MLK Vision and Today

 "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!?" Martin Luther King, Jr

It is a sign of the times that today we are both celebrating the advancement of African Americans and the inauguration of a President with one of the most white, least diverse cabinets in history...A man that is of racist ancestry and who denied minorities access in many past business dealings... a man who repeatedly said racist things in the campaign and vowed to erase diversity from public education to teach the white point of view, only.

But, what we need to remember is this.  When MLK said those things, it was not real in his day.  He had a dream.. a vision.. for the future and preached to share that vision and inspire that rise.  On this day, may we be inspired to maintain that vision and drive, no matter who is in office.

Follow Your Bliss

I think it was a couple years ago that I first discovered Joseph Campbell.  I had heard the phrase "follow your bliss" but hadn't given it much thought til that moment.  It just sounded like a holiday card that seemed too impractical.  But, upon digging into it and applying it to my life, it became one log in the fire upon which my self esteem and direction was formed.

"Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else"

So many people walk around saying to others and themselves that they don't know what they should do, what path they should follow.  But, honestly... if they are honest.. it's often right in front of their face.  They KNOW what they like, what they like to do, where they like to be.  Then, they will walk around feigning ignorance, when they do know.  They just often aren't sure they want to act on it.  But, if they don't act on what they want, they cannot pretend it is from ignorance.  It is a choice.

It is true that there's often obstacles or challenges, and many don't want to face them.  But... again.. when they don't have what they want, it's because they know what they want and fail to make the steps to get there.  Everything good in my life .. even those outside of my control.. began with dissatisfaction, followed some steps of effort to make myself able to receive it, and a commitment to maintain it.  It doesn't always work out, but it never works out without at least some effort.  And, you can't put forth effort without first identifying what you want... your bliss.  

So, my point is simply this.  Take time to look at your life.  Take time to consider what makes you happy.  Then, make the necessary changes to either bring those changes into your life to go out to make them happen.

Love

I thought of doing a post about narcissists, as everyone has some experience in the past of them.  I thought I'd do a post about healing old wounds.  I thought I'd do a post about hope.  I thought I'd do a post about new and fresh life.  But, upon reflection, it's already been done...

1 Cor 13:4-7

"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

I really can't improve upon that.  If that's not what you see, what you see isn't love.

Cause and Effect

This will be a short one.. just want to chronicle a concept.

Science tells us that things we see are a result of things we do not.  A force exerted elicits a responding reaction.  We don't always see the force or the reaction, and it may happen in ways we don't intend.  But, it does respond.

Many.. myself included.. have in times past limited things they liked about themselves or opinions to gain approval of others, only to find themselves now locked into patterns they do not like.  Or, they acted without considering others, which.. while courageous.. can blow minor things into major problems that could be avoided with grace or tact... I'm not great at tact but working on it.

I do not advocate hiding yourself, though.  Indeed, often times we cannot know how supportive someone is til we disagree with them or delay their gratification.  Then, we know if they are there for us or for what we provide to them.  That information is very important, as we determine the course of our lives.

I've grown over my years in all these areas.  I've made decisions with the information gained to direct my time and plans, and I am living and on track to a happy outcome.  But, it wouldn't have happened without my decision to be myself.. be happy, creative, loving, thinking, and in all other ways myself.  That cause CREATES the responding effects that helps me navigate my dreams to happy ends.

So, that's the post.  Be you.  It is the creative power to provide the outcome you need.  You don't have to be abrupt about it.  Just be.  The world will hear and respond .. as it should.

Evolution

So, I'm putting this concept together in my mind, and I thought how can I best frame it to offend the most people possible.  Kidding... I didn't, but as evolution is a good word for it .. I'll use it.

People spend so much time in their lives trying to "discover" themselves and "be" themselves.  That is a good thing to do to prevent you from living a life based on others and find their own desires lost in the process.  However,  what they often mean is the self that they identified years ago and desperately try to regain.

In a Dr Who scene I've quoted SO many times over the years, we have Matt Smith leaving his time as the Doctor, and just before he ends,hr says this...

It all just disappears doesn't it? Everything you are, gone in a moment like breath on a mirror.

Any moment now, he’s a coming, The Doctor and I always will be. But times change and so must I. We all change, when you think about it.

We are all different people all through our lives and that's okay, that's good you've got to keep moving so long as you remember all the people that you used to be.

I've been prepared for times changing, but what took me more by surprise was that I was changing with it.  Things I once wanted, I find I do not... and things I thought I didng like I find that I really do.. in the right context.. with the right person... with the new me that grew up over time.

There are in multiple myths gods or statutes of gods with multiple faces. Indeed, the God of the Bible is one way in one section and another in another.  Some would say this violates the idea that God is one and only one God.  But... I can be kind and loving to someone and be defensive and protective against another.  Both are me, and what face they see is what face they earn from me by their actions.  Over our lives, we've crafted different faces.. different ways of responding to people, and what characteristics come forth depends on the environment... much.. like.. traits of successful species in the course of evolution.  When you are in a safer environment, you might find parts of you are free to exist and find things you like that didn't exist in a threatened one.

My point is simply this.  Be patient with yourself as you grow and change and keep your definition of what is "you" or your desired outcomes open.  You just might not have been prepared to understand and want them, til you find a safe space to open up and bloom new buds of change.

Keep Planting

I actually had to give serious thought to whether to continue this blog.  For years, it has been a comforting and comfortable place on the WAY to happiness, but I've never been so happy as I have in the past month... like ... ever.  I thought maybe I should do a travel and food blog, instead... and I will likely do that, as well.  However, the more I thought of it, we are always responsible for happiness, even when we have happiness, we must take our parts in the providence of God to ensure that happiness continues.  We are ALWAYS on way to new happiness.

Indeed. Yes.  I acknowledge, gratefully, that God has been at work to bring the most amazing woman into my life, but I also acknowledge the efforts of both of us to make it happen.  We both saw the potential at the beginning, and both of us prioritized that in our lives to give it the proper foundation.  And, we both continue to emphasize it.

So many people sit around waiting for something good to happen to them.  There is some value in waiting for the right connection and etc.  However, we have our part in the story.  That's not a curse by God to make us work but a gift by Him/Her to participate in the CREATION of something beautiful and ... good.

So, if you are looking out on empty fields, don't curse the sky.  Do like I did a long ways back.  Pick up your hoe, break up the dry ground of your heart in hope, tend to your needs and correct your mistakes, plant seeds for the future and shower them with patience and anticipation with petition of the blessings and guidance of the maker.  Your days will be brighter just for the attempt, and you might just find yourself blown away by the blossoms that arise as the new happiness appears.