FootPrints

FootPrints

 How often do we make decisions and judgments based solely on the information we have at hand? We may think or believe we know all there is to know. And with that knowledge we will make decisions about what is really going on and we may feel justified in doing so; but are we?

  This brings me back to the “Footprints” poem that so many of us have read. The narrator was having a conversation with God asking why He had turned away from the narrator when his life had become so difficult. The speaker, not unlike most of us, saw something and made a decision. He saw two set of footprints and then just one...so he made the assumption that during his time of need he was walking alone. It isn’t until he has a conversation with God that he is told that the time where he only saw one set of footprints...he was then being carried by God.

  What would have happened had that dialogue not occurred? Would he have just felt disappointed and abandoned by God? If he was simply going on what he saw, then it would be easy to see how he could have come to that conclusion. But that situation, like most...is only a portion of the truth. The truth is, often there are many factors that we may not be aware of...and yet we will still jump to conclusions. Perhaps if the speaker had noticed how much deeper the footprints in the sand had gotten when there was only one set of them...he may have questioned what was really going on.

  We may only be one question away from the truth. Often we will look at an action and judge it...sometimes too harshly; without asking ourselves what was the “cause of the effect”? If we start asking questions such as these, we may open ourselves up to the truth. And while someone may offend us with the way they react or behave, if we take a moment to attempt to understand why they did so...then perhaps we could see them a little more clearly.

  After all if a child is striking other children...before we get angry and explosive about the action...ask “why”? Why is this child doing this? How did someone get to be so violent? But understand, when asking probing questions...we must be prepared for the responses. How easy would it be to maintain our anger if the angry child was hitting other children because daily he/she is hit by their parent? Or what if the child has to watch their mother get hit by their father everyday; and while they may be unable to stand up to him...they can transfer that anger to other children? Aren’t some questions worth asking?

  Perhaps, even for a moment we should ask ourselves if we really know all there is to know...or if there is more to learn that will make things more clear in our minds and hearts. Remember like fingerprints that are unique to the fingers attached to them...footprints can be equally identifying. Who in life can say that they know what a person is really going through until we walk a mile in their shoes? Perhaps the weight that another is carrying can become too overwhelming. Try to look at it this way...some loads can not be laid down. Sometimes we just have to carry the load which has been given to us...even if a little more is added everyday. This is why it is important to try and be compassionate toward everyone we come into contact with. Please do not add more to a person who is barely holding up the load they were given before you even said hello.

  Don’t make excuses for unacceptable behavior, but don’t judge it either. Reach out for peoples hearts, because broken hearts are far too easy to hide. Stop breaking people down, in a need to be the victor because when we tear down our fellow man/woman we are tearing down God and His path for us...we need to start being the loving examples we were created to be.

  Our paths in life may not be smooth...we may come face to face with tragedy, loss, anger, or even worse....indifference. Our purpose is not to match our aggressor blow for blow...but to show him/her that peace can never be obtained that way. Never fail to realize that sometimes we are only given one opportunity to do what is right...wouldn’t it be a shame if we were so caught up in the challenge that we missed out?

  Live everyday as if it is our last...and in a way it is. This is the last moment like this...we will ever have. This wrinkle in time will never occur again, except in our memory. Let’s start creating beautiful memories for our children to read about in History. We should be giving our children something to strive toward, something to be proud of. Shine the love of our Creator in all we say and do...the reflection will be more brilliant than a priceless diamond.

Look At The Bright Side

Look At The Bright Side

Today is National “Look on the Bright Side Day”. Where some people might find that to be a ridiculous event, I must say that I can understand the sentiment behind it...especially this time of year. This time of year is the largest season for suicides and murder...so I think it is extremely appropriate to celebrate the reasons to hold on to life and all the gifts that we receive in living it.

  Life can sometimes spiral out of control. We can feel as if we are lost or even as if we nay not want to be found. We may feel alone or isolated...wondering who would even notice if we just dropped off the face if the earth. These sentiments are what make this event pertinent. We are all important, our lives are essential in some plan that God has for us. Just like when we speak of the importance of animals and the chain or circle of life...we, too, are critical parts of the grander scheme of things. Something as minor as a smile to a stranger...may change the course or energy of a day. A kind word or gesture could turn war time into a moment of peace.

  What is the bright side of a life which appears to have no particu7lar meaning? Well, we woke up today. We lifted our heads...and because we were willed to do so...the work God has lain out for us has begun. The bright side is the fact that today...unlike some...you received the gift of another moment...another opportunity to do the work of our Creator. Today we can hold our heads up and move forward. We get to choose whether we live or simply exist; while keeping in mind that we are the example that others are turning to. People don’t want us to tell them what to do...but they are open to observing those thoughts in action. We are responsible for all of our deeds...large and small...good and bad. We can impress or depress people...we have the luxury of choosing the path we walk.

  Look on the bright side...today is a new day...and the way we view it may help or hinder someone else. Things happen in life, some of these things may seem like they have broken us...left us in pieces. I think we have all felt this way...one time or another. But the actual truth is...we were not broken, shattered, crushed, or defeated. We were simply temporarily impaired...stunned...surprised...startled and dismayed. And here we are...not only present and accounted for but looking on the bright side of life. We have simply evolved into another part of who we were intended to be. We may feel sad at times due to a change or loss in our lives; and while I am not trying to take away from that very real feeling...I am going to tell you that hope always exists.

  You get to decide the energy that you will emit on others...just as I do. And yes, we will sometimes falter. It is okay to stumble on the building blocks of life...as long as we understand that they are just blocks...and not giant walls with no means of escape. You have to remember to pick yourself up and press on...eyes are watching you. If you have hope...someone else will be able to feed off of it...and they will be able to give hope to others, as well. Use the foundation that we were created with...love...peace....understanding and kindness; these are the elements of success and hope.

  Life is a gift. It regenerates, rejuvenates and revitalizes our souls. It is okay to have rough days...but understand that...better days will follow. No one expects perfection, but we do expect, desire, and need your word that you will constantly strive for more.

  Our lives contribute to the ever populating circle of love...and the bright side of that concept is that love always comes back ten fold. Love is more like the boomerang of God...no matter where you toss it...God will make sure it finds you again. Contribute to the lives of others...remember they too are looking for a bright side...be that for them. Other people have the same insecurities, anxieties, and hesitations that you may have...lend them your shoulder and in doing so...open your heart.

  The possibilities of life are endless...unless we stop trying. Do not be your own road block...expect the impossible...because with the divine love of our Creator...all things are attainable. There is no goal or idea which is too much for our Creator...we simply need to ask and be prepared to receive it. Look at the bright side...no matter how dire a situation seems...this too shall pass...and the lesson in the struggle may feed the hopes and aspirations of others.

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.

 

Apples

                                           APPLES

When I was 15 or so I remember coming home to my grandmother and I was crying. She, of course, was comforting and wanted me to tell her all about it. So I go on to tell her that no boys in my class liked me, and I remember that she softly laughed at me. She pulls me to her chair and said she has something she wanted to tell me, and that she hoped it would make sense to me. She said Women are like apples hanging on a tree...she said and all the best apples...shiny, red, full of flavor...sit at the very top of the tree. Now men, of course, want the apples...and this is the most important part. Most men will walk to the tree and see that they have to jump to get the apples at the bottom of the tree...but they don't want to put in any real effort so they are content to picking up the apples whose stems were so weak that they had fallen to the ground. Now other men will be willing to jump and pluck the apples on the lower branches...because they are easy to get...and very little effort has to be exerted. But then she said...there are those...very rare men who will be willing to climb up the tree, sometimes falling down, with scratches and scrapes...yet still climbing....to get to the very best apples. She said and those men are the ones who are willing to look past the obvious, go beyond the easiest....and settle for no less than the very best that you have to offer. These are the men that you want to wait for...because they will hold you high and love you deeply.