Beautiful Impermanence

   

    Positivity, usually a word that exudes from my spirit as though it were limitless. I have been through trauma before, through times that are more difficult than others, but never like this. The past year my life has felt as though it is on pause. As though my life has paused to slap me in the face with  gratitude for my own health. Watching the suffering of family with no way to help except just to be there, has truly been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. As each day has gone by I have watched the man I love most wither away with each chemotherapy visit, trip to the emergency room, surgery, procedure, and dose of heavy pain medication. I watch the color slowly drain from his face, the pounds shed leaving little left but bones, his spirit dim as though the strongest fire one has ever known has just had a bucket of water thrown on it, leaving nothing but the smoke. With it life has swallowed up whatever naivety I had left. Life has in no way left me jaded but it has certainly thrown my spirit into reality, shown me its true ugliness, and the most intense suffering anyone could ever know. Along with it there has also been beauty, laughter, strength, unwavering courage, and the softening of a man who would not so much as acknowledge the existence of a band-aid. Within even the darkest moments of our life there is a light. Being faced with overt impermanence grants one the true realization of the preciousness of each moment. It shows life's unpredictability and that even when we perceive invincibility, we are bound to the realities of impermanence. In the midst of chaos and darkness we can still be the light that shines on others and encourages a smile upon their face. Being the pure light that radiates out in times of darkness is beautiful no matter who chooses to see it or accept it. We only have control of the light that lies within us and how we emit that light into the world, what lies outside our control is how others see that light and whether or not they choose to accept it, but continue to shine we must. Fall is a time of transition, we can choose to see the beauty of that transition and enjoy it, or we can await darker times. Today I am grateful to live a life with no regrets. I wish to continue to enjoy each moment, each transition, each breath. My great grandmother said where there is breath there is life, I think she is right.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/08/olson-wallace-fns/

The jurisdiction of individual states to exercise control over their local laws is important not only because of logistics but to uphold certain aspects of culture in each state. However there are basic laws that protect the fundamental liberties and freedom of all citizens alike regardless of what state. The laws of the constitution are constructed in such a way to protect these fundamental rights. If we cannot take advantage of the very structure of our legal system in a case where there is such an obvious discriminatory violation of human rights then why are they in place? Our constitution and laws protect the right for any citizen of the United States to freely exercise their right to marry. If we allow states to be able to decide whether or not gay marriage should or should not be allowed then this not only puts at risk the rights of gay individuals but the potential for risk of future groups being discriminated against. In our laws there are certain rights that have been constructed in a way to specify inalienable rights as a citizen and the right to marry included. Regardless of what state a gay citizen of the United States lives in they should be able to exercise the right to marry, Why should their right to live equal to any other citizen in a certain state be taken away simply because of their sexual orientation? Just like every citizen has the free right of speech they also have the right to marry, this is outlined in the constitution, just like states cannot individually take away the right to speech they should not be able to take away the right to marry.

Mindful Giving

 

    

  I have never purchased anything on black friday, even before my hatred for materialism continued to grow as I got older. I am always deeply unsettled by the way people behave on this day. I had no idea what it was before. I went with my boyfriend at the time to Best Buy, we got up before the sun came out which is not natural on any day no matter how many gadgets I get to go home with. I went there without really needing anything in particular, I guess I just wanted to see what this day was about. I walked pretty aimlessly around the store, meandering down the aisles uncomfortably taking in the chaos. As I walked around I could feel the energy of everyone running and shoving past one another to buy whatever it was they thought was worth getting up at this ungodly hour. I reached an aisle that I could not pass because it was blocked by a giant cage filled with cameras. As I turned to head in the other direction I was shoved out of the way from behind, naturally arose a bit of anger as I turned around and an older gentleman no younger than 70 had shoved me out of his way. Not so much as a glance in my direction he simply began to yell at an employee about a camera he needed. People often joke about this day and the poor older folks getting trampled, I think back to this day and think they shove just as much. A day falling after one that should still resonate with gratitude is filled with aggression and disregard for others. We are a society filled with useless things we think will make us happy and I watch people push past each other as though they are all in the running to be on that show hoarders. I do not know a single person who has returned from black friday madness content and glad they decided to venture out. For the holidays please think about giving something that you did not obtain by shoving someone out of your way. Try giving someone something like a massage,tickets to a show, an experience, or donating to a charity in their name. Try giving from your heart, something that is not just thoughtful for the receiver but for the planet. 

Proud to be an American

Chemicals so deadly any contact could result in death within minutes, perilous chemical warheads, covert Uranium obtained from Nigeria, treacherous centrifuge tubes, poison training camps and all under the leadership of fear mongering leader Saddam Hussein. What is present in the previous statement is no doubt an attempt to manifest fear but what is absent is the other side of the story, essentially all of these chemicals alluded to have been destroyed by the United Nations many years prior, the trace of chemical warheads remain to be nothing more than leftover debris from years past, and there is an overall complete lack of evidence of any Uranium obtained from Nigeria by Iraq. The presence of these fear inducing stories is not something that in itself should produce anger among the American Public though in many cases these stories have proven to be outright lies. What is not only simply a cause for concern but personally infuriating and outrageous for all those who may value or place faith in mainstream media is the complete lack of coverage and the second untold story of the Iraq war. Any opposition to the war whatsoever by peace activists was denounced as incompetent, they were described to be Anti-American heretics who may as well become suicide bombers for Saddam Hussein. The goal of the press and media is to be a watchdog of the people, by keeping the public informed by way of truth, critical analysis, facts, and investigation (all things that should be present among good journalism) the public can be better equipped to interpret true reality and be protected from the government becoming too powerful. With a truer representation of reality the American Public can then be able to act based upon a more tangible reality, and not simply by an illusion created to be aligned with United States interests.

It is written in our nation's political doctrine that it is our duty to rise up against injustice, especially a government who threatens our civil liberties that were so eloquently and sacredly spelled out by our founding fathers. Our constitutions and the bill of rights were written with the dream and hope to protect the freedom of our citizens. In October of 2001 at 3AM a document of 300 pages was expected to be voted on by 11AM, a doctrine that would allow electric surveillance, access to individual bank and medical records, credit card statements, and even the books individuals take out of the library, all without so much as a warrant to do so. How can an act that infringes on the right of the privacy of it's citizens in over 300 pages be given a mere 8 hours to be voted on? Manipulation using semantics redefines US citizens as "enemy combatants", meaning that any US citizen could be defined this way because the president "says so". They can make it difficult to get a lawyer and even portray mentally healthy people as insane. Severe pain and suffering can be justified as long as there is "specific intent", justifying torture. If a country is keeping it's ordinary citizens under surveillance it keeps them in silence. Police covertly took part in protests to spy on groups even after no illegal activity was discovered. It is the above story that allows me to question the notion of "freedom". I do value the ability to even post this in a blog, but is my freedom to post directly correlated to my negligible number of followers? It is when we are silenced that we are imprisoned. By default of living in a democratic nation we have a responsibility and to hold our government accountable to its people. 

Prana

We as human beings are inherently limited to the reality that surrounds us. Embedded into the capabilities of our physical iris is the limitation of our own perspective. The world is immense physically and metaphysically. The acknowledgment of our human limitations can be utilized to create a constant thirst for knowledge and wisdom to ultimately reach enlightenment as we embrace that limitation. We can use this wisdom to deepen our minds, our physical body, and the depths of our souls. Our minds create our own life experiences based upon how we choose to perceive them and make them a part of us. The true embrace of all that is complex and all that is simple we can stop thinking things are "black or white". Acceptance of the true ambiguity of all can be conceptually overwhelming while simultaneously invigorating. The one thing shared by all is prana, the energy that is flowing within us and all that surrounds us. We can begin to manipulate it's flow by controlling the prana we choose to emit, share, and take in. From the gas station attendant to the highest paid CEO, from the beautiful lotus flower to the overgrown weed, to the spec of dust floating near the window sill to the soft fall of a glimmering snowflake prana is shared, transferred, or let go, it is what connects us all to everything. Once we accept that we can truly recognize the oneness of all.

Peacefully Edgey

What motivates you? When you wake up every morning what drives you? Is the life you are living in harmony with who you are? Do you do things because they are a true expression of the life you want to live or do you wake up and go through the motions? Are you acting from within or are you being pushed around by the external? Do you define yourself or do you surrender that control to that which lies outside yourself? Do you let yourself be defined by what you do, who you are with, what you buy, what you look like, what kind of car you drive? family? friends? If we remain chained to our outer world we will constantly remain prisoners to the external world of chaos. Fuck conventionality, who society thinks we should be. Sure if what you want to do is put on your business attire, participate in 9-5 slavery, sit in traffic only looking forward to retiring to the couch and stuffing some food in your face while you watch a bunch of screaming colors, well then be my guest. I am far from perfect, none of us are, but who I am everyday (or at least on days I meditate...) is sourced from a place of authenticity. A disorganized, scatterbrained, oversensitive, chaotic, inconsistent authenticity, but authenticity nonetheless. My actions are a reflection of what lies within and the life I live is a journey on a path that reflects the life I choose to create for myself. Sure there's food, water, shelter, minute details... but beyond our necessities and those we love and provide for we are limited by the walls which we build for ourselves within the constructs of our mind that we allow to be hijacked by that which lies outside of us. Stand out on the edge and face your fear, and make peace with it, whatever it is. Anyone can find peace out here in the safety of our homes but finding peace out on the edge in the company of your fear, that is for the truly courageous. 

Procrastination Because it Feels So Good

 

      What is standing between you and your dreams? What is keeping you from living the life you envision that seems so intangible? so out of reach? So often we get caught up in the every day and we forget to really live. What is it that makes you happy? Are you doing it? If not why? What is holding you back? money? time? Chances are what is holding us back from what we want is within ourselves. It is easy to be afraid of the unknown but it is exhilarating to put yourself out on that edge and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. How can we find peace out on the edge? Is that even possible? Maybe for some of us, but it is that uncomfortable feeling that stands between us and where our hearts are really leading us. Are you listening to your heart? Are the excuses already pouring in? No excuse is valid enough to keep us from the life we wish to live. Sure, easier said than done. That is the hard part, the doing. Buy the ticket, take the leap, make the call, face your fear. Go There.

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How Do You Choose to See the World?

 

    We are all here on this earth, in an impermanent moment in time and space. How do you choose to use this moment? Is it to gossip? Complain? sulk in traffic? Every time we take a precious moment of our life and choose to focus our attention on negativity or destructive emotions it is one moment we can never get back. Another moment in which we could have been enjoying the beauty around us, even in the seemingly ugly. Every moment is filled with infinite possibility, and no it will not always be beautiful but our own self-destruction and disappointment comes from this expectation of perfection. That the world owes us perfection.

       I believe we are most happy when we reflect our true selves into the world whoever that may be at that frozen moment in time. We are imbalance and balance simultaneously, we are happy yet anxious, frustratingly in love, mindfully inconsiderate, inconsistently reliable, sporadically punctual, we are love and hate. Can we accept our darkness? Can we indulge ourselves in our true nature and love ourselves for our darkness and light? Can we embrace our beauty and make peace with our imperfections? When we learn to see ourselves for what we truly are we can begin to see the world with more clarity.

        Why do I travel? I want to enrich my spirit, I am not running from something I am running to something. Travel has taught me the beauty of looking at the world with new eyes. With the untainted curiosity of a child I have hiked mountains, jumped off waterfalls, meditated on a sacred mountain, sandboarded down a volcano, explored ancient ruins, drank crappy beer, danced all night, marveled at the stars (they are different in South America), lost my passport, got stuck in the amazon, did yoga in a bamboo forest, got stranded in the Caribbean, fell in love, let go, and had a damn good time. Travel has taught me of infinite possibility.

      Take the time to connect with others, find acceptance in imperfection, open your heart to love, let go of what no longer serves you, hold onto that which does, and listen to your soul.

Open your eyes and see the world.

How do you see the world?

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Clueless

To My Clueless Male Counterparts,

 Since my last letter proved to be so successful in terms of decreasing the amount of bullshit I have to deal with at work I thought I'd write another letter but not be so discriminatory with my audience. My frustration with the opposite sex has grown exponentially in the past month and I see it only fair to express my sentiments electronically. This letter is directed to men in general.

To the men who text message late enough to disrupt my beauty rest, I know what you want. I'd like to speak for all women when I say this but unfortunately I just don't have that much faith in the conventional emotionally-starved female. Inviting me out to a bar a half an hour before it closes is hardly a panty-dropper nor do I lack the brain cells to be able to read between your not-so-cryptic lines. If we've been on a date and I coincidentally only hear from you late night, I've caught on. Don't waste my time. For the men who take it one step further and have the audacity to give me fashion advice, Really? I am not your Barbie.You have just essentially cock-blocked yourself.  It may be hard for your ego to fathom but you are not Neil Patrick Harris and those schemes on How I Met Your Mother are not nearly as clever as they seem on CBS.

To the guy that talks himself up--I would imagine the only explanation is that you must actually think your penis will enlarge from incessant banter. If your lucky to even get that far (which I am guessing you are not) the truth will reveal itself sooner or later. Your best bet is to at least make an attempt at being a decent human being, a woman is more likely to look past an ill-equipped man if she believes him to at least have a soul.

To the guy on the dance floor that thinks a slight smile is an invitation to stick your tongue down my throat-- its not. Try saying "Hi" first, if all of a sudden I become engulfed in a conversation with my friend or I abruptly end the conversation to find a bathroom, chances are your tongue is not invited. Those that know me know I do not hesitate to use force when necessary, unless you want my hand imprinted on your cheek, back off.

To the relentless texter- If a girl likes you she is going to answer you, period. If you are scrolling through multiple pages of text to read the conversation you have been having with yourself, it is time to move on. If and when we want to contact you, we will. We know your number it is viciously resonating through our memory, trust me.

For those of you reading the above and noticing it sounds all too familiar, I suggest coming up with something more clever or finding a woman dumb enough to fall for your bullshit.

With Love,

Your Not So Impressed  Female

Letter From a Disgruntled Waitress

Dear Men Who Hit on Their Waitress,

      First of all, for all of you who may forget this little fun fact...your server or bartender or whoever you choose as your victim oddly enough still happens to be a human being. Hard for the intelligible group of bros who venture out to restaurant establishments these days to grasp I know, but stay with me here. If you treat me like a piece of ass the likelihood of your "success" is slim to none. I'd be really interested in the success rate of your "game", and the fact that you even call it that to your just-as-suave comrades is laughable. 

      Second, WE CAN HEAR YOU. It is our job to watch you to ensure your quality Bud Light is plentiful because I'd hardly enjoy being prey to your pompous ego. Creepy... I know, but hardly on par with your repetitious cringe-inducing verbal banter that you expect me to swoon over. Spoiler Alert: Just because I have turned around does not mean my ears cease to exist and function. Just when you have congratulated yourself too soon for your not-so-alluring commentary remember ... I literally get paid to be nice to people and you are no different. Please do not attempt to conceal your inability to successfully hit on a woman and get your head out of your ass. 

      Third, age matters. Lack of beauty I can work with if you are nice enough but if you are old enough to be my father or are a few short years from collecting social security you are on your way to a restraining order, please save us all the trouble and keep your creepy old man fantasies to yourself. It is not cute or funny to hit on the waitress no matter how drunk you are, period. Also, your perfect restaurant attendance does not get you bonus points. I don't care how many times you over-tip, I am not going to sleep with you.

      Lastly, if you do not have balls enough to look me in the eye and ask me for my number like a man I don't suggest you wait by the phone for a message or a call (that is if calling is even still a thing that people do). Leaving behind your digits, a 15% tip, with a description of your hat color in your unkempt scrawl will hardly lead me to erotic fantasies of you in nothing but...the white Red Sox hat.

With Love,

Your Disgruntled Waitress

P.S.-On that note, assuming you avoid being an example of the above frustrations I welcome you to come visit me at my restaurant or I invite you to embrace altruism and compassion. Stay home, save money, and learn to cook.

Inwardly Anchored

Relationships, like anything else are practice. As we engage in relationships we learn more about who we are. We do not try to change people or judge them, we accept all beings for who they are. Unless you love and embrace yourself and who you are, you cannot love another. This does not mean a perfect self or relationship, but the acceptance of the imperfection of both. When we live with honesty and integrity, we have nothing to hide. If we never lose ourselves we always have a home to return to when a relationship doesn't work, we should not compromise what is within us to accommodate another. The outcome does not matter we must give and accept just as much as we let go, and appreciate the present. Each moment is impermanent and we must appreciate it for what it is and all that it has to offer.

Intangibily Savvy

Manifested, vested
Deep in the vortex of the cerebral cortex
Originating from your experience, emanating
All that is deep within your soul
Ideas that make you whole
So embedded they flow right through your veins
So powerful you must sacrifice your tight grip on the reins
ideas so powerful, they sacrifice the logical
You let go of conventionality and embrace your inner self passionately
It is this that leaves you satisfied
When you let go of your inhibitions with a ruthless pride
Never to confide
In society, because honestly
They rob you of your originality
Wishing you to live within their constraints
To embody the picture their rhetoric paints
The American Dream is that and nothing more
Never truly fulfilling a human being at their core
It begins within your mind
A truth popular culture wishes you'd never find
An idea, whose expression leaves the spirit elated
Underestimated, by the hopelessly jaded
Free your idea into the world
Allowing, the ambiguity of the idea to unfurl

The Power of Word

Words that come alive, that thrive
They spurt right out of the soul--never to deprive
They capture the richness of spirit--the artful lyrisisct
As unique as a jigsaw piece
Energy flowing into your heart
Reminding you we are all just a part
of this picture
this neverending plane-- all looking to gain
some momentum 
Connected...not separate
A global citizen 
sharing our similarity with an unspoken clarity
Words
They don't draw lines, just looking to define
the global picture
Like an abstract fixture
filled with ambiguity
while bursting with simplicity
They only could be--Me
but also you
These words are the power, so its either now or--
We let our chances pass us by, we don't even try
to speak
Silence will not bring the change that we seek
so keep the words flowing, always knowing
The Power of Word

Energetically Charged Awareness

IMG_4148, a photo by dmr620 on Flickr.

We as human beings are inherently limited to the reality that surrounds us. Embedded into the capabilities of our physical iris is the limitation of our own perspective. The world is immense, physically and metaphysically. The acknowledgment of our human limitations can be utilized to create a constant thirst for knowledge and wisdom. We can use this wisdom to deepen our minds, our physical body, and the depths of our souls. Our minds create our life experiences based upon how we choose to perceive them and make them a part of us. With the true embrace of all that is complex and all that is simple we can stop thinking things are either "black or white". Acceptance of the true ambiguity of all can be conceptually overwhelming, while simultaneously invigorating. Shared by all is prana, the energy that is flowing within us and all that surrounds us. We can begin to manipulate it's flow by controlling the prana we choose to emit, share, and take in. From the gas station attendant to the highest paid CEO, from the beautiful lotus flower to the overgrown weed, to the spec of dust floating near the window sill to the soft fall of a glimmering snowflake prana is shared, transferred, or let go. Prana is what connects us to everything. Once we accept that we can truly recognize interdependence.

Simply Complex

IMG_0149 a photo by dmr620 on Flickr.

Everyday we wake up with intention. The intention to get married, to graduate, to make money, to eat healthy, but what are we actually seeking with all of these intentions? Ultimately these paths and choices should lead us closer and closer to self-actualization and enlightenment, if we are open to it. We want to reach our full potential internally, to do this we utilize the external. If these external things are not tools in which to deepen our soul and become more in tune with the inner self, they remain futile. It is easy to get caught up in conventionality or what others have told us we need to make us happy, but true happiness can only be attained from within, and unless the external is helping us to attain this inner happiness, what purpose does it serve? Beauty can be found in simplicity, while nothing really remains "simple". Anything "simple", is actually quite complicated. Whatever these things might be and as disconnected and alone we may feel in the world, we are all connected to each other and it is through the true embrace of all souls around us that will deepen our connection with others and ourselves. To surrender to ourselves and the person we want to become.

Wider Angle Zoom

 

The reality remains unchanged, the only shift is the perspective and focus but it changes the whole picture.

 When a photographer snaps a photo they are showing you the world through their eyes. They are framing a small piece of the world in order to communicate a specific message by virtue of physical limitation. In order to communicate their perspective it is necessary for the photographer to focus attention on certain things and avoid attention to others. This is done in a strategic way to disseminate the intended meaning of the photographer to the observers. What the photographer fails to do is give you the entire picture, not physically speaking. The photographer makes a statement on what the photograph is intended for only, it is up to the observer to take into consideration the world that lies outside the photo. This is also what is done through the media, the media like the photographer strategically paints a certain picture to people in order to manipulate public opinion. Though only certain messages and meanings are communicated life is drastically more complex than what is communicated through these mediums. 

Engulfed in a tremendously pervasive media culture, though seemingly enigmatic actually remains to be more overt than at first glance. Public opinion is strategically shaped to manipulate public opinion to be complacent and ignorant of the bigger picture not represented in the consolidated chromatic pixelated box. There are activists that refuse to buy into this culture literally and figuratively. We are innovators, we think outside the box, we work within our constraints but also outside them, we are passionate, innovative, stubborn, and creative, just as our counterparts. We aim to create systemic change, we want to build a new framework, one that operates in the only way we will tolerate and that is a sound framework of justice. As injustice continues to plague our nation and our globe it is creating a growing group of frustrated resistant individuals. These individuals have seen the detriment that is growing from inaction and remaining static and they are coming up with innovative ways to counter this. With lack of resources compared to our corporate counterparts, the advantages of solidarity and organization must be emphasized. The utilization of non-physical resources need to be expended into the far-reaching abyss in order to take advantage of  skills that remain under utilized.

    Activists should be persistent while simultaneously cooperative until their goals are reached and never take no for an answer. In order to achieve more and remain in high spirits it is useful to remain optimistic about the potential embodied in all social activists. Personally as opposed to being a full-fledged shameless idealist I remain to be realistically idealistic. Being overly optimistic or too idealistic can leave people disappointed and when that optimism is imposed on us by others, it can leave individuals feeling betrayed and lied too in some cases. Activists should always speak from their hearts, because it is their hearts that led them to be activists, it should be the hearts of those they are trying to reach that spark an indescribable overwhelming passion towards action and social change. 

     The American government is often associated with buzz-words such as “freedom”, “democracy”, “patriotism”, the “American Dream”. These words are idealistic illusions fed to the American public to keep them from interfering with United States interests. To create a dependence through the yearning for protectionism in order to gain compliance and complacency among the American Public.  Most activists remain less than optimistic about the good intentions of our government overall. Instead of creating innovative alternatives to create social change with little government interference,another viable option could be the manipulation of the current conventional system and efforts to reformulate it. There are vast entities interconnected into a large systemic global framework that include political, economic, and social entities, these entities form a structure that is embedded into our society. Those who wish to engage in social change need to not only work to aid those suffering from the injustice created by these entities but they also have to work to prevent the occurrence of injustice altogether.

   In order to work against these injustices the goal of all social activists alike should be to aid those suffering from injustice while simultaneously working towards dismantling those that created the injustice from the get-go. Though there are many separations of different groups working for justice, ultimately the goal is to respect inherent human and environmental rights, and to create a more equal world. In working towards distinct goals it is important to not lose sight of the larger picture and goal which is equality and respect for inherent human rights. Working solely within the framework of those creating the oppressive environment will never solve global issues. It must be an innovative and strategic plan to deconstruct oppressive systems through the use of mechanisms that these systems remain unfamiliar with. To break down the disillusionment experienced by knowing and unknowing bystanders must be paired with consciousness of each individual's place in the global world. Though it is tempting to live in a world of individualistic blissful ignorance, inequality and oppression creates an inherent frustration within a human being. Outside individualistic thinking in an attempt to disempower and undermine the power of the people to organize, it is possible to create a network of solidarity through common goals.While embracing the differences among individuals and harnessing individual talents there can also be cooperation. One can remain an individual, while still being thought of as a piece of the puzzle in a larger global community where each individual is important, and it is the connection between those individuals that will create empowerment and the dismantling of unjust entities. 

   Unless purposeful, people perceive information from their own personal standpoint. This entails things that often involve group identification whether it be race, nationality, gender,age, or sexual orientation etc. This standpoint encompassing the latter convergent concepts is a huge factor in how information is received. Without learned critical thinking and awareness of possible bias and ethnocentrism this limits the wider picture that we are all capable of seeing. To expand one's perspective to incorporate other viewpoints that lay outside our own personal standpoint we see from a “wider angle zoom”. With this wider angle zoom we can get a far more clear and diverse picture of reality and way to experience the world.

 

Materialistic Generosity?

Racing hurriedly out my front door to my vehicle I swing open the door and take off down the street to pick up America's substitute for sleep, coffee. Arriving at the small Drive-Thru Starbucks it comes to my realization that everyone else had the same idea. Thanksgiving Day, I sit in the long Drive-Thru line composed of stress-filled, impatient, jet-lagged individuals, I can't help but fail to realize the irony in my jittery, high-strung, stressed out demeanor in route to yoga. Life happens fast, too fast to be anywhere but in the moment. We spend most of our lives not really living, not really being present. Our minds are in 1,000 different places simultaneously, many of us are never truly immersed in our surroundings, even as you read this, Are you truly consuming each word? Are you genuinely present right now? It takes an immense amount of inner strength to be in harmony with all that lays outside ourselves. Take a minute to feel the powerful connection of words, Each word is filled with emotion, perspective, and substance. Each word is manifested from a unique individual in an attempt to share a piece of themselves with you.
    As it remains easy to fall victim to the holiday hustle and bustle it is important to remember what really matters.It is the intangible whose value remains to be the deepest; the immeasurable warmth and beauty in those we surround ourselves with. Though I am far from tempted to partake in the circus about to occur at 12AM this evening, the incalculable presence of the newly transformed population of American Barbarians is undoubtedly expected. The holidays are not about standing in line for hours outside of Best Buy to purchase a fourth flat screen plasma TV, it's about what we can all share with those around us, sharing that cannot be attained by camping outside of the mall until the wee hours of the morning. Black Friday is no joke, I stand no higher than 5-feet tall and was literally injured by an overly ambitious middle-aged man who was under the false impression that I was eying his TV. It goes without saying that was the first and last time I embraced my curiosity of the Black Friday hype. Let all of us remember today's feelings of gratitude as we engage in tomorrow's increasingly perilous Black Friday shopping spree. So today it is important to remember what we are thankful for, and keep those feelings year-round.To carry that Gratitude with us always, and be truly appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us.

"As we express gratitude, we must never forget the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." 

-John F Kennedy

Retreating slowly with overwhelming feelings of defeat through the chilly crisp November air a frail and exhausted mother continues down a menacing volatile New York City block lugging her feeble son and vast array of infant paraphernalia to the abhorrent quarters of the Martinique hotel. Walking briskly by a group of homeless huddled around a trash can seeking solace from the piercing icy air, all the while being panhandled aggressively, approached by a persistent drug dealer, and given a threatening once over by an unkempt streetwalker the mother lets out a sigh of relief as she reaches the hallway of her hotel fumbling for her keys among her material and mental disarray. Keeping a watchful eye and tight grip over her belongings fearful of becoming victim to yet another routine robbery the door finally gives and she scrambles into the meagerly inadequate hotel room overcome with a stench of rodent urine permeating the miniature space. Utterly drained from a jam-packed day of being shuffled around to various offices filling out copious piles of paperwork in hopes that she could solidify a living space of livelihood and human dignity for her and her sickly newborn baby boy, she plopped down on the rigidly uncomfortable worn mattress. After barely a moment of duration the mother is perplexed by the docile quiver of her newborn son, feeling paralyzed by her sons cries she tends to his whimpers with the warmth of a mothers embrace. Though the baby's cries temporarily subdued the mother remains perturbed as her mind races in a desperate attempt to brainstorm a way to aid the pangs of hunger overtaking her son. A sentence no human being would wish upon even their worst of enemies remains routine to a mother named Holly a resident of the Martinique Hotel in New York City. A scene as demoralizing, futile, and grim as the latter should not be a banal exhibition of human suffering characteristic of the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. What does the tolerance of such reprehensible abject poverty pervading a nation of affluence convey about our society? What does our silence disclose about the shift in our nations philosophy, a nation previously created through principles of freedom and liberty? Is America's lack of compassion our dirty little secret? With a social problem evolving into such a widespread issue plaguing such a prosperous nation it leads citizens to become skeptical of a societal structure that perpetuates such a morose reality. 

This week Social Justice League's 4th Annual Tent City is ongoing at Bridgewater State University, they are accepting donations please stop by around Bridgewater's campus behind the Rondileau Campus Center to support a homelessness simulation in solidarity with the above described grave predicament. Read about the initiative with the following link!

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/education/x600431537/Bridgewater-State-University-students-to-shed-light-on-plight-of-homeless

Wrong Target?

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Originally uploaded by dmr620

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/8113986/21506105



A group of concerned citizens looking to involve Americans in the political process, get to the core of what democracy should really be about. Action and involvement that should be sparked by its citizen's not by its corporate body. The act in this video with the best intentions of exposing Target's unjust involvement in the political process, but what are the participants really asking for? If everyone stopped shopping at Target what would then materialize? What about the just products that Target sells, what would become of those vendors? What would be the implications of cutting off all shopping at Target? Is the answer to attack companies individually? Or is it to reformulate injustice at its core? Address laws that are written and conducive to an unjust political, economic, and social climate? Have citizens resorted to their only power being to feed into the consumerism and materialism that has been the environment accepted and embraced by society? Why do I have to pay for my voice to hopefully be heard? Is my inherent right of freedom of expression and speech not enough to be loud and get people to listen? Evidently it isn't. But why is this? Should we accept this and try to exercise different ways to exhibit power, or can we try harder to attack injustice at it's core? We have the information, we have the inherent right written in our laws, but will anyone listen? Can we make them?

Alienating the Inalienable.

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Originally uploaded by dmr620

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/08/olson-wallace-fns/



The jurisdiction of individual states to exercise control over their local laws is important not only because of logistics but to uphold certain aspects of culture in each state. However there are basic laws that protect the fundamental liberties and freedom of all citizens alike regardless of what state. The laws of the constitution are constructed in such a way to protect these fundamental rights. If we cannot take advantage of the very structure of our legal system in a case where there is such an obvious discriminatory violation of human rights then why are they in place? Our constitution and laws protect the right for any citizen of the United States to freely exercise their right to marry. If we allow states to be able to decide whether or not gay marriage should or should not be allowed then this not only puts at risk the rights of gay individuals but the potential for risk of future groups being discriminated against. In our laws there are certain rights that have been constructed in a way to specify inalienable rights as a citizen and the right to marry included. Regardless of what state a gay citizen of the United States lives in they should be able to exercise the right to marry, Why should their right to live equal to any other citizen in a certain state be taken away simply because of their sexual orientation? Just like every citizen has the free right of speech they also have the right to marry, this is outlined in the constitution, just like states cannot individually take away the right to speech they should not be able to take away the right to marry.