The Entity

If you truly believe in freedom of speech, you have to listen to a lot of crap that you don't agree with. To have the freedom to say anything, means not only the popular opinions, it means everything...even the harassing, bullying, offensive, and hateful speech.

Everyone, including me,  is going to say something that offends someone else.   Words are just words and even though they can make you feel angry, hurt or offended they are just words.  We allow words to transform into an entity that can bring us to a bad place.

It might be nice to live in a world where no one ever says anything hateful or mean, or where you don't have to listen to anything that offends you but this world is just real in a dream because there are people who are hateful, ignorant, careless, cruel and insensitive in our world. 


You do have the power to ignore words that offend you or control the degree in which they affect you.  The people who really count in your world, the ones that love and support you.  Those are the words you should let into your life and take to heart, not the total stranger that could careless about who you are.

Remember you are in control and don't let someone else take that away from you.  Don't let words become the thing you start to fear...

Toxic Love

I heard a new song about being in a tragic, insane kind of love that brings you pain, but of course it is worth it.  I like the song but I am not sure about the message.  This is a toxic love the hurts you but you just can't let go. 

You still need it, but you wish with every fiber of your being that you did not.  This sounds like an addiction.  I thought the song was about a love between a man and woman but the more I listen to it, the more I am not totally convinced. 

I guess everyone can relate to this type of toxic love and no matter how good it feels you have to take the first step to walk away.  Put one foot in front of the other, take a deep breath and don't look back, look forward and step softly...

The Force

People use to say,  "Either you are on the bus or you are under the bus!"  I assume the choice is yours and being "on" the bus is where you want to be.

You don't want someone to "Throw you under the bus!"  This means that they take credit for something you have done or point out a mistake you made in a public place. 

These type of people know exactly what they are doing.  They are not nice people and they will say anything to get ahead in this world and could care less on the carnage they leave behind.  You need to recognize this and be prepared to move on.

You should also protect yourself from this type of person.  You should always let people around you know what you have done.  It is as simple as adding someone to an email.  If someone ever tries to throw you under the bus, you must call them out immediately. 

Make sure others hear you when you call a spade a spade and confront the aggressor with the facts. Be prepared to stand your ground.  You should request a sit down with the tongue-wagger and the hirer-ups if it is a work situation. 

I can't guarantee this will always work but standing up to the bus thrower will make him think twice about trying it again.  People should know you are a force to be reckoned with...

New World

If you checked out a calendar, you would have noticed it is Earth Day today.  This is a day when people everywhere take action in their communities to make our planet a little bit better.

Some people are trying to conserve our resources and others are wasting just wasting them.  I am sure there is a balance somewhere but are we better off?

I wonder about the people that do nothing or do not care about the global problems we will face.  It is really making a difference?  It the tragedy of the commons. 

I can hope the small things I do: recycle, reuse, reduce and re-purpose materials will be enough.  I have to at least try!

Vulnerable

I see the imprint of you in all the things around me.  I realized you have had a great influence of who I am today. 

We have not always arrived at this destination in the classiest of ways.  We have endured a lot and I am a little afraid to walk on my own without you standing next to me.

 I feel weaker without you near me and my confidence is rattled.  I know I must do this on my own, each step, each stride, each increasing length.  I must keep my eyes forward and move toward my new destination. 

I can only hope that at the end I will find you there with arms opened wide...people who care about you support you, they don't tear you down, expose your weaknesses and leave you vulnerable.  I will live...

Magic

I know it is nice to take the time to send an email to family and friends but when was the last time you took the time to write something by hand and slip it into the mailbox.

I am far away from my family and I really miss them and I always feel a little closer when I write to them about what has been going on in my life.  I think there is something magical about getting a hand-written letter via snail mail.

I always start my letters the same way.  I jot down my thoughts on scratch paper and then I re-copy my words onto fancy paper and use colored pens for extra drama.  I sometimes draw pictures in the margins to help illustrate a point.  I do like draw even if I am not very good at it.  I also add stickers to the letter and the back of the envelope.  I finally put it in my mailbox and pull the flag up...and let the magic begin...don't forget to write back to share the experience...

Wanting

I have been thinking about all the tragedy lately and it is just another reminder to live your life to its fullest because you never know when your chance to do that will be gone.

I have a lot of things I still want to do so I would say my bucket list is full and overflowing.  I want to do some crazy and wild things like spend a week in a haunted place or walk across an entire state. 

I want to see the world and sample food from every country.  I want to swim/put a toe in every ocean.  I want to run in the Boston Marathon.  I want to conquer my fear of heights and climb to the top of a high building or tower and look over the edge.  

I want to find the soul that completes me and to fall truly, madly, deeply in love, maybe I will even get married.  I think one day I would like to have a child of my own.  I want to buy a house at the beach and have beautiful garden.

I want to volunteer to build a house.  I want to learn something new everyday and I want to be thankful for what I have and acknowledge those who have given me perspective.  I want to live...