to take attention away from the real issue? How do we have balance when the scales of our lives are so obviously tilted? Native Americans believe that within us we have two wolves...one wolf is positive...loving...caring and compassionate. The other wolf is negativity...adversity...violence...anger and rage. In some Native American culture it is said that the wolf that we feed or cater to the most becomes the winner of our internal struggle.

  This is really the old story of good versus evil. The one that we allow to grow...becomes the victor. But the truth is this...God created all things, ideas and situations. Why would God, who loves us, create something that could eventually lead to our downfall? Some believe that the reasoning is this: He allows us to decide what we want for ourselves. He allows us to make our own noose and decide if we are going to hang ourselves or others. He allows us to make friends or enemies. We are allowed to show compassion or contempt. Why are we allowed to even know of a choice which could cause us or others pain or anguish? Because, we know what the right thing to do is...it is in our core. We have been equipped with the only thing we ever really needed to get by...love. We have always been equipped with the love of our Creator...which arms us with the knowledge that we are supposed to love others also.

  Why is doing the wrong thing so easy for most? Doing what is wrong is easy because it is acceptable and most of the time it is expected. We expect people to cheat, steal and lie to us. We expect people to disrespect us or those around us...so we continually watch for it. We look for deception because we really believe that all people will be tempted to deceive. We expect our fellow man...that was created with the same divine love that we were...to do us some huge disservice. Unfortunately, a lot of the time...we aren’t disappointed.

  Of course, we choose to live this way. We choose to allow people to do the opposite of what we know is right; then we they do this evil...we just nod and smile, as if it is okay. We become complacent. We choose to sit the fence, instead of standing up for anything. And in our complacency...we have failed God. We have said so much...by saying nothing. When our hearts are crying, yet our mouths fall silent and our heads hang in shame...we have betrayed ourselves and Our God.

  The important lesson in all of this is that any injustices that we fall upon silent ears about...are injustices that very well may come back around to destroy us, as well. Never say that any given situation could never happen to you or anyone you know. By now we should all understand that just because we think we have stuffed a wrong in a closet doesn’t mean that is goes unnoticed. God brings everything to light.

  It is our job to defend those who are wronged...no matter who the oppressor may be. It is our job to shine light on those who pray on the defenseless. As people we do our best to stand up for children...and since we were all created from God and are His children...why do we not defend our fellow man? Why do we not stomp our feet and scream to the top of our lungs every time someone is treated with malice?

  War does not create anything...it destroys us all. Do the soldiers of war ever come home feeling happy; and if not, why? War only creates the need for larger cemeteries...larger orphanages...and more wars. And by the way, wars are not only fought with guns. Wars happen at the work place, in our schools and in our neighborhoods. A sharp tongue is worse than an assault weapon. Guns are fired and they kill...where as words can continue to injure and re-injure us. And like in a war...once we have been fired upon...we will retaliate...and it won’t matter if it is justifiable or not.

  Peace starts within us...and once we have it we can share it with the world. We only need to nurture the love that we were created with...and then we give it out to everyone we come into contact with. We smile, greet and acknowledge our fellow man and woman...and with those simple gestures...love blooms. Love is never out of season and you can never have or give too much love. It will feel strange at first...but that is just because we are out of practice. Give love...receive love...Be love.

The Calm Before the Storm

The Calm Before the Storm

  I have wondered why there is calm before a storm. Obviously it isn’t necessary, from a weather stand point. The sky hardly needs to pause before gusting blustery winds upon us. Yet there are moments of stillness, just before it feels like the Heavens open up and brings forth wind and rain. Is the calm provided to us, giving the world a chance to prepare? And if so, what are we preparing for; more importantly, are we prepared?

  Is there a reason why the night seems “still”? Do we pay attention to the stillness, or do we just take it as a cue for us to rest? It there a deeper meaning behind why we may actually need the stillness or calm of the day or night?

  Have you ever had a heated argument with another person? Did you notice that for a moment...there is silence? Why is the silence there, at that particular moment? One minute the two of you have limitless antagonistic words to say to each other...then there is a pause. Why? How were you feeling during the angry exchange of insults? How did you feel in that moment of silence? What were you thinking?

  Why do we laugh when we hear people say that while they were in prison or jail, they found God? We may find it humorous to think that a person can only find their Creator when he is taken away from his element. Is there ever a bad time to know our Creator? Perhaps, for some, prison or jail is the calm before the storm. Perhaps what happens at that moment will make the difference in that person’s life...and everyone he/she touches. Is it still funny?

  Why do we place children in “time out” or give them “quiet time”? What do we expect of a child during that time, other than quiet? I realize, when I make a correlation between an adults behavior and a child’s, it seems overly simplistic to some.

  But we, as adults, are teaching life lessons to children every day. These lessons are helpful to them as adults, as long as the message is not lost. So my question is posed, what lesson are we teaching a child when we give them time away from other children? What is the purpose of a “time-out”?

  I am of the opinion that silence...calmness...isolation are methods that our Creator uses to speak to us, internally. Most of the time, especially during the day...there are a million things going on, usually all at one time. We are waking up, taking showers, getting the kids dressed. We are preparing our day, going to work, thinking about what I need to get accomplished at work to get home on time. We are deciding what to cook for lunch and then dinner. We are deciding what clothes to wear, trying to get everyone motivated and moving so that our work is done in a timely manner. Sometimes I wonder if that is what God is doing, more on that later.

  Nothing is an accident. Everything has its time and place. If there is calm or stillness whether in the air or within us...it is intentional. The only question at this point should be...why?

  Why do I need things to be still? Why is there calmness before a storm? What am I supposed to be doing that I am failing to do? Are we moving too fast? Am I thinking about what to say, before I say it? Am I using my words like a weapon? Is my intention to hurt someone with my sharp tones and comments?

  When we have moments of quiet during a heated argument...am I listening to my inner voice? Did I learn the lesson that I was being taught as a young child? Why do we use “time outs”, as a punishment for children? For one thing, it is not a punishment...it is a lesson. We are teaching our children to think, before they act. We are showing them how to step away from a potentially hostile situation and come back with a fresh perspective. This is why this method of parenting can be useful. We are teaching our children how to think. We are teaching these tender souls how to listen to their hearts.

  Children are not little adults, but they will grow up to be responsible adults. We are teaching them how to take a moment to regroup. This is what God wants for us.

 And I can say He wants this for us, because of the calm before the storm. The calmness is what I call reflection. It is when that inner voice is telling you about your behavior. It is reminding you that speaking in anger will only create more anger and hostility. We are not thinking about our actions. Where did I hear someone tell me to think about my actions? Oh, on my Grandmothers couch...during “time out”.

  How can I be so confident about all of this? It’s simple. While we are laughing about the inmate who is claiming to have found God while incarcerated...God is embracing him. While we are making fun of someone who has to go to jail to be touched by God...God is showing him his true path. While we are throwing away and giving up on individuals that are incarcerated...God is waiting for them. Why does God wait on someone that we are willing to cast away as a waste of space? Simply put...God doesn’t give up on anyone. Our Creator loves us so much that he incorporates moments of stillness and quiet in our lives. He knows that those are opportunities for us, as human beings, to submit our will to Him.

  God loves us, as we love those children that are in “time out”. We are precious to Him. And even if we don’t get the lesson of the stillness...He will still create other moments of calmness. God loves us so much that He will lead us inside of a jail...to remove all outside influences. And if you don’t know first hand, let me inform you of this; when a person is incarcerated...they will feel like they have lost everything.

  God is all around us, His is the voice of reason and love in our ears. His voice is the one telling you not to argue, fight, hurt or war with anyone. His is the voice that we fight against. So, sometimes we feel broken down...but when it is God that is building us up it doesn’t matter if you are in a jailhouse or the White House. God is guiding us toward Him...He is making us whole...He is making us one.

The Long and Winding Road

The Long and Winding Road

  Growing up I often heard the expression...not to choose is to choose. The meaning of which became much more clear as I aged and matured.

  How often had I heard some one say that they were angered or frustrated with a situation and yet did nothing? Often we decide to sit the fence about issues...so to speak. We may feel a certain way about something, yet we take no stand. It is unfortunate that we don’t understand...when we fail to take a stand...we already did.

  We may say that we are against slavery...yet if we do nothing to stop the enslavement...we are silently approving the action. True, it may not be easy to stand up against those who are seemingly in the majority...but what are we REALLY saying...by saying nothing...by taking no stand?

  We are saying...it is okay. We are lending our support to those that we may very well be opposed to. We may say that we do not support the destruction of our planet...but unless we are willing to stand up for the world around us...our well wishes...will always fall upon deaf ears.

  It takes bravery to speak openly against those that oppress us...and often those people are targeted as troublemakers. I almost laugh at those statements...because I personally know one of those troublemakers. I have watched and heard her young heart standing up for what she believes is right or wrong in this life. I have seen people try to muffle her cries for justice...with laughter or jokes, hoping to discourage her candor. But I promise you that this angel is only fueled by any opposition. She is never deterred by society’s criticisms...she keeps her head held high and marches on. She is strong and vigilant...she will stand up even when she feels she is under attack. She always makes her position known...regardless of the viewpoint or perception of others. I have seen her defend the life of a tree more passionately than I have seen men or women defend their fellow man.

  In mid conversation, she will say that it is wrong for the state to kill someone...to prove that killing is wrong. The act in itself emphasizes the “do as I say and not as I do” idea. Even before Troy Davis, the Georgia man who was executed Sept 21, 2011...for the death of an off duty police officer; as a fifteen year old girl...my daughter was debating the death penalty with educators. Did she have some information that we didn’t? No, she simply didn’t need anyone to tell her that killing is wrong. She didn’t seek or desire direction on this matter...she just always knew that loving our fellow man was our primary objective. To put it in her own words...how can our parents teach us that we are not supposed to fight...and that turning the other cheek is what God wants from us. Yet...we send our nation to war. It may seem like an over simplification to some...but again, in her words...wrong is wrong...no matter how many words you dress it up with.

  This young woman is one of my personal heroes. She has won no awards...there have been no stories written about her...outside of my own efforts. She has no National Holiday...but she sings her song of justice loudly...to anyone who will listen. She hasn’t prevented a war...she hasn’t stopped famine or the ongoing problems that we have created for ourselves. But everyday she will tell people openly that the man in the mirror is the change needed. For our reflection is who we are...not who we may think we are. We have a voice...we choose when and where to use it.

  As a society, we have chosen to be led. Growing up; we are told how to behave. Where to sit or stand...who to be nice to...what to wear; the problem is that we are now conditioned. We are conditioned to believe that we need permission to do what we already know is right. It is this conditioning that causes us to allow the destructive actions and decisions of others. No one is dictating to us what we should be doing...so we do nothing. As if we need permission to carry out the work of God.

  What I am saying is that the truths we were taught as children...theses still are true today. The fact is that the TRUTH....always will be TRUE. It is the one constant in our lives. Life can be like a long and winding road...seemingly endless; but the path is the one we have always known.

  We were created to love one another...and with love, comes peace. There can be no negative in that...for the basis of love and peace...comes from our Creator.

  Taking a stand can be hard...but masking who we really are in our silence...is a crime against our nature. Stand up for those that have no voice...be the voice of reason and justice...like our fore fathers before us. Be what we teach our children to be...every day. Lead by example...love by choice...be the humanity we seek in others.

The Chain of Hope

The Chain of Hope

 I know that life can seem unfair. We often are faced with situations and circumstances that we are not prepared for. It can seem overwhelming at times. We can come to cross roads...where it can appear that we are left to our own devices. Sometimes we might feel like we have made poor decisions and now we feel trapped or snared...like a hunted animal.

  But what if we really aren’t trapped? What if the poor decision wasn’t really as negative as it appeared? What would you say if I told you that in the times that you feel at your weakest...it is then that God is at His strongest within you? When we are weakened...it is then when we submit to God’s will...so often those times are used to guide us down our true path.

  You might suggest that for me to even make such a suggestion that I probably had never been faced with such adversity. You would, of course be incorrect, but I can understand how you could be led to that assumption. There have been many times when I have come face to face with traumatic events. I have been forced to make decisions that I would later believe were mistakes. I have suffered considerable loss in my lifetime. I have known pain deeper than most people can imagine. I, too have the scars that abuse and life choices can leave. I have even had moments where I felt completely alone and isolated.

  But just as surely as the troubles appeared...they would eventually disappear. There are times when we are faced with terrible life altering circumstances that would appear to make us feel victimized or helpless. Everyone experiences this...in one way or another. The importance is not in what happened...but how you rose above it. What happened in that moment when you felt like all hope was lost? How did you get past that ordeal?

  Often we are tested and it seems unfair or cruel...as if we are left all alone...but we really aren’t. We should use these experiences as spring boards to uplift others. I have found ways of taking my hurtful experiences to help others who have been in the same or similar situation. The whole idea behind this is to continue the chain of HOPE. Hope is a wondrous thing...it can make us decide to get up every single time we fall down. All we really need is for someone to tell us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We really only need to feel like we are not left alone...someone understands.

  I am here to let you know...hope springs eternal. It doesn’t have an expiration date. Hope is recyclable...once you have hope...then you can pass it on to someone else. It never leaves us...we just have to remember that we have it. NO one can take hope away from us...all they can do is make us pack it away. But when you remember that you have it...it will be there for you.

  Hope is a gift from God...it is that thing that gives us drive. Hope is what gives victims of abuse the strength to survive. Hope is the feeling we give others with the knowledge that they do not have to walk through life alone. It is reassurance...that we also know what they are feeling and coping with. It is important for all of us to know that...adversity is not the end of our story...it’s just the action in the middle. And I know this because all things begin and end with God.

  Do you ever wonder what makes people cry when something good happens? Or why people cry during a romantic or suspenseful movie with a loving ending? Why do we cry when we watch a baby smile or say their first word? Why do we cry when we see a loved one after an extended period of time?

  We cry during these times because it is our proof that God is all around us. We aren’t alone. We are so loved that we get to experience a baby’s smile and laughter. We have hope...for the future of ourselves and our loved ones. It gives us reason to go on.

  Having hope gives us peace...peace of mind. It fills our hearts with the hope that one day we won’t be at war...one day we won’t have children starving...one day we will be accepted for who we are and not what we look like. It gives the hope to believe that one day our fellow man will love us...as we love him. It gives us the hope to believe that people will stop killing...killing our neighbors....killing our friends...killing our families...that man will stop killing our hope...for the future.