Random dreaming... Love. Acceptance. Sharing. Giving.

Random thoughts.    Staying silent is easier sometimes.  I know many who believe that.   I constantly struggle with how much I should speak out...and WHY I should speak out.  Apathy on issues vs. commitment to a belief?  Keeping it off social media vs. using it as a positive avenue?  Staying quiet about politics today vs. believing each voter makes a difference?   Should I, or should I not?!?


Saying that, bear with me if I speak out (perhaps too much) in this post.  Some of you will agree with me and be in "my camp" and some of you will be upset by my out-spoken opinions and get annoyed and will think I should not be expressing myself like this on line.

Believe me. It's a constant struggle I have with myself.   But, my heart and my faith tell me that I have one life to live and that I should give it my best. I should speak as a Christian. I should be true, tell no lies, live my life as an open book.

So, tonight I speak of things that matter.

Love. Acceptance.  Sharing. Giving.

I admit it.  I don't understand a lot of people.  I don't get how some people can see things so differently.  I try, oh I try, to accept that we are all allowed our own beliefs.  I know we all have a different history, and a different raising, and we have different circumstances and experiences.  We all are individuals.  That's what makes life interesting.  Right?  I know it in my brain.  I just don't always accept it in my heart. 

But, there is a core 'thing'... a fundamental love that we must all feel.  Right?  It's a need to be of value to ourselves and to others.  We each have a uniqueness that must be honored.  We each have a hope for wanting a life that is full, satisfying, and beautiful.   Without it we hurt each other, and we put ourselves before others.  I think it's the basis of most problems...  we try to be better, and we try to find reasons to put others down.  It's certainly nothing new.  Throughout history there have been caste systems and man-made levels of importance.  There has always been one person or group keeping the others down.   There have always been struggles for many others to get ahead, to be better, and to achieve more.    The complex world we live in now bombards us all the time with so many, many ways to be divided, and to care about only other people that are like us.   Or even worse: only me, myself and I.  

We hear messages that put us against each other ALL THE TIME.  Politically.  Socially.  They are for ratings - and they are for business building and money making.  Endless hours our media now opine about politics.   Constant omplaining.  Lying.   There is not a lot of room or airtime for civil debate on issues or acceptance of differences.

It worries me.  It frightens me.   I think that many of us in this country have been swayed to live in a way that they don't trust anyone anymore, and in fact they think that others are out to get them.  It is put into their minds through marketing and the psuedo-news media... and yes, unfortunately, our leaders in government.  We have become a nation scared of each other and now we feel we need to protect ourselves.  We want to make sure we get OUR fair share because we think someone is always trying to steal from us.

  And  so, really, perhaps I do understand what has happened, but I am still disappointed how these  people think now-a-days.  I wish they could be stronger and true to the core needs of all...

Love. Acceptance.  Sharing.  Giving.

How can we get closer to it?   As a Christian, I believe we are 'commissioned' to go out and do just that.  Love, and accept.  Share what we have and give joyfully.   Jesus taught us that that was what God wanted for us to do... we are to love our neighbor as we love yourself.   But even for those that don't follow these teachings, it seems to me 'common sense' that loving, accepting, sharing and giving will bring a peaceful and happy life.  So, why not go for it?

 We need to stop putting others down (me included), especially those we consider different by color, or sex, or financial status.  We need to train our brains to be positive and to be open minded.  It means we accept people as they are.  Turn off our judgey thoughts.  Maybe we need to put on the rose-colored glasses for awhile.  See this world in a better way.  Stop being frightened.    Share our resources and give because giving is good.

Maybe we should NOT think about how we can be better than others, or think that we deserve more than others, and stop the feelings that we have a 'right' to things before others do. 

I think back to my birth... which happened to be from white parents in middle America.  I was born into a religious family, with stability, and I lived in a single dwelling home.  I had no choice into it... but I certainly know I was fortunate to have that kind of a start to my life.  I also know not everyone had what I had from birth and it was not a choice they made.    They too want...

Love. Acceptance.  Sharing.  Giving.