Years add wisdom, difficulties build strength, love moves mountains, tears nourish growth, dreams reveal purpose, character buries superficiality...Truth IS.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

"...Neither persons or property will be safe."

It is a somber morning here for me.  I had a hard time sleeping last night with the events of the last 4 days, since the bombing at the Boston Marathon.

Though I usually avoid the news with all of it's tantalizing tidbits of propaganda and shit-talk--I felt compelled to have it on yesterday as they were searching for the youngest of the two bombing suspects.  I got a really GOOD dose of its POINT-DRILLING tactic and when it wasn't as completely redundant as it could POSSIBLY GET, all of the outrageous inconsistencies were laughable.  To me, these reporters looked like circus clowns, and the reason why they go into reporting....THEY ARE FOLLOWERS who live to be led, scrap-feeders who dig to the bottom of the dirtiest dumpster for their survival.  I was completely disgusted at the disorganized frenzy of these experts of exploitation, drawing their own conclusions, voicing their own opinions, and the point-to-point maneuverability of them.  All of this talk about "radicalization" and how fast and easy it is to become radicalized online (as if they are now experts in psychology).  As I sat there listening to this crap, I thought we have children, adolescents, and young adults who have been BORN AND RAISED HERE who have committed similar unconscionable acts of violence HERE.  We experience terrorism everyday...on different scales of course...but nonetheless, terrorism.  What the hell does the media think THEY are peddling here--messages of PEACE???  "This country's agenda and that country's agenda," and blah, blah, blah....."this religion, that religion" blah, blah, blah.  Everyone wants to get into the heads of these perpetrators, but no one wants to admit the truth of what they see...so we just go all hell-bent on revenge and two wrongs never make a right.  How long have the wars that spawned from 9/11 been going on and how many lives have we TRADED for the lives taken (2996 plus the 19 hijackers)---the estimates are around 112,043-122,573 civilian deaths (and STILL counting after 10 years) in a malevolent plot for revenge based on the same clown-like, inconsistency, maneuverability of reason, and the blatant "leading" lies to the people "leading" us to believe there were "weapons of mass destruction."

I may stand alone in my compassion for these two boys, who are the ages of my eldest and youngest children, and their families and those close to them, but I don't care.  I am in no way suggesting that justice does not need to be served.  They made a choice to commit a premeditated, calculated, and morally reprehensible crime against other innocent human beings.  I am only stating that these two seemed to have some very great potential for success and were very well-liked by those who knew them.  The one thing that struck me throughout this whole circus presentation was the fact that the eldest of these two was a golden-glove champion boxer, but when he was to compete in world competition, he was DENIED to do so even though he EARNED the right to compete.  Why you may ask....and this is what PISSES me off...because he was FOREIGN.  Look, American Government....if you "lift your lamp beside the golden door" and this boy has gone through the legal process of becoming WELCOME here....and while he is here, he makes a POSITIVE contribution to the "culturally diverse" nation you so proudly boast yourself to be....then make good on YOUR promise.  I guess in this wonderful nation of ours, people are only allowed SO much success before a reason is found to say..."yeah...that's enough...sorry."  It's either one way or the other...I, myself have HAD IT with the "both-ways" bullshit...as governmental officials see no cuts in THEIR salary, no contributions of their earned money being made to health insurance...but the working-class American people are being denied because of YOUR CHOICES.  This glass-house, stone-throwing, lack of empathy over the struggle that your choices have caused an entire country is never under scrutiny though is it...could it possibly be the cause of others having an attitude of entitlement--just like you?  Hmmm..I guess we will never know will we. It seems that your appeal is your CHARM...the wrapping paper is so pretty...and YES, there is a LOT more opportunity and a lot more protection and a lot more of everything that appeals to the human nature within the confines of this country, but there are also the "haves" and "have-nots" and if you were to really take an interest in what provokes a law-abiding citizen who loves this country to snap...the governing body may want to set a better example in the humility you expect us to reflect.

My hypothesis may sound a bit trivial...that this 26-year-old snapped because he was denied furthering his passion here because of his ethnicity, but up until that point, he was probably head over heels in love with this country and all the opportunity that it had bestowed upon him.  And then BAM...sorry, you are not GOOD enough to advance and represent our country because of circumstances beyond your control.  You were born elsewhere.  Seriously?  And another thing that struck me was the blatant ignorance of the uncle of these two who was clearly more concerned with the SHAME these boys had brought to himself and a family name than showing any amount of love or compassion--shouting "because they are LOSERS and cannot adjust themselves."  If this is the type of "family" they come from...then, really...is it any wonder?  The family is in COMPLETE denial over this....hmmmm....wonder why?  Denial usually comes from the inability to face the truth...and they surely don't want ANY of these actions to be attributed to, blamed or reflected upon them.  I also felt as if the younger of the two was more of a "go along" but who really knows.  Those are just my feelings.

At any rate, personal responsibility is not to be downplayed and it is not my intention to take any sides here.  I am just a proponent for the "gray area."  We can woulda/shoulda/coulda all day long over what has been done, but it really gets us nowhere.  For the sake of those injured and killed in the Boston Marathon bombing, I wish for you closure in the capture and wielding of justice to the perpetrators that effected your lives so adversely.  They deserve what they get...and they get what they give.  There really are no winners here though...just really bad choices that changed lives forever.  It seems we have enough of that going around...and that reaches beyond America...it is everywhere...encased within the mind and intention of every individual.

Toying with and limiting someone's purposeful passion is never a good idea.  At the Boston Marathon, I think it was nothing more than an "eye for an eye" M.O.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."~Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to rob and degrade them, neither persons or property will be safe."~Frederick Douglass.

Praying for PEACE.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

LUMINOSA

This is the GREATEST weekend ever!!!!  A most joyful greeting to all of my blog family today.

Passion (defined):  Strong and barely controllable emotion.

Although the word "passion" appears in the dictionary with it's LIMITED definition...I believe it is a state of being...much like and in conjunction with love and truth.  The dynamic of passion is hard to pin down by words alone as its very nature is contained within the character of the individual.  I don't see it at all as an emotion, but more of a unceasing DRIVE geared toward something you LOVE and a commitment to use every ounce of capability you have within you to continually polish it,  and without fear, display it...sort of like a great piece of art...or a beautiful music composition.  Passion has an innumerable and immeasurable amount of outlets and displays and each of them...BEAUTIFUL.

There are no barrier's to the emotion someone operating out of passion exudes.  The emotion travels off of paper, through a television and/or computer screen, through the a tone and vibration of an a musical instrument, or someone's voice alone.  A song, a performance, a painting, sculpture, or a speech can bring us all to tears if we are in tune with the message...and sometimes, it seems to just hit from out of nowhere...something down inside of us that we are unaware of just squeezes a tear from our eye.  If there is passion....there will be a response to it..it fills the air.  It is the PASSION behind the work that lives on in infamy...not the work alone.  It speaks to us and leaves a mysterious impression upon our hearts.  We can even recapture and surface that emotion with a mere recollection of the event that initiated the response.   It is this "tuning in" to one another....FEELING another's passion that allows us to bond with them on such an intimate level.  We, in essence, become the impassioned.

The reward in this innate characteristic is the "drawing" ability of it.  Even though your passion may not even be the same as someone else's--passion ignites passion regardless....especially if that passion is one of someone you deeply love.  It brings out an admiration of courage, determination, and dedication...and hence, hooks us and brings us into their world, their love, the deepest part of their being and the reward of "putting it ALL OUT THERE" and being validated in it...becomes an emotionally-charged celebratory event for ALL.

This weekend....well more specifically...on April 12, 2013...my eldest daughter performed in World Champioinship level competition in a sport that has consumed her passion for 13 years.  Going into this season of WGI, she knew it was going to be her last.  The last 10 years of her participation in this sport, she has traveled every year to Worlds...and was completely satisfied--if not overjoyed at the prospect of making it to finals.  Last year, they left World competition ranked 4th.  THAT was HUGE!!!  Although the dream of that medal was always the goal....didn't matter WHICH medal...just the recognition of being in the top-3 would be significant.

I am OVERJOYED to let you all know...that this unit took the GOLD this year!!!!!!  I cannot even begin to express (though I shall try) the emotion I felt when the realization that they were definitely within the TOP 3...so when they announced the bronze medalists (and it wasn't them)...and then the silver....MY entire being broke out in total emotional chaos...screams, tears, jumping up and down....I felt FLOODED with so many strong emotions FOR her---NOT that she needed any help!!!!  Her sister (who has marched right alongside her EXCEPT for this year) and I unfortunately could not be there in person...due to finances and work commitments...but we were able to view ALL of their performances leading up to this cherished moment for all of them via live stream from the WGI Fan Network.

As my baby girl stood proudly behind the "WGI SPORT OF THE ARTS CHAMPIONS" sign, and as everyone else was looking toward the "still shot" cameras...there was my champion staring off to the left into the video camera, mouthing the words "Hi mom...and Michaela...I LOVE YOU with tear-filled eyes and joy that I felt as if I was right there with her."  I reached out and touched the computer screen and said "I love you too sweetheart!!"

This is the "emotional response" to PASSION...and it is contagious...and what I felt (and continue to feel) I want more than anything to give back to them.  I want them to be as proud of me as I am of them...because it is SUCH a gift to want for those you love EVERYTHING that they want so desperately for themselves....and the admiration you feel for someone who is willing to display their entire vulnerability for all to see in the process is so overwhelming.

So my definition of passion is this:  A mysterious driving force that won't leave you alone, keeps you pushing toward greatness despite falling short of your goal time and time again convincing you that YOU CAN DO THIS and laying opportunity before you that becomes your responsibility to recognize.  Emotional exudate and response is a biproduct of passion...not the definition in and of itself!!

Congratulations Luminosa Winterguard--WGI Independent A Class Champions!!  Thank you for all you have done for and with my daughter to make her dream come true....what a fitting tribute and send-off to her!!  I'm so proud of each and every one of you...and because this has been my baby's passion for SO long...I FEEL YA!!