Every man must decide
whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of
destructive selfishness – The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
In light of recent events the world over; I felt compelled
to write about some things that I have observed in today’s society as of late.
Sadly,
there just seems to be an absolute lack of respect for human life. From the
Navy Yard Shootings, to the recent killing spree in Chicago, to the Nairobi Kenya
Mall Massacre, today’s school shooting in Reno ...death and destruction almost
seem to be the rule of the day. In this writer’s humble opinion, the armies of
darkness have stepped up their game. They have commenced an all out blitz in an
effort to stamp out those individuals who strive to live in the light. Now
granted this is nothing new, I think it is the boldness and audacity in which
these individuals operate now is what stands out the most for me. This brings me
to the topic for today’s entry.
As a servant of the most high, I am well aware of the
mandate to which I have been required to follow. My mandate - as with every
servant of the Most High - is to be a beacon of light where darkness is present. The
light I emit is not for me, it is for those who are trapped in darkness. How do
I stay so positive when all around me are determined to be negative? Simply because I
was once a cellar dweller. The light scared me. Once upon a time I was in absolute ease living in the dark. Now just for clarification, the darkness to which I refer doesn't just refer to the condition one finds themselves in once the lights go down. Darkness can also represent a state of consciousness (or lack there of) whereas light can not only represent your enviornment once an area is illuminated but can also represent an individual's mindset once they have in some form or other recieved enlightment mentally or consciously. The thing about darkness that makes it so appealing to some is that your flaws
are easily hidden. However once one is exposed to the light, they have to confront that
which was once hidden. It is this aspect of the light that tends to make individuals uncomfortable. No one likes having their flaws exposed. It may even cause an individual to live a life of guilt and extremely harsh self criticisim until they realize that not a soul on this planet is perfect and the only opinion that truly matters is an individual's opinion of themselves.
Merriam- Webster online defines it (one of many definitions) as a spiritual illumination while another online resource defines it as a natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. While those definitions are closely aligned with the theme of today's entry, I personally (for the purposes of today's entry) have a slightly different take on it's definition.
The Light…
It illuminates one’s environment and if it
catches one off guard it will force one to adjust their vision. Thankfully, light
and darkness cannot coexist. One eventually snuffs out the other... For better
or for worse. I know because I have been enveloped by both. I have found
comfort and solace in both. I have even tried to defy physics and make both
coexist. But as the Word of God says….. No one can serve two masters. It is
virtually impossible. Take it from me folks, I tried that life. It was the most
exhausting and self destructive season of my life. I expended way too much
energy and once it was all said and done, had absolutely nothing to show for
all of my effort. The funny thing is
that the company you keep sometimes prevents you from seeing exactly how dark
things may have become for you. After all misery loves company. Now granted, it is much easier to run with the crowd than
it is to stand on your own principles and be a free thinking individual with
your own moral code. Yes, yes…. Darkness
has its perks and makes strange bedfellows (Sometimes literally). You may find
yourself making alliances with individuals that you know good and hell well
should not even be in your circle. You may even find yourself doing and saying
things that you never thought you would never say or do. For a spell, you may even “fly under the
radar”. Nevertheless, eventually what’s done in the dark eventually comes to
light. The thing about dwelling in darkness and operating from a place of
negativity or pessimism is that it does more harm than good. Not to mention
that you also run up a seriously high Karma tab…. And eventually one day you are going to have to cash out. Be not
deceived, Karma is not a respecter of persons. Anyone can find themselves at its
mercy and from my experience if you don’t make an effort to right the wrong
committed it will dog you until you do. Karma is extremely persistent and
doesn’t really care about your attempts at denying the truth of things. When
that bill comes due….you are gonna have to pay it. Either voluntarily or involuntarily.
It’s your choice. Voluntarily has always worked for me. Involuntarily just came
with too much damage control and with a tremendous amount of collateral
damage.
Regretably, society
today seems to reward the Cellar Dweller. People with innovative ideas are
generally persecuted by people who feel like their stock will drop if they
adopt the new modus operandi. “Shine Blockers” as one of the fellas I use to
mentor calls them. People who would rather exist in a dysfunctional situation
than implement a new and more efficient way of doing things simply because it
wasn’t their idea. Yeah…. I have most definitely dealt with my share of “Shine
Blockers” in my day. We actually all
just witnessed this played out on a global scale. The Whole drama surrounding the
Government Shutdown and the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). The fact that you have group of people
elected to represent the American People’s best interest completely shut down
the US Government because they do not agree with the President’s vision of
Healthcare of every American all but to me represents “Shine Blocking” at its
finest. I mean honestly, there has not probably been a better example played
out politically on an international scale within the last decade or two. I
think the thing that really just makes the whole melodrama completely
ridiculous is the fact that the damn bill became a Law and was implemented on
schedule. Well minus the Website glitches, but that’s common for a Federal
Website. Take it from someone who has accessed several and currently accesses
them daily (That is unless you work for the NSA, CIA, FBI or DARPA). Shutting
down the government did nothing to impede the ACA’s implementation and most of those
individuals that qualify for the coverage that I have spoken to have nothing but great things to say
about it. How does this relate to today’s topic? The fact that America’s
elected representatives would rather see individuals out of work (even
temporarily), block a measure that would provide health care to individuals
that are currently without it (and with the amount of intensity and conviction
that they exemplified whilst doing so I may add) all but confirms what I have come to
fear…… that there is a serious void of consciousness and humanity roaming the
halls of America’s Legislative Branch. This in my humble opinion is an example of the
forces of darkness hard at work being funded by the American Taxpayer and
elected by its populace. That’s right…. Some of you that are reading this put
some of those knuckleheads in office. Then there are those of you that didn’t
even go to the polls. If you are in this number, please …please ..please don’t
complain about how inconvenienced you were by the Shutdown or anything
that has occurred since the last election. In my humble opinion, you don’t even
have the right. That right is reserved for those that chose to participate in
the political process, regardless of how flawed it currently may be. Now granted, Democracy in its current state
is a faulty product. I constantly find myself asking how our government can
legitimately try to convince other nations to subscribe to our brand of
Democracy when it is not even working for the Citizenship of the United States
of America. We need to correct the flaws within our own system before we can
try to pawn it off on others. How can you try to give advice to others when your
current state of the union is dysfunctional at best. I have never been able to understand
that logic. Yet daily we see it happening. Not only on the world stage but
right around the corner from you. Hell…. maybe even in the next room.
The society we live in today is full of individuals who lack
vision and purpose. In my humble opinion that causes two (but not limited to) things to occur:
Those who can’t do teach. Those who can’t teach do. Those who can’t do or teach become critics.
Yup. I said it.
Simple as that.
If
you read the aforementioned statement and find it lacking, it is more than
likely because you fit in the last category. I could be wrong. After all, I’m
not perfect either. Truthfully, on some days, I am a hot a** mess. But I know
who I am and Whose I am and that allows me to embrace who I am with absolute
totality. Flaws and All. To me that sums up people who try to criticize and
discredit people who are out here giving their all to making this world we live
in a better place. The critic unfortunately has not discovered who they were
placed on this little blue marble to be. They more than likely are living according
to a blueprint that someone created for them instead of trusting the Most
High’s divine design for their life. Those individuals that have discovered
their life’s purpose are too busy trying to share their light with the world to
be critical of other people’s efforts.
Then
there is the other side of the coin, those that are so busy trying to hold on
to what they have that they disregard their duty of being a blessing to others. These
people are so set on keeping what they have that they rarely share their
resources and will go out of their way to make sure that you don’t ask them for
assistance. You see they miss the whole point of them even having the sort of
access that they have to what they have been blessed with. Yes…… I said blessed
with. Even if you do not believe as I believe, you have to acknowledge the fact
that there is something in this universe bigger than you that has provided you
with the ability to obtain what you have. However, in the event that you
believe as I do, the Word of God implores us to be cheerful givers:
Each
one of us must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7
In
this life it is basically a proven fact that you ultimately reap what you sow.
You get what you give is usually the way I phrase it. One of the unfortunate
things about our society today is there aren’t enough cheerful givers within
it. You are more likely to find an unrepentant taker in your midst that someone
that finds joy from sharing their resources with others (which at times for this
writer, the former proves to be a tad bit disheartening). Those individuals who strive daily
to stay in the light and not succumb to the darkness that envelopes them share
their resources with those in need. Even the slightest showing of benevolence
can brighten someone‘s day in ways that you could never imagine. I personally
try to do a random
act of kindness everyday for a total stranger. Not because I need or even want
gratitude, but simply because I know what it’s like to see God at work in
people’s lives. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when a total stranger assists
me that it’s the hand of God in it. So who am I to reject an opportunity to
allow the Most High to use me to improve someone’s quality of life in some manner?
If it’s nothing but a kind word to someone who appears to be having a horrible
day or giving money to...even buying a meal for a homeless person, we all have
the ability to provide a ray of sunshine to someone shrouded by the occasional overcast
conditions caused by despair and hopelessness. I hear so many people constantly
making reference to how crazy this world has become. How the world was so very
different not all that long ago. I have to disagree. The world is the same. It’s
people’s attitude toward it and the growing gap between civility and the human
condition that has changed. There is no respect of persons and/or their
property any more. No one respects “the grind” any more. What I mean by that is
that “paying dues” is now seen as trivial. Unfortunately “generation next” has an
unwarranted sense of entitlement as if everything should be handed to them and
that they don’t have to put in work. There is a lack of respect for history and
the accomplishments of those that have come before us. The trailblazers that
make it possible for those who now enjoy the spoils of our ancestor’s labor to
make all of their wildest dreams come true. Ingenuity and innovation is seen by
some to be radicalism or extremism. Now granted… there are some people out
there that in the name of innovation are doing the damn most. Nevertheless in
today’s society, perception is everything. There is a saying that I just for
the life of me can’t subscribe to that states P"erception is Reality. I find it
hard to subscribe to this school of thought because one’s perception is rarely
void of emotion and bias. Reality is reality. Not one's perception of it. One person’s Alpha Male is another person’s asshole. It’s
a fine line between being champion for change and a terrorist. Just ask the
founding fathers of this great nation of ours.
Thomas Jefferson said it best:
The
Tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of Patriots
and Tyrants.
If
I were to venture a guess, I seriously don’t think that the Boston Tea Party
was meant to be a mixer or a Black Tie Affair (unless you were a part of the resistance). Nelson Mandela is embraced as a
contributor to the current state of affairs in South Africa and towards the abolition
of Apartheid, but at one point was considered public enemy number one and
imprisoned for and as a result of his efforts. Then there was this Fella I believe that some if
not most of you are sort of familiar with that walked this Earth ohhhhh about a couple millennia
ago. Some considered him to be the
ultimate “rabble rouser”. His example to me is the most remarkable though. Praised
for being the Savior only to be betrayed and denied by his closest allies then
Crucified for being the very Savior that the masses had praised only days before.
Talk about fairweather friends and fickle folks…. Goodness!
But I digress….
Now thanks to the availbility of ridiculous amounts of information courtesy of the internet, there are all types of media available out there celebrating individuals, organizations and grass roots groups like the Freedom
Riders, the NAACP, the National Women’s Suffrage Organization, Rainbow/
Operation PUSH, Greenpeace and the like that during some point of their
existence were vilified for “rocking the boat”. Change meets the fiercest opposition
when it is misunderstood or has the potential to dethrone those in power. This
is most exemplified in the manner in which society (Mainstream media primarily)
tends to demonize a lot of the grassroot movements serving as change agents in
today’s society much like they did to those aforementioned groups a couple
sentences back (Shout out to The Occupy Movement, The Arab Spring Movement,
Public Citizen, Human Rights First, Sierra Club and any and all organizations
striving to improve the quality of life of individuals the world over).Thankfully, there are people out there that are genuinely
trying to make the world a better place. The unfortunate thing that there are individuals that
are just fine existing in total dysfunction and chaos. It is also these people who usually tend to be the ones that
put forth the fiercest opposition to any individual or any group making a sincere
effort to be change agents for the greater good of society as a whole.
Ok... now this next section may make some folks a tad bit uncomfotable but i promise if you stay with me you may possibly find some truth in what follows and possibly be all the better for having read it.
Now ..... I just want to take this opportunity to
implore you to when at all possible to be the source of positivity in your
environment. The daily grind can at times be overwhelming in and of itself.
Which is why it is so important to be civil and empathetic those in your
circle. You never know when someone may need your encouragement or support to help
them through a trying season of their life. Even if you do not believe as I
believe, I honestly believe that it is our mandate as human beings to be a
source of light wherever darkness is present. Now be not deceived, there are
some evil people in this world. Their sole purpose in life is the annoyance, discomfort,
aggravation, irritation and unnecessary provocation of individuals
going about the business of minding their business. I call them the People
Under the Stairs…..Straight Cellar Dwellers. More comfortable in the dark than
they could ever be in the light. The interesting thing about cellars is that the air down
there can get pretty foul and stale. Quite possibly because it is something
down there that is probably dead and that has gotten so old that it has began to
rot and needs to be discarded. Not to mention, cellars usually go for long
periods of time totally unattended and tend to accumulate a bunch of junk that
generally never gets used again once it’s placed there. Funny how these
characteristics sound a lot like the attitudes and lives of people that tend to be
negative and find comfort in darkness. These individuals tend to carry around grudges
and unnecessary baggage from one relationship to another. It just lends
credibility to the statement that people typically tend to be a product of
their environment. So with that being said, please understand that I understand
that everyday can’t be Rainbows and Lollipops. I am well aware that there are
some days where it is just so much easier to just go with how you feel (albeit
positive or negative) instead judging the situation with a certain degree of neutrality.
Trust me when I say that there are days when WWJD takes a little longer to compute for
me than others. I am human after all and we human beings are emotional
creatures. However with time and a lot of patience you learn to walk away from
negative people and negative situations. Believe it or not you (yes…you) have
the ability to condition your mind to sort through the negativity and pessimism
that some folks try to throw your way. For you see we have to train our minds to
see the good in every situation. Every situation you ask? Yes. Every
situation. Sometimes it’s just harder to
separate the good from the bad if you are emotionally invested in the situation
that is causing the momentary discomfort.
In closing,
I wish to leave you with five simple rules that have allowed me to be a source
of positivity and light where negativity and darkness may exist. Now here is my
disclaimer for the uninitiated. Experience has taught me that in order for an individual
to live a life of positivity and exude seemingly ridiculous amounts of optimism there
must be an understanding that it won’t happen overnight. There is work involved
and is an ever evolving process. The beautiful thing about exerting energy to
bring about positivity is that the universe always honors it. Now also
understand that with every process comes momentary frustration. Even the most
positive person has their low moments. However in my humble opinion, the key is
not letting those low moments linger any longer than they have to. It’s ok to
let the feelings in so long as they aren’t allowed to stay….
I leave you with my Five Simple Rules for Happiness:
- Free your heart from hatred
- Free your mind from Worries
- Live Simply
- Give more
- Expect less
And for those of you that believe as I believe, I leave you
with this:
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven – Matthew 5:17.
