I’ll Pass

I’ll Pass

Kindly do me a favor

Before this day is done

Take a simple kindness

Thoughtfully pass it on

Pass on the wonders

Of a world gone so bleak

Pass on a hidden strength

To another who is weak

Pass on a smile today

When a frown is all you see

Pass on the gifts

Of our Royal Majesty

Pass on the blessings

We receive every day

Remember there are lives

Who don’t have it that way

Pass on the hope

True salvation brings

Pass on the love

From the King of Kings

Pass on the wonders

Found in a Hummingbird

Pass on a joke

No matter how absurd

Pass on a friendly wave

When another does go past

Pass on a slow reaction

In a world moving too fast

Pass on the joy you hear

Every time a baby cries

Pass on the look of love

Into another’s eyes

Pass on a poem which

Made you smile today

Pass on the love intended on

Pay It Forward Day

**Happy Pay It Forward Day…Peace to you all

Hate Ends Here

Hate Ends Here

 

  February is Black History Month; and while I do intend on writing some pieces on the fabulous people of color in our great world, today I am choosing to write on something which I consider to be an epidemic…Indifference.

  Now many will say, and recently I have read the disgruntled statements made about specific groups having holidays, websites, awards shows, television channels etc. And while these statements were made to create hate and chaos amongst the masses…I found it to be a perfect platform for what I know to be true about the world that we live in and the capability of mankind.

  As human beings we waste so much precious time. We waste time separating ourselves from other human beings. Perhaps we do it because we have some need to want to feel more important; as children we all know how much better we feel if people are making a fuss over us. And it is only unfortunate that over the years we have come to realize that often when we are degrading or demoralizing another person…it is meant only to make us look shiny and new. Here in lies the problem, we aren’t shiny and new.

  When we are attacking and trying to lessen the significance of another person or being…we are only fueling an old fire. Racial bias, prejudice, misanthropy, religious persecutions…are real problems that we have been facing for centuries. Isn’t it sad to know that for hundreds of years we have been stuck in the same place? We have been fighting a tog of war against ourselves and wondering why we aren’t advancing. When we set aside the hearts and souls of those around us…we become indifferent to the plight of mankind.

  When we have to set a side a specific month to bring the focus on a particular group of people…it is only due to the fact that they have been overlooked in the world, at large. We should never have to search for how much a certain race or culture has added to our existence…as long as we include those beings in our daily acknowledgements of who brought us to where we are today. For example if all cultures of this country were equally represented in out public school curriculum then we may feel more balanced, over all.

  But the painful truth is…we do segregate ourselves from those not exactly like us. We will find reasons to diminish the contributions that people of other races…religions…sexes or cultures have brought to our daily lives. We have gotten so frigid and cold that we don’t realize that we are doing it; until someone from a minority group points it out. Then we will use our only defense and say…he/she is an angry man/woman. That is when the gloves come on and it becomes a slapping contest. We will all try and diminish the accomplishments of one another in an attempt to make us feel better about ourselves.

  We are ALL human beings…of one race. And given the way our paths are going we are not far from extinction. We have become destructive to each other and to ourselves. We find reasons to declare war on each other…as if we are the voice of truth and reason.

  Our Creator has high expectations of us all. I know, at times, it can seem difficult to fulfill such a tall order and we can become overwhelmed. But we need not feel that it is out of the realm of what we are capable of. We are supposed to be able to love and lean on one another. And if it feels strange and unusual to love so easily…it is only because we may be out of practice and quite possibly we are in worse shape than I am even relaying to you now.

  Let us show our children the way to God. They are depending on us to lead by example…so they can do the same for their children. Lift up one another. When we do that instead of tearing down one another, you can feel the change in the air. We start transferring good loving thoughts and energy to those around us. Let the cycle of life be a productive and prosperous one. Plant a seed of hope for someone who has feels lost…it’s like giving a road map of life to a person who has been driving around in circles.

  Search deep within you for the compliment that you are hoping someone will say to you…and give it to someone else. Transfer sunshine through your smile; show the world that starting with you…the hate ends here.

 

Time To Shine Some Light

Imagine my surprise when yet again, Auroramorealist.wordpress.com nominated me for blogging awards!!! This is always a great honor…to be acknowledged by your peers and fellow bloggers. This is probably the only place where you will hear people say that the honor is in the nomination; although it is so true. But I have found so many beautiful words on so many pages of such a wide genre…its like a universal rainbow of stories, about our lives, our sadnesses, our laughter, and our tears…and the love that defines us all.

 

 

I guess I will start with the rules…which are easy since there really are none…lol. The purpose of this, the way I undersrtand it is to shine light on our fellow writers and hopefully bring them into someone elses sights as well.

But sticking to tradition…

1. we should first thank whoever nominated us…it’s our way of giving back. Sort of creating the circle that holds us all together.

2. we are to nominate 10-15 writers whose blogs have touched us, made us laugh, given us joy, brought us to tears…basically anyone who has touched our hearts

3. share 7 things about your self…it could be anything…nothing is too large or small.

****************************************************************

 

So allow me to start….

1. My deepest heartfelt thank you to Janice Auroramorealist.wordpress.com …you have been such a beautiful spirit and person to me. Your warmth has a beautiful glow and it is ever represented in your writing style and content. I wish you the very best in the upcoming year and pray you have much peace and abundant joy.

 

2. MY NOMINEES…I really hope that everyone gets the opportunity to read the posts attached to these blogs…they have all touched me in one way or another

http://helpopenpandorasbox.blogspot.com

http://enitsirk24.wordpress.com

http://myhonestjourney.wordpress.com

http://shewriting.wordpress.com

http://joycedevivre.wordpress.com

http://jamesdez.wordpress.com

http://dversepoets.com

http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

http://michaelwatsonvt.wordpress.com

http://poetwhispers.wordpress.com

http://angelsofsecrets.wordpress.com

http://magicinthebackyard.wordpress.com

http://ajpoetry.wordpress.com

http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com

http://womenswindow.wordpress.com

http://justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com

http://itsmythoughts11.wordpress.com

 

3. And last but not least…..7 things about…ME

1. Every Tuesday after 3 pm EST you can catch me on the http://dversepoets.com page. I am trying to refine my poetic skills and they are so gracious…lol. But seriously there is so much talent there it is a beautiful sight.

2. I am a big animal person…no I don’t live with 20 cats…lol. But I see a majestic beauty in all of our Creators work. Animals never second guess themselves. They do not look for approval, they function on their gut instincts. But most importantly they do not kill for the sake of the kill. They have respect and kinship with one another…something that I think we could all establish.

3. I love the outdooors. I love hiking and walking…it brings me a sense of peace.

4. I always try to find the lesson in all things. Sometimes when we are hurt by situations or events…we succumb to sadness or anger…and while this is understandable…it can stunt growth. So, for myself, I try to see what lesson was being taught to me on that day…and hopefully I won’t miss it.

5. I am a part of a very non-traditional family. And while some may not understand it…I am loved and respected every day of my life. My grandmother told me once…often love is not where you thought it was going to be and sometimes it does not come in the package that you had in mind. But all love comes from our Creator…so it is a gift nonetheless.

6. My daughter will be in college soon…and while I am so proud of her accomplishments…I know I will miss her with all of my heart

7. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason…and while we may not understand it at the time…sooner or later it will become clear. And just as our time together seemed random…it is as it was supposed to be.

 

I hope you all have fun and enjoy the nominations!!

And may our Creator fill your lives with love and peace

Prevalence of Peace

  I often write and refer back to the fact that we are supposed to be peaceful with one another; and often I remind us that peace is what God wants for us. However, what is meant by “Peace on Earth”? What is peace? If I do not speak to you, if I ignore or avoid you…in the name of peace…is it actually peace? If we elude, evade, or dodge people are we giving them peace?

  Let’s look at it this way…if I ignore you…do you feel warm? This can not become a matter of “If you can’t say something nice than say nothing at all”. What have I given you to pass on to another person…silence? In the quiet are you reflecting? In the avoidance, are you contemplating how to show your love to another person…or managing a wartime strategy? Peace is not quiet time. Peace peace is not obtained through a spirituality motivating conversation…unspoken. Peace does not exist when there are guns going off…on the battlefield or in our minds. Peace is destroyed when we are developing ways to divide and conquer for our own personal or professional gain. Peace does not exist when we allow violence to touch the hearts and minds of our children.

  When we allow the growth of drugs, gangs, and domestic bloodshed within our neighborhoods…how can peace prosper? How can we expect our children to thrive in conditions that are indicative of hate? Yet, we send our children walking through these neighborhoods to school…which is similar to sending them marching through a mine field. How can we lead other countries into peace…if our own backyards are combat zones? Don’t our children deserve peace of mind? We typically want the very best life has to offer, for our children. Yet we turn a blind eye to the harsh conditions that they are met with…simply by walking to a friends house.

  How do our children learn about peace…if no one even taught us about it? Is peace…quiet? Absolutely not; peace is loud, boisterous, receiving, participatory, and Godly. I will yell…scream…stomp and point at any and all injustices.  Until we make in our world…there can be no peace. Peace is not nodding and smiling. Peace is not stifling oppression. Peace means change.

  Peace is only obtained through understanding and love. We can stop war…but if we still have hate and indifference in our hearts then peace can not survive. Please understand that indifference is worse than hate…because it implies that we have no concern one way or another, for another human being. Reflect on that statement for one moment…it means we do not care about a being that was created by God. Is that what we have become? Peace is obtained through consideration of others, kindness and compassion toward our fellow man/woman. We must learn the ways of our Creator, by becoming accepting, kind and considerate of our brothers and sisters under Heaven.

  Peace is not silence. Peace happens when we learn how to live in harmony…when we start caring about other people as much as we do ourselves. Peace is the practice of out stretching our arms to those in need. When we become God’s life raft…and put ourselves second to the needs of others…only then can the quest for peace begin. Remember that if we only show love and concern for ourselves…one day will look around and see that we as all that is left.

  We should look around at the world we live in…God has populated it with beings that are intended to help uplift us and others.  Our true path is found when we start doing God’s work…by nurturing other beings.

  Peace cannot be obtained by waiting for lightning to strike in an unusual place. Peace is what we strive for…it makes us better people. It changes those around us. It stops wars and builds bridges. It does not cause separation due to some boundary or limit that man has selfishly created himself. It is the understanding that without it…we have no hope of survival.

  I pray each of you finds a way to make peace with everyone you touch. May this circle of hope…go unbroken and stand the test of time…because time is running out.

~~ From my heart to yours

STOP

  Sunday is “Stop the Violence Day”. I have been thinking and rethinking this particular day for a week or more. I, of course will post something on Sunday about the sentiment behind that day. But I do find that the cause deserves more than one day out of 365. Obviously, our world has gotten into such horrific shape that we have to designate one 24 hour period to remind us that we are doing something wrong.

  Violence is such a broad term. Violence can be physical; such as when nations go to war, or neighbors kill each other. Violence also occurs when people are battered and abused by a known aggressor. Violence occurs when anyone lays a hand or implement on another person with the intention to cause harm. Violence also arises when we speak harshly or negatively to another person, or being. So on this day and the days prior I am asking you to…STOP. Stop the insanity, stop the killing, stop the abuse, stop the hurtful speech …stop being intentionally cruel to anyone and everyone…including yourself.

  Our divine purpose is to love and uplift others, but if we can not manage that…can we just not tear them down? I think that is a short order.  If you can not be kind and peaceful with me…can you please just walk past me? We don’t have to kill each other out of some inability to communicate.

  I realize that war is big business. Once war starts for some reason it is hard to stop. Can we, for one day, put down our guns and weapons; can we turn off our fighter jets and tanks? When are we going to realize that MAN is a weapon of mass destruction?  If we LOL closely, we can see how true that statement actually is. Man seeks a target and is not happy until that target and any of its allies are dead. We are not content until the “enemy” no longer has a pulse. We kill out of greed, envy, desire,  stinginess and acquisitiveness. We do not see man as our brothers but as our competition. We compete for land rights, control over domain, passion and control of other people, places and things. We create or participate in bloodshed abroad and on our own soil. To make matters worse, we justify the unjustifiable. We will say we are fighting for our rights; the right to worship, the right to be in charge of or have power over, or have command of…anything and everything that gets in our way. This is simply a matter of man being greedy. We have eminent domain or control over nothing. We are not the creators of anything but chaos and death. The orphans left as a result of a war will never understand or believe that war is necessary. Given all of this…is one day of non-violence too much to ask?

  Is it too much to ask for our children to be safe on the streets that they live on? Is it too much to expect that we show responsibility for the shape our neighborhoods are in? Is it too wish for when we want to actually be considered innocent until PROVEN…not ASSUMED guilty? Am I asking too much when I tell you to stop making assumptions about who I am…without asking? Doesn’t our fellow man deserve more respect than what a racial profile allows? Is being loving to one another too much to ask or hope for?  When did we get so cold? Don’t we understand that God is not asking us to be loving…He EXPECTS it.

  Do we need a National or International Holiday to tell us to stop abusing our families? How many women and children have to die at the hands of their “loved” ones? We wouldn’t have to worry about how hard is TOO hard…if we didn’t at all. When abused women and children are hiding bruises or scars…they are just hiding the shame of the abuse. In fact, hiding the effects of abuse…only allows the violence to continue. We need to be aware of our surroundings. Ask the hard questions. Why does she wear sunglasses when it is cloudy? Why don’t they make eye contact? Why do they flinch when you try to touch them? Why are they isolating themselves? Don’t be afraid of asking the questions that they don’t want to answer.

  Domestic violence is an atrocity. One I am only too familiar with. It is a poison that no one should have to swallow…and yet we do. People we love…mothers, daughters and sisters…are dying everyday. Worse yet…they are being killed by people that we know….because they have no self control. People are not punching bags. LOVE DOES NOT HURT. And if it does…IT IS NOT LOVE. We need to start touching each others hearts. We have to support one another…because one day we may need that same understanding. And please do not allow yourself the opinion that it could or would never happen to you. No one ever asks or is deserving of this. Would you volunteer for a situation where you were made to feel that no one cares about you? Would you want to feel completely alone? No one should ever be made to feel isolated or alone. We are never alone…God is always with us. His expectations for us are crystal clear …love everyone…judge no one. Stop visiting the graves of the people we could have protected…had we not been afraid to get involved.

  God created us to look out for one another. He created us from love…it is the foundation of who we are. If peace seems difficult then we are not loving each other enough. Peace and love walk hand in hand…they keep us humane. Stop the violence because if we don’t…we are working against the will of God. I pray that my brothers and sisters find peace and love in everything they say and do…and may the hands of our Creator keep us on our path.

Time

TIME

 

 Time…something we spend our whole entire lives talking about, wasting, spending, and running from…until essentially we have run out of it.

 We spend so many moments worrying about things that will never amount to anything. We worry about our physical appearance, our popularity, who has more (or less) than we do, we concern ourselves with who was right (or wrong) to justify why we should ignore ( or avoid) people…that we truly love and care about and in the mean time…the sands in the hour glass of our lives empties out.

 When our time on this Earth is through…what happens? Do we just fade off into nothingness? Do we levitate into the higher plane within our faith? Will we feel heat and scorching fire until we are turned to ash and the whole process starts over and over again? How did we spend our time here? Were we doing what our Creator had intended for us? Or did we waste time on trivial emotions, that road blocked us from our true higher purpose?

 Did anger, frustration, anxiety, and pride keep us from spending our time more wisely? We, after all, we cannot know how much time we have to live, in this life, as we know it. And yet, daily, we waste time and energy…by not spreading love and peace to everyone we come into contact with. Are we not thankful, when we are allowed to open our eyes and take a deep breath of each new day? And what does one do with themselves …when they wasted time not saying I love you to those we hold dearest…and their sand has run out? How do we reconcile that within ourselves? Those faithful will freely say, God is around us…like Angels…and spirits of those who have passed on; so it can be said that we can always say those things. But wouldn’t life have been so much simpler had we just said what was on our heart…and ignored all the negativity that kept us closed off? Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that we didn’t waste a moment in anger…and told the people we love…how important they are and would always be to us? What if your one kind statement would have eased the pain of another person? Wouldn’t then it have been worth biting our tongues?

 Can’t we see that love and peace can be passed on like an electrical current? Silently we can create a wave of love, understanding, respect, and joy that will result in inner peace. It only takes a minute to pick up a phone, or write a letter…these gestures can be monumental in re-establishing lines of communication with other beings…who, like us, just want to be loved. Can we afford to be nonchalant with our time? If we spent more time being focused on our true task, at hand, there would never be any room for regret.

 There are so many places that could use our time…and by doing so we could embrace each other, as Our Creator had intended. And for those who think they don’t know what they could do, it’s usually no further than your city. How many times have you sat around your home with “nothing to do”? Do you know how many volunteers it takes to run a soup kitchen? Or how many volunteers it would take to help with a shelter for battered and abused women and children? Have you ever taken the time to just listen to an elderly person while they sit on a park bench? Why do we not realize that in order to get to be elderly…we had to do something right? The elderly may have knowledge that can not be obtained in your public library. And it only takes a moment of your “time” to reap the rewards, of someone else’s history.

 We do not have a moment to waste…time waits for no one. Remember that the only thing worse than your sand running out without you finishing your job, while on Earth…is to let some one else’s sand run out before you allow them to touch your troubled heart.

Forgive Us

Forgive Us

 Often, myself included, we will drop to our knees when we are in need of something which we feel would be unattainable without your assistance. We remember to reach toward heaven when we feel weak or desperate…with no place to rest our weary hearts. I want to thank you and acknowledge all of the bountiful gifts that you send our way, and apologize for those we don’t seem to be grateful for.

 But today, I want to ask your forgiveness…for all that we don’t say and for all the things we do or fail to do. Please forgive us for not falling to our knees, humbling ourselves, every given moment possible. Forgive us for not only creating wars, but for breeding hate…among our fellow man. We make excuses for the reasons we say war is necessary…but is the cost of a tank of gas really worth the innocent lives of men, women and children? Forgive us for being so self indulgent that we believe, that we are better than anyone or anything else…on your earth. How dare we belittle another person for not being exactly like we are…when did we become so arrogant? I humbly apologize for mankind believing that we have the right to take another life…for whatever reason. Our justifications for murder, on any level, are just created to absolve us for any feelings of guilt…and we should feel guilty…because how can we believe we have the right to destroy life when it was created by you? Forgive us for standing by and watching, as innocent children are abused and murdered everyday…by the very parents that were supposed to guard and protect them. How lazy we have gotten, when did parenting become a chore…and not the gift that you bestowed upon us? Forgive us for preaching about how much we love our fellow man…while selling poison to him on the very streets our children play on. Who are we to glorify, and make excuses for men and women who sell drugs to every man, woman or child who have their hand out? What kind of people create petitions to force a homeless person to vacate a bridge…because it bothers us to see some one in that state? I suppose it would be too much to try and help him/her find housing or a job…after all everyone just loves having no place to call their own. Forgive us for using televisions, computers and gaming systems as replacements for active parenting. When did we stop caring what happened in our children’s classes? Why do we no longer question what our children are taught? Forgive the absent fathers and mothers, who fool themselves into believing that their absence doesn’t matter. If for one moment the absent parent had to listen to a child cry themselves to sleep because they hold themselves responsible for the abandonment…maybe they would see things differently. Forgive us for not taking the time to spread love and joy to our neighbors…regardless of race, creed, and religion. I’m not sure why we are of the belief that we are superior to anyone or anything.

 I ask that you forgive us for destroying the very forests that took hundreds of years to grow…and for destroying the communities of living organisms that depended on that growth for survival….and shame on us for believing that replanting a tree would make up for that act. Forgive us for being so thoughtless that we throw trash into a body of water…where marine life is trying to survive. I guess if some one threw trash into a glass of water we were trying to drink…we might feel differently. Forgive us for all the people we have enslaved, killed, raped, tortured, and demeaned…for our own greedy purposes. And please help us learn from this huge error in judgment…so that we can stop making the same mistakes over and over again.

 I ask that you forgive us…so that with your guidance we can learn to appreciate all that you have given us. And with this knowledge we can teach, by example, our children to love all that you created for us. Help us to stop making excuses and start making amends. Please allow us the opportunity to learn how to love without bias, and show us how important it is to not only reach out…but lift up.

And A Tear Fell

And A Tear Fell

 

 

 The other night, quite by accident, I stumbled across a movie called ‘The Laramie Project’. Once I read a brief description of the movie/docu-drama, I was instantly set on watching this. I must say this was one of the saddest dramas that I had seen in a while, not because its contents were a shock…but because it actually happened to a real person…and some how it struck a chord in me.

 The Laramie Project is about an incident that occurred Oct. 6, 1998; definitely not a current event…but still very much an important issue. On the sixth day of October 1998, two 21 year old young men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, kidnapped, and beat Matthew Shepard (21); such a beating in fact that he, as an end result, passed away. All three of these young men were citizens of Laramie, Wyoming.

 According to the taped and verbal confessions, at the time of the arrest of the two assailants, I learned some very frank facts. One night, at a bar, Matthew Sheppard (a self proclaimed homosexual), was offered a ride home by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. During this ride, Aaron McKinney brutally beat Matthew, with his hands and the butt of his hand gun. When asked, Aaron said that Matthew asked him to stop one time…but after that he was too busy getting beat. Russell Henderson drove his truck to a spot high above the city…where the two tied Matthew to a fence post. While Russell pleaded for Aaron to stop, Aaron McKinney continually beat Matthew Shepard half to death. The college freshman was left there for 18 hours before authorities found him. Matthew stayed in a coma for 6 days, and on October 12, 1998, Matthew Shepard passed away.

 The entire drama was about reactions from the townspeople, since all three were local residents. The reactions were varied, which I found rather disturbing. Some people, of course, were sympathetic and empathetic with the Shepard family; but not all were.

 This was a heinous crime, filled with hate, and bigotry. But the terrible truth is, just like it happened in Laramie, it could and in fact, does happen every day. All Matthew did was be different than other people. Matthew was a gay man, period; that was his crime. The fact that everyone in that town was not appalled by this crime was total lunacy. He was beaten, until they got tired and bored with it…and then he was left to die.

 The sad thing about this incident, which is actually an issue, is that even 13 years later, it still happens. People look away while people are harassed about their sexuality, race, religion, socio-economic background, and social affiliations. How long should we look away? How bad does it have to get? How many teenagers have to die; by their own hand or the hand of others…because they are different? How many times do we laugh it off when we hear people we care about use racial slurs, sexist comments, demeaning words, or phrases? Why is ignorance acceptable?

 Life is so short, to even take one minute to degrade another person…is one precious minute of life…..wasted. Why is walking away so difficult? Isn’t the true strength found in the one who walks away rather than in the one who engages in the fight? We have become a society where we need to tear another person down in order to feel good about ourselves.

 The truly frightening reality is that we, as adults, are training our children to hate. We are helping to raise future bigots; who may be capable of hate crimes. Is this what we want? Would you feel comfortable with this…if Matthew had been your son? As statistics can readily show, Matthew is the rule not the exception. He could have been killed because he was a different race, handicapped, poor, or a variety of reasons…he just happened to be gay. If Matthew had been a heterosexual female with blonde hair and blue eyes…would this crime have been more socially unacceptable?

 We need to take a stand. Stand up and fight for the voices that never get heard…because society is busy judging them. Do what is right…hold your head high and stretch your arms to Heaven…before we let another tear fall.

 

 

School Is Out

   I have been searching for inspiration so I could write about our public school systems, as when I am inspired, you can always see the message the writing is trying to bring to you. You can not imagine how blessed I felt when this subject matter came up in the post a day suggestion link…I have been smiling all day. Well…I hope you enjoy…lol. I think the very first time I had really opened my eyes to the public school system was a few years back during November, which was Native American History month. Since I was raised and speak often about my culture to my daughter…she began to wonder why the school would post signs all over the place saying it was Native American History month…yet none of her teachers ever talked about it. She came home one day looking rather, puzzled and frustrated. I asked her what was wrong and we began discussing the problem she had incurred while asking when they were going to learn about the Native American History. Her eyes swelled up with tears as she went on to tell me that her HISTORY teacher expressed to her that Native Americans have not contributed enough to our society to actually warrant having an hour set aside to discuss them. I comforted her the very best that I could, trying to explain that sometimes people are oblivious to how their responses could affect others, and I told her I would go to the school and talk to their principal. I did as I told her I would, and asked the principal why it was that Native Americans could have a month dedicated to them by the federal government yet they had no place in the class room…at least not in my daughters class. I was told that it wasn’t that they had not contributed anything to society; but that November was really more about Thanksgiving and Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World. I expressed my disappointment in the school even suggesting that people from my culture contributed nothing to the way we live now and even then. I had always found it offensive to know that our public schools would only take one month out of the year and dedicate it to Black History (February)…as if so few contributions were made by African Americans that it didn’t warrant more attention. It was true that in her school in particular, there were times when 2 African Americans were spoken of, other than during February…those would be Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver (we live in a huge peanut state). But it troubled me more to know that even when studying the Black History in February, they would only cover the basics…Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Carl Lewis, Rosa Parks and Rev. Jesse Jackson. There were pictures of Malcolm X, but no discussions because #1 he was too controversial and #2 he was not Christian. It was at this point when my head would begin to swell and the headaches came flooding in. I had to sit my daughter down and ask her…do you know who Medgar Evers is. She shook her head, I explained that he was monumental in the civil rights movement; in trying to put an end to segregation…all I got was a blank stare. Then I asked her, do you know what Martin Luther King Jr did that made him famous? She said plainly, he made the I have a dream speech, and then he was killed. She had no idea what was happening in our country at that time, she had no understanding as to how truly awful black people were treated, for just trying to do what everyone else was doing…living. All of this was oblivious to her; she had never heard anyone say anything about public lynching’s, about separate water fountains and bathrooms. She didn’t realize that black people could not go to the movies with white people, that they were treated as second class citizens. All of this disturbed her greatly; especially given the fact that her father is black…she was offended. We all should be offended, especially if we have schools that ignore the parts of history that are controversial. I had to explain to her that this is why there are so many problems today, a lot of people are still angry…because there never seems to be any balancement. I expressed to her, like many other things involving other groups of people, there is no way to make up for some injustices in our society. There are something’s that throwing a bandage on will not cure…but rather, it leaves a huge scar to remind us that we were wronged. I want to talk about James Reese Europe with you right now…but believe me that is another blog completely…lol…I digress. I realized at that point, if she was going to continue to stay in public schools that I would have to become extremely involved in what she was being taught. And once I learned that the school really didn’t want my two cents worth, I would just teach her, from home. I would teach her all of the things that the school system left gaps in. I know I should have been more involved to begin with, but I was just thankful that by the time she was in the 6th or 7th grade…I was paying close enough attention to what she wasn’t being taught to help cushion what she needed to know. Then on April 16, 2007…the most gruesome thing happened. Cho Seung Hui, a 23 year old Virginia Tech Senior; went on a shooting rampage and he killed 32 students before turning a gun on himself. This was the worst massacre in United States history, and it happened in Virginia…where we live. Myself, personally, I was physically and emotionally spent on that day. We kept getting updates throughout the day as more murders and injuries had been reported. I was worried about the state my daughter would be in, as she came in from school. At that time she was 13, she had never experienced such brutality in any event. So, she comes in, and is laughing and talking away. I was a little confused thinking she took this very well. I decided that perhaps this was her defense mechanism taking over. I gave her very basic information about it and left it at that; thinking that they would speak to the students about it the next day and offer counseling, as there had to be students disturbed by this act. After all, this event happened at a school, where children were supposed to feel safe and secure. After school the next day, she came home the same as the day previous. I asked her if they talked to the students today about the shootings at Virginia Tech. She said, very simply…..no. I became very frustrated by this, and went to the school and asked why they would not discuss something that happened so close to where we were, geographically…not to mention that it happened at a school. I was bluntly told, it wasn’t in their curriculum, and to take time out for this discussion…would set them back a day. I was livid. Not only did they not mention it, they didn’t think about the 3 children going to that school, whose sisters and brother went to Virginia Tech. So in short, the school system did not feel that the worst massacre to happen in a school in our country, EVER, was worth a discussion. So back to our original topic, what do I think about our public school system? I think it lacks adaptability, it lacks information, and it fails to give our teachers stretching room where they can determine where the students need to1 be, as opposed to where they are. I feel that the school board is so concerned with funding and accreditation that they have lost the reason the schools are even open. We only need to look at what happened to the schools in Atlanta, Georgia to know that…the only difference in those schools (where teachers falsified tests, because there jobs were threatened)…and other schools across the country is that Atlanta got caught. Atlanta school district got caught being greedy, and as an end result the public school students became expendable. School stopped being about what the child was getting out of the school and became; what can the school get out of the child. This is such a sad state of affairs, but it is reality. What do I think the answer should be? Pay teachers more; the really great ones can be priceless to our children. School boards need to look for teachers that look outside of the box, a teacher who encourages free thinking with intelligent reasoning. We need smaller classrooms, children learn better in a more intimate setting. Right now we are stacking the odds against our children…they are innocent and deserve better. Lastly, if you can spare the time, I suggest homeschooling. Children need to know what is going on in our world and often this is found in the experience of life and not in a text book. How can I learn about current events in a text book written 5 years ago? As the public at large we need to step in and participate in our educational system, we can not trust that our kids are getting the best education possible…unless we participate. Education today isn’t what my education was, but we can’t just throw our hands up in defeat…we must make strides towards a solution. Our children will be the soundest investment that we ever make. They don’t raise themselves and we can’t let them educate themselves. We must become steadfast and consistent in their lives, showing them that what they are doing is important to us. It may be as simple as going to your child’s classroom randomly…showing our children that we care and showing our schools that we are holding them accountable. Just my take…

And Time Moved On

       

And Time Moved On

 

Lately I am reflecting a lot on the execution of Troy Davis. I wish I wasn’t…I wish my heart wouldn’t hurt every time I say his name. I wish I had believed that he was ever going to escape lethal injection, I wish I had been let down by the parole/pardon board decision…but I wasn’t. I wasn’t let down because I never had enough faith in our “justice” system, to believe that they would halt the execution. I found even the postponement to be no more than drama that played out worse than a low budget, predictable sci-fi matinee movie. The state of Georgia killed Troy Davis, even though there was serious doubt that he was guilty. I think that the state and the general public just wanted for someone to pay for this heinous crime…and so someone did. Someone paid…I guess to the powers that be, it didn’t matter if Troy was the RIGHT someone. A terrible crime was committed, a police officer was killed…everyone was angry. I can understand anger. I get angry…I get angry when I cannot tell my child that Troy Davis had to pay his debt to society; because I doubt that the debt was his to pay.

  In a moment of irony I found this information:

 In March of 1988, the owner of a lumber yard was brutally killed. He was dragged and beaten with a crow bar, until his face was mutilated and he was eventually shot in the back of the head. This was a particularly gruesome event, even in relaying it I find it to be mentally and visually disturbing. For that, Samuel David Crowe pled guilty and admitted to the crime in its entirety and as a result he was sentenced to death. In 2008, the very same parole/pardon board in Atlanta, Georgia…the very same which rejected Troy Davis’ plea for clemency…commuted Crowe’s sentence to life without parole. And once again the scales tilt, maintaining the only constant that I have found…there is no balance. And still, the world keeps spinning, time doesn’t stop. That is…time for us didn’t stop, because on September 21, 2011 at 11:08pm…Troy Davis’ time ended here on our earth.

 Some wept; some said that it gave them the hope that peace would follow. Some felt justice had been served; others found that especially in this case…there was no justice found.

  For myself, I just couldn’t stop crying. I felt there was another soul that the world cast away. We had another chance to do the right thing and we let it slip through our fingers. I can tell you this much…I do not personally know if Troy Davis shot Mark MacPhail, but I can also say that I do not believe BEYOND a reasonable doubt that the state had cause to execute him either.

 So we take the wound that Officer MacPhail’s murder caused…and pour salt in it by killing Troy Davis. Healing can not happen that way. When we do unto others what they have done to us…it becomes barbaric. It becomes revenge, which just fuels the dark head of hate. So now not one, but two families will grieve. Two families lost a son…but we, as people, lost also. We lost our ability to see people…these were two breathing men, they had blood running through their veins, they had lives, both were important. And then there were none.

 I never met Troy Davis, he never uttered a single word to me…but every day my heart breaks for him. I feel a loss. I feel lost. Once again we allowed our government to decide the fate of another human being. We took a task, which only belongs to our creator, and made it our own. Such a sad event…and yet time keeps moving.

 It is my wish that we end the possibility of more stories like this. We must start cherishing life, and stop feeling like we are cornered into situations. WE must learn to love beyond our limits, think outside of the box; we must stop the violence. Whether it occurs in randomly selected heinous crimes, or in organized, socially acceptable court rooms…we are taking that which was never ours, and destroying it.

 Today, I rose above my tears; I prayed for the families of Mark MacPhail and Troy Davis. I prayed that in some way they will be able to move forward, without hate and resentment. I pray that God will make things easier for them. And I pray for all of us, life is precious…we should stop wasting it.