I can honestly say, at the age of 37, I feel like I am being slammed right back into high school! The entire United States is acting like a bunch of overtired, sugar high three-year-olds and I don’t care which side you are on. You are all being a of bunch bullies.
Our children are watching and learning…
Never have I experience such a high level of people who have to be right and it filters all the way up to our leaders. Seems like every where I look, someone is having an ego tantrum. All fired up and angry, just trying to prove their point.
People are protesting and looting in the streets!
Even the protesters who claim to be “protesting in peace,” are leaving a mess in their wake. Trashing the streets and pissing on side walks. They carry signs and scream their opinions out into the air, then carelessly toss their garbage on the street for someone else to clean up.
I’d like to say I’m disgusted and outraged but the truth is, I’m just really sad.
Where did all this stem from?
Of course we always want to point the finger and see who is to blame. The media, social media, Trump or the people?
Who knows and I guess it doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t friggin matter!!
You know what matters, us. So what are we doing about it? Who are we being? Times of stress, pain and difficulties will bring out the best and the worst in people…
What is all this bringing out in you?
Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? Are you gossiping? Spreading lies and untruths about things you know nothing about? Are you giving your opinion or stating the facts? Where do your facts come from? Social media? The news? I think we all know the truth in that…
Denzel Washington said it best in an interview by ITK/The Hill, while quoting Mark Twain, “If you don’t read the newspaper you’re uninformed. If you do read it, your misinformed.”
What are we doing here?
It’s a feeding frenzy out there right now. Lets not keep putting fuel on the fire or we are going to get exactly what we are all threatening will happen. Just so we can say we were right. You get what you focus on whether you want to believe that or not.
“The truth does not depend on our belief in it. It keeps on being what it is.” Lao Tzu
So let’s stop defending our beliefs and forcing them on others. People are going to believe what they want and there is no convincing them otherwise. Let them figure out their own truths, in their own time, for the truth does not need to be defended.
Therefore, let us give up being right, so we can be free!
Then do something productive in it’s place. Instead of arguing, go out and make a difference and it doesn’t have to be in the world. It can be in your very own home, your town or community. Go out and show some love.
Be kind! Smile! Donate your time or money… Protest if you feel like that is what’s right, but do it in a peaceful manner, making sure to clean up after yourself. As a result of people doing, instead of just ranting and fighting, we might actually find a common ground. By being the change we want to see.
This is our country. Our home. Our neighbors are our family, not our enemies. Even if they do not have the same political views. If we can not be kind in our own home, how can we expect the world to be kind to us.
Change starts with us and I am asking you to make a change.
Write back soon, love Annie.
Couldn’t agree more!
Thanks Lori… if only there were more who agreed! xox
I LOVE this…so we’ll said! Sharing.
Thanks Eryka! Glad you liked it and thanks for the share! Xo
Annie i think it’s important for people to feel outraged and feel anger if that’s what is coming up in their lives. It’s important to feel frustration and horror when those feelings enter our minds. We need to have room in our hearts to hold not just the joys of the world, but also the sorrows. The gains as well as the losses. The pleasures but also the pains. We need to hold it all so that we can understand it and grow from it. Rather than trying to bury it, as if it were not there. I think the trouble begins when we ACT OUT of the outrage or anger that we have inside of us and when we begin to take on this anger as our identity. It’s an important difference to distinguish. Feeling anger and outrage is great, it’s real, and it can even be a healthy thing. It is the clinging and attachment to anger that are where the great suffering takes place.
We can’t forget who we really are, even when the anger builds up so much that we feel helpless. There’s always a way to come back, breathe and remember our true nature. Remember our humanity, which is our birthright.
I liked reading your advice for people. I’m happy to see you writing from the heart and encouraging others to love. Metta.
One of my heros, Aung san suu kyi says, “if you’re feeling helpless, help someone”
What you are writing reminds me of her famous quote.
Peace and blessings
Larry, I couldn’t agree more and I think we are both saying exactly the same thing. I know more than anyone that keeping feelings inside is the most toxic thing you could do for your wellbeing and growth as a human being but as you said it’s in the acting out. Yes protest, yes voice your opinion but there is never a reason to hurt others or destroy property or the earth. “I feel” people need to control their rages… Feel it, feel all of it! Then release it, in a healthy way. I love that saying you ended with. It’s absolutely perfect. “If your feeling helpless, help someone.” That’s brilliant. I love it. Thank you for sharing. Peace and blessings to you 🙂
Denzel was quoting Samuel Clemens (you know… Mark Twain)
Hey Jillian, thank you for the heads up, that was not made clear in that interview but I have since updated the blog. Much appreciated!
I disagree with you assessment in that both sides have to share the blame. Sorry but both sides aren’t being violent or disrespectful of property. Both sides are not trying to stop free speech. Both sides don’t get paid by George Soros to riot. So the Forgotten man and woman in America finally have a voice. We voted in a respectful non violent way at the ballot box. We respect others opinions, love America and the American flag and were tired of the previous administration worrying about everything but our safety and jobs. All this discord is bery one sided and we the forgotten will not apologize for wanting America to be great again!!
I can see you are very passionate about what’s going on. As are so many people, and I hear you… it has been very frustrating to see the madness going on. We all want America great again. Don’t we? If you sat down one on one with any American they would agree. Egos aside. It’s what we all want.
So I say, instead of putting blame on anyone, let’s just move forward and do just that. We have to remove the “sides.” We are all Americans 1st!
Jamie. It has to start with us. Don’t worry about what they are doing. What are you doing? What are you doing to make America great? You did the first thing. You voted for who you thought would be the best President.
Now what? Don’t waste your time watching small people be small! Go out and lead! Be the change you want to see. Do something, anything… that makes a difference in your life, town or community. That makes America great.
Don’t you get it? They are trying to bring us down to their level. Don’t let them. Keep your head high. You know the truth.
While they busy themselves trying to tear people down, we will be busy building ourselves up. You will never win on their level. There are no winners there, I promise you that.
The greatest defeat is to prove them wrong! The only way we can do that is by making America great, one American at a time.
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your passion. You say you respect others, love America and the flag! That’s a perfect start. No go lead others to do the same. Not by force but by example.
Thanks again. Do not let the actions of others get you down, let it motivate you to be better!!
I lead by example and so do many Americans. But we have spoken and the left wing media distorts our positions and calls us racists and homophobes because we are not like them. There is no free speech and respect for a conservative or Christian for that matter. What is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. Hypocrisy is rampant as our previous leader who broke laws and caused discord was ignored. I will speak out for my values in love but I cannot help but fear for the future of America when the young adults act like criminals.
I heard Kyle Cease say this the other day and it rang true to me. Perhaps it can give you some peace.
“Don’t be enslaved by the outside world… if you move to your heart, fear can not come after you.”
Annie that’s a great quote.
Jamie, another one, by one of my favorite humans in history, Mother Theresa who says, “the problem with people is that we draw our family circles too small”
So what she is saying is, there really is no left vs right, blue vs red, Us vs Them. Human life is so much more wise than that. Humanity is our birthright. It’s the right of heart. It’s what we all have in common and where Love comes from.
Wise Leadership and leading by example requires this very wisdom. Fortunately for us, we all possess it! it comes with having a human life. We just need to REMEMBER that we have It. We can easily get caught in our suffering and forget who we really are. It happens to all of us and no one is exempt from suffering.
To find composure in our suffering and the suffering of humanity is the wisest and most radical thing anyone can do. It is there where true freedom lies. Some call it Love, others God, and others Consciousness. No matter what you call it, I promise you that it is truly the only thing that will make America great again.
Peace and blessings to you Jamie
Beautifully said Lawrence… thank you.