Truth & Courage...

 

You know...

 

Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr - all just ordinary people, like me and you...

 

As were all the other "heroes/heroines" of social change...

 

With the same fears, needs, human personalities, struggles...

 

ALL they did, was speak what they felt/thought was the truth and ACTED on it...

 

Stuck to it, stayed true to it, refused to give it up, even though they knew there would be a price to pay for speaking up...

 

 

We all know what is 'the right thing to do" - our gut tells us so, and it and our conscience "niggle" at us when we turn our backs on that...

 

Most of us pretend we can't feel/hear that niggle - we rationalise, justify, excuse our way to ignoring it...

 

  

 

What would the world be like if WE STOP TURNING OUR BACKS ON WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE?...

 

LYRICS:

Try and remember now just what has been done.
Enslavement, displacement of every nation.
And now to one nation, everyone hold their grudge.
Kind of makes me wonder about which side I'm on.
I don't defend white, and I don't defend black.
I defend truth and rights and all of that.
I work on situations where I'm at
Hold my position and never fall of track.

Chorus
Nah give up my faith!
Though Babylon rage,
I and I will strive until
the end of my days.
go against society, Rasta courage.

I never give no good vibes
and I never give up no truth.
Never trade my sanity for living in Babylon crew.
Vanity will never drive this man insane.
This man will walk alongside Jah again.
We see all of the pressure to conform today,
And I may sometimes bend,
but only as not to break.

Cause a life of iniquity for laziness' sake
Is a deal with the devil Rasta just can't make.

Chorus

Looking back now upon all of the evidence
400 years and what those years have
really done, we talk of peace but at the
first sign of war. Bredren and bredren and
sistren ain't sistren no more. Without forgiveness
how will any war cease, while the heathen rage
Rastaman sitting at ease. No one will move a
muscle for some moral justice and with no justice they won't live.

Things I Have Learned...

"One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it.   If you do that, you will double the danger.   But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half."

~Winston Churchill 

OK then... after a week of turning my back on a problem I knew existed, I took the bull by the horns a couple of days ago and checked the bank account to see what had caused the quite rapid and unexpected dissipation of my funds...

And in doing so, I found out what happens when I forget that a particular chunk of money now goes into one account AND that now I have to transfer it to the working account to cover my outgoings... 

The credit union was helpful and understanding (though not as helpful and understanding as I would have liked!) AND still the results are not pleasing! 

A substantial correction is called for, please Universe...

The positive that has emerged from this financial mess?

I learned that I have finally let go of the need to internally slam myself for days and nights on end, for my oversight, for adding to the difficulties we are experiencing...

I learned that I can finally be understanding and compassionate with myself for being human and not perfect... 

 

 

 

 

Insanity Is...

I have to be in court on Friday morning to argue for another Protection Order, to argue against changes to Child Support orders and to answer a Contempt of Court charge, for not forcing the boy to see his father against his will...

I was supposed to prepare responses and counter claims for filing by today...

And I haven't...

For a week now, I have sat down every day to deal with this...

And I have nothing written, no "evidence" gathered...

I've been dumping on myself for falling into the old procrastination, "I want to be saved" pattern...

AND...

This morning I realised I just can't/won't bring myself to add to the crap that's already on the table in this 7-year long family law saga...

I don't want to spend time, energy and trees rehashing all the old toxic stuff, to win this battle... 

AND...

Is that just a self-serving rationalisation/justification to make my refusal to do what needs to be done OK, acceptable?

AND...

I've decided to turn up in court and speak my truth and what will be, will be...

AND...

I'm nauseated, scared shitless that not playing the game will be a huge tactical mistake and cost me (and the boy) dearly...

AND...

This is such a reflection of what goes on in the bigger world... might is right, winners and losers, power and control, conflict to "resolve" differences/settle disputes...

There must be another way...

In Hindu mythology, Mother Durga is the destroyer of evil.

A warrior goddess astride a lion or tiger,

with many weapons in her hands (symbolising Her many powers),

she plunges forth to kill and destroy the Evil,

to protect and cleanse the universe as the occasion arises.

  She is invoked to bring courage and the strength to overcome adversity.

"A Warrior...

 
... accepts that we can never know
what will happen to us next"

Say this to yourself...

Several times...

Notice how it feels in your body...

BREATHE... 


BREATHE... 


BREATHE...

PS:   Dorli Rainey, the grandmother who was maced by members of the Seattle Police Department, is a long time activist, former schoolteacher, and school board member who has become the face of the Occupy movement by virtue of one picture and a life of activism. 

 

Born in Austria, Rainey came to the U.S. in 1956 following her work as a technical translator in the U.S. Army in Europe. She describes herself as an "all-around troublemaker."

 

"I believe change begins in the streets, and all citizens have the power to make a difference," she writes in her blog. "Together we can make our voices heard in the ivory towers of government”. 

 

In addition to supporting Occupy Seattle, she is a member of Women in the Black an international network who "stand in silent vigil, calling for peace, justice and non-violent solutions to conflict." 

 

Rainey has been called "a role model among activists that walks the walk."

 

 

What Are We Waiting For?

The Time Is Now...

...Where Are You?