Try as I may, I am having the worst time concentrating today. For some time now I’ve been feeling the weight of the world on my heart. It seems every place a person looks these days, there is evidence of discord and then to wake up this morning and see the Las Vegas news? My heart is literally so heavy, I’m having trouble breathing today. I cannot even wrap my brain around this incident. I’ve been weeping off and on all day.
One would think that by the year 2017, our human race would have evolved much further past the current senseless violence and division among our people. For heaven’s sake we are about to have driver-less passenger vehicles and packages delivered by drones, yet we are still divided and fighting among ourselves over things that absolutely will NOT matter when we pass on from this life. Now we are having acts of violence like the one that happened in Vegas (not to the same magnitude, granted) on an almost weekly basis?
What happened to “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”?
I totally get that this psycho, P.O.S person who executed this massacre probably wasn’t part of the current, “I’m protesting this”; “I’m not standing for that” group of people, but if I am physically feeling the symptoms of such a level of hate and discord in the USA right now and I consider myself to be a pretty rational woman, what must others who are not sane be feeling and can we expect MORE of this? Yes. I am so sad to imagine we can and we probably will.
At this very moment they have reported 58 dead and 515 injured and I am seeing on social media that some of our ridiculously overpaid, under-talented and certainly under-educated are saying that this is a case of “white privilege”? In just about every feed, someone seriously blames Trump for this and arguments ensue.
This morning at work I was speaking to someone I know and love about a happy occasion about to take place and she said, “Well, I’ve heard he’s a conservative and that might be a problem.” Add another dagger to my already heavy heart.
People, this is NOT the way.
Once upon a time I was talking to a family member about racism. I said to this person, who was expressing fear about people of other races, “I know one thing for certain. When we pass over and are standing before God, I highly doubt He will make the declaration that, ‘ALL of YOU –insert whatever race, nationality, gender, political party or sexuality you wish -GET TO THE BACK OF THE LINE, I will be taking care of the white, Roman Catholics first. Step aside.’
No, instead we will be judged on the contents of our hearts and the good works we did on earth. How well did we treat each other; what did we do for one another; did we forgive others trespasses; etc.”
I completely understand that there are people who rise up in protest believing with the whole heart that good is being done. Look around. It’s not. Get together and work on positive solutions.
Above all else, remember that we need each other. I am usually not one to throw around Bible verses but at this point it’s important to revisit the following:
Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” He also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher.Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.”
Luke 6: 31-50
And do not bother to come to me saying that it’s GOD that is allowing this to happen. He gave us FREE will. WE are the ones causing it AND the ones allowing it.
If you are experiencing similar feelings to mine, I implore you to examine your use of social media. Stop blindly re-posting things. Stop blindly following things you haven’t fully checked out. Don’t join protests that are just attention seeking and hateful. Ask yourself your true motives before joining anything, before re-posting anything, before you inadvertently fan the flames.
Listen to others with the intention of understanding what their feelings are and speak with the intention of being understood. In the words of Don Ruiz Miguel, “Be impeccable with your word”! Yelling and screaming and name calling and being angry because someone else doesn’t share your exact views and experiences is ridiculous and futile!
Seek out organizations that are actually making positive changes and join the ones that resonate with you. Make a promise to yourself to BE part of positive change in the world. Refuse to fuel the world with anything but your love and the follow through on your good intentions. Positive energy always brings back more positive energy.
I work four gazillion jobs so it’s nearly impossible for me to add onto my already too crazy schedule but I still feel like I want to offer something to the world in exchange for my Blessings. My husband and I are following the lead of another person we know and we are making up “snack and supply” bags which we will carry in our cars to hand out to the homeless and transient people we encounter. I got the idea a couple of weeks ago when I kept encountering the same man on my way home from work. Twice I stopped and handed him a full bottle of water because it was so hot out I couldn’t stand to look at him and think of him being thirsty.
What will you do?
Sorry this isn’t my usual blog, but things are heavy right now.
Love and prayers to all.
~Bobbe
PS-I did write another more uplifting blog on my other site, Femcalibur I would totally love it if you would click through and read it. I am blogging with a great group of ladies. Once a week we all write a blog on the same topic. This week’s subject was, “Keeping it Real”. Lots of good stuff over there!
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