“At some point in my life I decided, rightly or wrongly, that there are many situations in this life that I can’t do much about — acts of terrorism, feelings of nationalistic prejudice, Cold War, etc. — so what I should do is concentrate on the situations that my energy can affect.” – Jim Henson
Ya Gotta Learn To Shake It Off. No Matter Who is Elected, No Matter What The Universe Throws My Way, I’ll Make The Best Of It and Be So Strongly The Attractor of My Own Experience That Nothing Less Than Good Times Will Come My Way
One thing I noticed this election season has done which was never so apparent before Facebook because now we can see it in black and white: very many people are eager to have a discussion on controversial issues but cannot seem to do it without name-calling, bullying and harassing those who hold opposing viewpoints. It is like that is the go-to first comment, they do not even ease into it. It’s good to know what’s hidden just below the surface. What is inside us will eat us up if we do not let it out, but we can do it gently as a snail who leaves a little trail or we can just do it like bursting a zit in everyone’s face. I like seeing how people are under pressure.
When we focus on growing the love within, it fills us to overflowing. It spills over into our outer world, like an eternal spring, planting, watering, weeding, blooming. It’s so big it cannot be contained. That’s just what it does. Linda Kelley
This week I bought two pairs of white pants. I wore a pair yesterday and then this morning I saw them side by side on the hangers and wondered which I’d worn yesterday. Upon closer inspection I saw grass cuttings and knew which they were. That reminded me since I’m not used to wearing white I need to really pay attention when I am. So this morning on my way into town I stopped at a friend’s house to prune and water. Yep, wearing white pants. I’ve usually got jeans on in the yard so I found myself having to be very careful not to drag the dirty hose across them or get grass stains in the pocket from the pruners. When I wear jeans it doesn’t matter. I can just go at it and get dirty and it doesn’t show. I found wearing white a good exercise in being mindful what I let touch me and rub off on me. That was a good meditation on many levels. Continue reading
Yesterday the Brevard County, FL School Board voted on an anti-discrimination policy and it passed. BLESSED PROGRESS!! The policy names LGBT students and staff as a new protected class that already exists for minorities and the disabled. The folks in a neighborhood Facebook watch group think having transgender rights means boys will be free to walk into the girls’ bathrooms “any day they decide they identify as a female,” expose themselves and molest their daughters. That’s a crime issue. Criminals will use any excuse to get on a scene to commit a crime. If there’s a crime issue in school bathrooms, address that, remedy that. Discrimination is not the fix. The first fix is educating yourself on the topic. Continue reading
Yesterday I got kicked off a Facebook page of people who live around me for pointing out to them that their remarks were mean spirited, racist and inciting vigilantism. They call it a “crime watch page” since some listen to police scanners and report their version of what they hear. In the couple of months I was in the group, I read their hateful, racist comments inciting each other into action against their target du jour. Some even drive around seeing what they can get into. It gave me insight into the mindset of fearful and narrow minded, gun-toting neighbors — bullies many of them — ready to jump to conclusions, take one ticked off person’s story as true, and gang up against a target. I first posted correcting them as to landlord/tenant law then got attacked on the page as well as in several private messages. I haven’t been bullied since middle school. For the first time in years, there were suddenly several people the next 3 days soliciting at my door — despite my No Soliciting sign. They only came here, not to my neighbors. It may or may not be related. Some post that the Black Lives Matter movement encourages cop killing, and then they savagely attack (in comments) anyone who cites evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, none of the blacks I know encourage violence and none of the law enforcement I know target blacks. Continue reading
I finally see the misinformation a lot of people are up in arms over. Re Blue Lives Matter, reading at a neighborhood FB page some hotheads remark all law enforcement officers target blacks. NOT TRUE. Other hotheads say the Black Lives Matter activists all encourage cop killing. NOT TRUE EITHER. It is dangerous and mean to post that because it divides people and causes problems where there are no problems. None of the law enforcement personnel I know are racists or target blacks. None of the blacks I know encourage violence. Acts of hatred incite hatred. Acts of kindness inspire kindness. We’re blessed this election season to have those around us reveal their fears and agendas so we know who we all are under pressure. WE can’t judge an entire race or culture based on the actions of the most visible vocal thugs, unless we want them to judge us based on the same thing. Be awake, be aware but be kind. It will cause you to attract a much better life than you’re living now.
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