Choose Life, Choose Love

Emerge :: VT

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” – MLK, Jr.

 

The Charleston shooting is horrifying and tragic on so many levels.  I find most violence difficult to swallow, and this even more so because the victims were spending their energy on prayer.  It is just one of many world-wide incidents that continue to sadden and frustrate me.

 

It saddens me that one human can feel so filled with hate, fear, a need to feel power over another, etc that he or she can feel justified in taking the lives of another living being.  At what point do we sit down and have a talk with our children about the root causes of violence?  At what point do we address the fear and the hate, regardless of its source, that we hold in our own hearts?  At what point do we encourage love instead?  At what point do we take and expect personal accountability for our actions?  At what point do we acknowledge the wrongs done to us personally, and accept that one incident doesn’t need to define us OR our interactions with people who weren’t involved?  At what point do we base our assessment of a fellow human on their character and actions alone?  At what point do we ask our fellow citizens to take a look at themselves and do the same?

 

It frustrates me that these continued acts of violence are polarizing our country, when the only way to bring about equality for every human is through unified purpose.  There is only one race.  No matter where you were raised, your gender, what circumstances you were born into, what religion you embrace or whom you fall in love with, we are all brothers and sisters.  You don’t have to like your siblings to respect their rights to live, to choose, to opportunity and to peace.

 

I am afraid for our country and our world.  I think a lot about the brave, vocal leaders our world has seen who have worked tirelessly to advocate for their fellow man.  Beacons of love, equality, education, acceptance and understanding like MLK, Ghandi and Mother Theresa have been bright lights in the dark and violent history of mankind.  When do we take it upon ourselves to light our own candles?  When do we put aside our differences and embrace civility?

 

The path to peace is built on equality, and paved with both determination and hard work.  The cost of living in a society is responsibility.  On a personal level, you are responsible for your thoughts, your actions and your willingness to work towards a better life.  But there is more to it than that.  Ultimately, choosing to live in a society means you are part of a whole.  There must be an understanding that your choices affect the people around you.  If you choose to live in a way that negatively impacts the people around you, including encouraging hate and fear in others (including your children), what incentive is there for society to continue to support you?  Even if you choose not to actively raise other people up, you have a responsibility not to tear them down.

 

Our actions now will shape the future.  There is no need to drag around the choking weight of hatred, misunderstanding and intolerance…they only serve to poison your life.  You can acknowledge and respect our collective history while still choosing to rise above unhealthy fears.  You will find the world to be a brighter place when you are working towards a better tomorrow.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of all of these sort of tragic events around the world.  #PrayersForCharleston

Peace. Love. Boston.

Peace. Love. Boston.

A day after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, I feel sadness not only for the people affected, but for the nation as a whole.  I spent the drive to work crying as I listened to the reports of what happened at the finish line of what is, in essence, an international event.  My heart ached to hear about the loss and the pain that the people there were experiencing and I knew what today’s blog post would be about.

Obviously, it would be foolish to think that violence and suffering are unique to American tragedies.  In so many ways, we have it easier than nations gripped by unrest, war etc.  That being said, it seems more and more that we are seeing incidences of large scale violence grace the headlines of American media outlets.  Whatever your beliefs on the hows, the whys and the ways to counteract the trend, I think we can all agree that tragedies such as the explosions in Massachusetts are upsetting, to say the least.

Today, I saw this graphic and it resonated with me on a larger scale that just music.  To me, art is more that just the actual finished project. It represents so much that is beautiful and pleasant in the world.  When I thought about it in those terms. I felt that we could all benefit from a reminder to fill our days with love, hope and kindness, and to live more intensely, more beautifully and more devotedly than ever before.

Whatever your contribution to this world, do it with an open heart.  Use the light that you bring to this world and to the people around you as a way to combat the darkness, the sadness, the fear, the hate and the violence we all face.  It’s one world, we are one race and in the end, our journey through life will be marked by, more than anything, the legacy we leave behind.

To those affected by this tragedy: my condolences, thoughts, hope and prayers.  To those who stepped up in a moment of need to help the people around you: my gratitude.