What Difference Does This Make?

We have become a society that can make a big deal over anything and at the same time pay little attention to the things that really matter.

I have learned to ask myself a few important questions before I engage in becoming part of the craziness.

1) Do I really care about this?

2) Is this really a big deal?

3) How will this affect my life a week, a year, 10 years from now?

4) Is this even worth giving any thought?

Don’t get caught up in other people’s need to debate every single thing. People disagree because they can and they throw around opinions as if they even matter. I often remind myself, my opinion is just one of many and at the end of the day it doesn’t mean a thing.

When Priorities Are Lost (Unity Part 2)

One thing I have focused on lately is my priorities. The outside world cannot reach in and distract me as long as I gently remind myself of the things that really matter. For me, the top two would be God and Family. When I do my best to live in the image of God, I am able to soften. I am tired of the bickering and watching people celebrate things like what color state they live in. I look around and I celebrate kindness, unity, self restraint. I no longer strive for tough love but am working to reach a new level of gentleness. Is there a God? The truth is I have no idea but as long as there’s a chance, I will continue to believe. We have replaced goodness, compassion, kindness and the desire to be one with things that make me feel ashamed just thinking about them. The things that bring people together today are conditions and illusions. Fighting and resisting against something or someone unites people more than believing in and working towards something. We bind together in negativity. It is destroying humanity and replacing civility. We embrace it and we celebrate the things that are insignificant to the spirit. Real unity doesn’t come from there. Happiness is fleeting when we base it on things like who is leading our government, our states. Who is leading the condition of the heart and spirit? When have we placed political leaders in the role of Gods and focused on the color of our state instead of the condition of our soul and mind? Have we once considered what kind of world we are creating for our children? We’ve become obsessed with making a stand for the latest trend but who is making a stand for what matters most? Winning doesn’t happen in the polls or in Washington D.C. Winning is when families and friends spend precious time breaking bread together and loving one another…wait for it….without conditions. When we choose political affiliation over people in our lives, something is very wrong. So many are lost today and I hope they examine their priorities and set them straight. Our purpose is to love and to make the most of our time here. It’s to leave the world better, not more bitter. Turn off the news. Put down your phone and remove the debilitating distractions. Be more focused and concerned with the people you are raising and the ones who raised you. Set your attention on the people who really matter. Unite there and then extend that love and unity into the world. At the very least, take an honest look at where you are investing time, emotion, focus and energy. Being honest might actually hurt but its the only way to start to heal.

I Want To Destroy You Mentality

It makes me sad to think that there are some people who will use any and all opportunities to destroy someone. I cannot for the life of me understand how such disgust and hatred toward someone can be the driving passion in so many people’s lives. I’ve watched it publicly and I’ve witnessed it on a personal level as a persons preoccupation with destroying someone becomes not only an obsession but also a roadblock in their own personal lives. Imagine if people put that much focus, attention and intention into making their own lives better. How different the result might be. 

Here’s something to think about today. Could using the time we have to judge and destroy others really be the reason we were given this beautiful opportunity to walk through this life? Could we be reduced to such a self sabotaging purpose with all the other possibilities still in our reach? This wanting to destroy others mentality disrespects the time we’ve been given to really do something worthwhile. Why is it easier to hate than it is to embrace and to love? I will never understand it. Never. And I am grateful for that.

I’m Right! No, I’m Right!

In a time where so many of us see the world differently, how can you be sure your version is right? Why are you so positive that you are the one thinking logically and others are not thinking clearly? Have you even ever asked yourself this question? We only know what we are open to hearing information about but are most of us truly open to hearing information that contradicts our personal opinion? I watch people swear with absolute assertion that something is matter of fact even when half the population sees the same situation in an opposite manner. Could it be that half of us are right and the other half are just plain crazy? We really need to start thinking about this. Or could it be that we only focus on the so called people and facts that feed our narrative so we never see the complete picture at all? Something to think about. 

When Enough is Enough

I am amazed at the amount of people who voice that a particular person is “the” problem. Personally I don’t think anybody holds that amount of power. I chuckle to myself as I remember something my momma used to say. If you aren’t part of the solution than you are part of the problem. Funny how some never do see it that way. It’s so easy to point that long condemning finger at someone else. I guess it makes people feel important, better, smarter. I think it makes you look very small. But then again, I’m usually busy watering my own grass to notice whether or not yours is even green. There comes a time when enough is enough. If only that time was now. I’m not sure it will ever come and it makes me feel sad. 

Your Words Build Walls

I saw this picture on Twitter this morning with a tweet that read,

This is how the Republican Party should act if they want to call themselves Christians.

Am I the only one that cringes when I see words like these? Regardless of whether you are republican, democrat, independent, Christian, atheist…shouldn’t we all be quick to invite someone to our table and less excited and willing to judge? Shouldn’t we extend kindness and invitation despite the size of our table or whether or not we even have one at all? 

Don’t words and posts like the one we see here build the biggest walls of all?

 I personally am sick of hypocritical nonsense. When is the last time you have invited anyone to your own table? I am ashamed to admit I haven’t invited a single person over to mine in a very long time. 

Words are damaging human relationships. Words are building walls that are becoming impenetrable. We are the wall. We build the wall with every word, every action of disrespect and contempt for another soul. When we stand in solidarity to destroy one another, the least we can do is admit we are not only the material but also the ones who construct it. Be the wall or don’t. It’s your choice. 

Who Wants My Ticket? I’m Done With This Show!

I am very disheartened by the news that so many performers are either backing out or simply afraid to perform at the inauguration. I don’t care who you voted for or how you feel about Donald Trump. This should be alarming for all of us. We call someone a bully and then in the next breath we stand together to bully anyone who stands in the way of how we think everything should be. The hypocrisy is so loud it is screaming for us to take notice. Our lives have started to take place in a circus tent where we have become the monkeys and we are putting on one hell of a show. When did it become so hard for people to be told no? We  will continue to bully and berate as we abuse the freedoms we were given to inflict our way. The truth is, there are more people than those like-minded few who we lock down in our inner circle. I don’t care what side your on or whether you lean this way or that. Last time I checked, the world was round and flat so there were no sides or tilt to one diresction or the other. The sides we speak of are of our own creation and the only reason we choose a side is to show that we are against the other. I don’t even want to talk about this anymore but is getting so out of control that it causes me so much distress. People against bullying bully. People who want to include everyone are dividing. Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy here? We the people are fed up. I know this person is. Why even bother to spread a good word and be a decent human being when the rug is being yanked out from underneath me? When will it stop? When you get your way? When I get mine? What about when our ways are different? Should we fight to the death? Destroy each other and our country one day at a time at the cost of winning the golden trophy? You can have it. I’m done. Not everyone wants a ticket to this ridiculous circus. I know I don’t.

The Clock is Counting Down

In a sea of opinions, use your voice for something good. Spread hope, peace and positivity. Be honest but tactful, open yet reserved. Do not give every thought a voice. Spend time around people who think different than you and really listen to what they have to say. Listen to understand and learn,not to respond and judge. There is no right or wrong, just different. Different people, different wants, different ideas and that’s okay. We are not robots. We are not programmed to think and act alike. Respect someone’s differences and if you want to make assumptions, assume you know nothing about anyone else. How could you? You don’t walk in their shoes, pay their bills, stay up late and night and face their demons in the dark. You do not know. Stop telling yourself you do and please stop passing judgements. You are not God. None of us are. We are simply a group of people sharing the earth for a limited amount of time. Make it count. Our stories, though different, will all end the same. Stop wasting precious time on things you convince yourself matter but really don’t. The clock is ticking and we don’t get a single second back. 

The Badge of Hypocritical Honor

This whole hype over fake news has me pondering something today. Are we so closed off to hearing the truth because we are so dishonest ourselves these days? Would we even recognize it anymore? Our little white lies and need to build a story up to make it seem more exciting reaches far beyond the media. At least  I think so. We love to gossip. We love to break a story that could embarrass or humiliate someone else just for the sake of getting some attention ourselves. We don’t care what the cost is to someone else. If we have the latest scoop, it is our personal duty to tell the rest of the world, isn’t it? You would certainly think so if you went for coffee with the girls or a dinner date with some of the moms from school. They don’t care how much a story might embarrass a family or another kid, they just cannot help but spread the latest story. Even if they don’t even know it’s true. Could it be we are so untrustworthy of others because we are untrustworthy ourselves? Could we question others motives because our intentions are often questionable as well?

What amazes me is we are so quick to accuse and condemn everyone else for the very behavior we are blatantly guilty of performing ourselves. We have designated ourselves the high honor of being judge and jury to everyone and everything while we sit high and mighty on our invisible throne wearing our badge of hypocritical honor. At least we look good doing it. We wear it well.

We The People Are Very Selfish

Just turn on the confirmation hearings, the news, click on social media and you will hear people yelling and screaming about what they don’t like and don’t want. No one knows how to be slightly uncomfortable anymore. People really think that the world revolves around their comfort and desires and they have forgotten how to behave when things don’t go exactly they way they would like them to. We call our dissent, our continuous need to  bitch, bully and moan freedom of speech but I would bet that most child psychiatrists would agree     we are really having full blown, adult tantrums while dragging down humanity and society with our dignity. The truth is, this is not about you. It’s not about me or Dick or Jane. Like it or not, it is about all of us as a whole. What makes me feel good might make your blood boil and you’re just gonna have to learn to live with that without causing a commotion everywhere you go. We get it, really! After 5,000 posts slamming Trump, it’s clear you don’t like him. Guess what? No one cares. For the person who continues to post negative memes about Obama, we hear you too. You don’t like him. We heard you the first post but by the 700th post people are going to get sick of your whining. You’re opinion is not that important. What is important is that you are purposely trying to piss other people off while you shove your opinion down our throats. Your argument is that you have the right to say and do anything you want, the right to express your opinion and fight for what you believe. You do not have the right to tear this country apart. You may be able to unfriend anyone who didn’t vote the same way you did but like it or not you are going to have to coexist in real life with people who think differently than you do. Grow up. Cut it out. Get over yourself and stop making the same choice day after day to divide this country even more. Be better not bitter and try being an example to follow that might just start to heal our country and start to bring us back together. Or are you too selfish for that? Who is this about? You or all of us as a whole? I guess we’ll find out next time you decide to post. We live in a world where we expect children to act like respectable, responsible adults and yet we  adults carry on and behave like children. This is the time we need a change more than ever before. It’s time to start seeing ourselves in the mirror and clean up the image we are close to destroying.