“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi~
This quote speaks volumes to me today, with what I see going on in the world around me. As I have observed the American people, primarily on social media, but also in day to day life, I have never felt such a sense of hopelessness, than I have today! It magnified 100% with our most recent Presidential election. Elections have always stirred up hate, but this this time, people just refuse to move on. While, it has been going on, long before the election, it has accelerated with an inconceivable apprehension, that I could have ever imagined. I have lost much faith in many of the American people, for holding on to any hope that I once had, of unity within our country. Is humanity just not popular anymore?
What I am seeing, is that people have no respect for other human beings, as just that, "human." People seem to have no regard for anyone who doesn't think like that do, or agree with them. It's become a narcissistic and arrogant world indeed. Suddenly everyone is right, no one is wrong, and people are persuaded to abandon all values, just because part of the world commands change. While change is good, and necessary at times, it doesn't mean we have to change our values. Not all change is good. That is why we have rules and regulations to protect the innocent. Not one of us, has the right to command another to think as he does. We have freedom of speech and the right to choose, but freedom of speech doesn't infer we should hate. Where does it end? I don't know!
Most of my life I have dreamed of a perfect world, where people would eventually unite and be good; a a wholesome goodness. I dreamed of this Utopia, where everyone would get to realize their dreams, and not just stare out the window at them. For years I have managed to see the good in most people, yet as time goes on, it seems harder to see through the masks that most wear today. The mask are harder to unveil and yet easy to read through, all at the same time. Some pretend they don't care, for fear of being ridiculed, dare they express themselves, (like me) and others belligerently blurt out their views with hatred, arrogance and a narcissistic behavior that defeats humanity, all together.
We all wear a mask, covering our pain, and troubles, because we want to reveal the happiness we each work hard to seek. After all, isn’t it happiness that we all came here to experience, and all the blessings life has to offer? What we did not count on, is that not everyone is good, and while most of us are blind to the harsh realities of the world, because we live in our world of our own comfort. Most of us are surrounded by the walls in our home, intended for safety, creating a barrier to the evils that most of us never see. But what about the homeless and less fortunate? They see evil. They see fear everyday. Yet no one asks them what the truth is. And which truth is the truth?
Well the only truth, in my opinion, is that we as Americans are free, and only because of those who fought and died for us, so that we can be! Be grateful!
Then came 9/11 and suddenly, for the first time in my life, I was like many, awakened to what evil truly lurks, and at our most vulnerable moments; while we are quietly beginning our day to day life, headed to work. The beauty of traveling on commercial jets, that we take for granted, to get to places quickly, visit friends in far away places, do business across our nations and across the world, suddenly becomes a catastrophic fear, never before known. Life would never be the same!
Even in times of troubles and war, which most of us are oblivious to, our soldiers are the only ones who experience the evils that lie within, while the rest of us move on, with our daily lives, feeling safe at work and at home. We don’t know what war is like. We do not truly know evil. None of us do, that haven’t lived it, fought it and lived to tell about it. And yet, I have seen Americans disrespect our soldiers, who fought for our freedom. How do people think we got our freedom in America? It wasn't at a drive-thru!
We have the right to choose our vocation, earn as little or as much as we like, when we are willing to work hard for it. "Working hard" is the key. Believing is the other truth! Nothing is given to us, on a silver platter, unless we are born on the platter, and then, it is likely it wouldn't be appreciated. What hardens my heart, is the people I see, who by all outside appearances, "have it all" and suddenly they have forgotten where they came from, and who got them there.
They don't live in the real world, surrounded by walls and bodyguards with guns, and shout that the rest of us should be left to fend for ourselves. It's wrong to have walls, it's wrong to have protection! I don't have a wall around my home or bodyguards! Yet, when I do, I will not go out of my way to proclaim, that the lesser of the world put their lives out on the line, to be open to the evils of the world, with no protection and no rights, as legal citizens to be protected from the evil of the terrorism we now see! And we are now seeing it everywhere.
Most people who know me well, know I hate politics and I refuse to discuss it, but what I will talk about is my rights as a human being, and the division that politics has created in our country, as well as the American people. Since, however, this is my blog, and I too, have the right to speak, I will do it here. Most of us are oblivious to politics and know very little about politics; what truly goes on in our governments, even though we think we do. I observe and have even engaged in, a time or two, about opinions on favorite candidates, when it comes to elections. I sit and watch divided Americans, fight and defend their favorite candidates, whom we know nothing about, only what we are told, which is seldom the truth; and yet we still fight.
Personally, I loathe politics as I have watched it destroy relationships of all kinds. Our two-party system is destroying our people, and humanity, through the division it has caused, and social media has accelerated the hate, to new levels beyond control. Years ago, I was watching a documentary and it was said, “if the American people, and the people of the world, knew what truly went on in our government, we would all be scared to death.” And yet still, people rant and rage about politics, as if there is one simple solution, and their solution ( or opinion) is the only viable way to solve the problems. It’s just not that simple, and even more, since we do not know the truth. It’s not black and white.
I remember growing up, when segregated water fountains were coming to an end. I asked my mother "why the different water fountains at Sears?" What has happened? We move away from racism and now we are moving back? We should be moving forward, and now we are repeating history. And I wonder why. I don’t see racism as a problem. I see people and hate as the problem. People by nature, seem to enjoy being victims, when they need something to shout about. One thing I do know, is that when we try to erase history, it repeats itself. When we focus on being a victim, we stir up more hate.
Imagine this: For years, I wanted to move to another place, so that I could forget the pains of my past, only to realize, that it is the SCARS of life, that remind us of what we have overcome, how we have grown, and what not to do again. THAT, my friend, is simple. We can make life as simple or as complicated as we want. I also learned that I could forever be a victim, or toughen up and move on! I moved on in my heart, and stayed put where I live, until there is a more sound reason to leave.
As humans, there is an innate need to be right, and an even more, innate need to express one’s views, so adamantly all over social media. Social media, while once, was a way to communicate and share ideas, positivity, businesses, and joy; now has become a place to ‘vomit’ one’s own vile opinions at the utmost hate tolerated, before being banned, or taken down by the powers to be!
I have always believed that most humans were inherently good, yet more and more, I believe that the narcissistic need to be right” is prevailing; even stepping on and smearing the good values and our common sense. What happened to “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all?” My mother taught me that as a child. But you see, that is just it. People today, are more interested in their own narcissistic arrogance of being right, and those good honest values we learned as a child, are just pushed to the wayside.
I would rather let everyone else be right, while I focus on my dreams, the people I can help, and then, when I help enough people get everything they want, I can have everything I want. That is freedom! If you want to move forward, leave the “haters” to each other, and focus on your dreams, so that you and your family, can leave this world in a better place than when you came here.
We have a choice to love or to hate. Choose love, and you will live a much more fulfilling life! Friendships and humanity aren't based on numbers of popularity. They are based on quality and how you enrich each other’s lives. I have never fit in with the crowd, or cliques, and I have never wanted to. I learned that being different is a blessing. It usually means you have room for growth and greatness. Greatness, fortunately, doesn’t come from being popular. It comes from daring to be different and learning to walk alone. And, if you believe in GOD, you are never alone.
I continue to pray for humanity and unity. I pray for a world where believing in GOD is okay, and not to be shamed or hidden. I believe I have the right to have my passions and hobbies, as we all do. I may not get to see it in my lifetime, but I will continue to practice being respectful and to help others, as much as I can. I am not perfect and I don't want to be. I like people; good people, that is. I don't care where you are from, or what your politics are, as long as you respect me as a human being with love. I spend time with positive people and nothing less than that. You should do the same.
Last, I will leave you with this; “I would rather walk alone, than with someone who doesn’t have my back.” ~Tamarah Ellen~
Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to share! I hope you found inspiratiion here and are moved to begin a movement to unity, instead of following hate!
To you own success, rock it!
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