THINGS THAT ARE

If you’re human, every so often a realization hits you or your paradigm gets shifted.  It happens when a small fissure of light cracks the through a hard surface where a new truth dwells.  When it occurs you have a choice – a split second where you can choose to freefall into that light and explore the new knowledge or rapidly blink it away and then it’s gone.  Nothing has changed and you’re none the worse...or so you think.

I believe it happens time and again to most of us.  Often we avoid the tiny splinter of light because somehow we know it will change us and that can be scary.  And it’s a lot of work too.  We have to examine it and try it on. It may feel tight and restrictive or it may not fit well with the rest of our intellectual wardrobe.  So we let it go and assume that we know enough of the truth to get by. 

As for me, at times I have boldly stepped through and looked at the “thing that is” squarely and honestly and have acknowledged it, allowing the restructure of my perceptions.  It can hurt a bit at first.  And it’s troublesome, illuminating new reality and shining light on the other pieces of my paradigm that are skewed and need to be modified. 

Still, other times I’ve blinked my eyes back into focus on what I already know and believe. I’m comfortable with it and I don’t want the disruption to my reality - one that already sounds good in my head. So sadly, for that time being, it’s gone.

I like to think that I am more the freefall type at least most of the time. I like to think that I become more so as time goes on in my life. I’m open, involved, free-thinking, passionate and compassionate. Yet I’m amazed with the realization that occasionally, I still do the psychological two-step with my rational mind, hanging on to obtuse beliefs and feel-good philosophies regarding peace, love and the brotherhood of man.

I'm not saying that the idea of peace and brotherhood are foolish notions -rather, and obviously, that they are not easily achieved. They require hard work and commitment on the part of men, religions and governments. In the smaller spectrum, they entail listening to others and opening oneself up to different realities.  They involve letting go of everything you think you know to look at reality through another’s eyes.  Most of all, they require plummeting in to the light of truth when it presents itself and exploring with candor and courage the things that are.

IMAGINE

We are a species filled with imagination, resourcefulness and creativity.  We create from what we envision. 

We're sometimes gullible.  We can believe in almost anything.  Different groups, different beliefs -  we place our trust in the government, USDA, FDA,
EPA and the AMA, just to name a few.  We believe in faith healers, televangelists, psychics and mediums. 

Some believe in a "rapture" wherein everyone who is a true "believer" is one day caught up into the heavens to be with God, or that Jesus Christ is coming back on a white horse.  Others believe in 7 virgins for every martyr for their cause.

We swallow info on every fad diet that comes down the pike.  We'll try every miracle vitamin product, wrinkle cream and exercise dodad that finds its way to the market.  We're gullible man!

And yet, we pray for peace and promote war.  Imagination run amuck.  That's not right.  Why can't we create peace....imagine oneness....the brotherhood of man...non-violence.

Well, I think that this is the side God's on........see below.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

~JOHN LENNON

BADGE

What’s your badge? Policemen and firemen wear them. Girl scouts and boy scouts wear them. What are they? Badges are things we wear or display to say who we are or what we believe. People wear badges of all sorts these days. Some have bumper stickers on their cars. Others wear t-shirts or hats that declare their mind. Still others wear permanent badges on their bodies in the form of tattoos. It seems that many people today, at least in our American society, want everyone else to know what they stand for, what they think and what they believe no matter how absurd. Because, it’s all about them I guess.

I have always frowned upon bumper stickers. Have you ever seen the vehicle with five or more bedecking the bumper, windows and trunk? They may be political messages, funny sayings, quotes or insults to the driver behind them. They may talk about their kids or spouse or have an image of a little guy peeing on….I don’t know…something. I never got that one. What I think when I see a vehicle like that is that I have easily discovered way more about the owner of that vehicle than I ever wanted to know. And I don’t want to be friends. They have put a piece of their mind on their vehicle and I fear they’ll have none left. Ouch!

But now let’s talk about me. Heh, heh, apparently I’m a bit judgmental. But, I don’t allow bumper stickers on my car and I don’t get tattoos. I don’t put signs on my lawn and my t-shirts are pretty generic. I’m by and large fairly understated and therefore have viewed myself as kind of underground in a manner of speaking.

Not so… Interestingly (to me) it turns out that I have a badge as well - and no one is more surprised than I. It’s not something that I wear or drive around in but it’s out there for everyone to see. I wear my badge on Facebook. I really didn’t become conscious of that until recently. To me, I’m Kathy - a spiritual but not religious person with liberal tendencies and strong feelings on injustice and oppression who has worked as an activist for a few different organizations and has made no secret of her radical tendencies, in particular, on Facebook.

I don’t think that’s necessarily wrong. Facebook is a social forum and as such, should be open to discussion and intelligent conversation among those who care to confer about political, social, spiritual and community issues if they so choose, and to those who just want to keep in touch and have fun. Both are acceptable I think. But Facebook is just sound bites. It is a great medium in many ways but a long way from reality in others. And I suppose that what bothers me about the wearing of my particular badge is that I am way more than that badge yet somehow, I fear my ego and I have conspired to make it my identity. It is not. I have certainly managed to alienate myself from old friends recently. Not a big surprise – in their world there are some differences that are insurmountable. I have looked at it as their problem. Still, I do seem to push the envelope all too often. Does that make me one of the bumper sticker people? I don’t know. I have some thinking to do…..