MY LEGACY

WHEN I DREAM, I DREAM BIG, WHEN I REACH, I REACH FOR THE STARS, WHEN I BELIEVE, I ACCOMPLISH.......WITH INTENTIONS BASED ON LOVE AND PEACE ON EARTH ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

I HAD TO TRAVEL BACK FROM THE FUTURE TO CREATE THIS POST SO THAT I COULD FIND AND CONNECT WITH OTHER "BELIEVERS" AND THE UNIVERSE TO SPREAD THE LOVE, PAY IT FORWARD, AND TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

OH THE POWER OF DREAMS COUPLED WITH LOVE

MY DREAM FUTURE: Husband, children, family, friends, and PURPOSE!

PART 1: community and connecting

My third and most significant future is filled with my dreams and passions. It is a future filled with love, unity, and purpose. I would like to start a movement, first across the U.S. then to other country’s that would bring people together, help one another, and encourage people to “pay it forward,” which would create a sense of belonging and peace for all. People would seek to understand, rather than judge one another, and rather than giving up hope, they would work together to attempt to makes this world a better place and become connected. This dream of the future would allow me to connect with other enlightened and compassionate individuals, the chance to travel, collaborate to make a real difference in this world, and a lifelong journey of learning and exploring. My dream is to have the opportunity to meet, collaborate, and explore new ideas with individuals who share my passion for making this world a better place. Together, they could help me evolve my ideas, and explore new ones. The goal would be networking and communicating with individuals across the globe who would want to support a movement of peace and collaboration. This can be done with mass media, networking, good communication between individuals, and good old fashioned footwork. People’s dreams will be met, people will become inspired, things never thought possible will become accomplished, cultural and diverse lines will be crossed, and people will see the power of love!

I have many ideas on how to get this movement started. Some may be outlandish but I truly believe that as others learn about the movement, they too will be inspired to want to join in. My first idea is to find funding for those entrepreneurs who have great ideas and work ethic but no financial backing. If we can find money to invest in their ideas, we can help their dreams become a reality. They will make enough money to make life worthwhile, but must also agree to donate a certain amount of their successes back to the community and its programs that benefit humanity. My next idea is a school program that will help with bullying and encourage positive behaviors from today’s youth as well as pull the “outcasts” into a circle of peers who will care for and support them. It is a program that will be implemented in schools, where certain morally grounded seniors will become leaders. They will reach out to other youth in the school system whom others ignore or bully. They will take this youth into their circle, encourage successes, give this youth opportunity to meet new people and try new things, as well as mentor them. This will allow these youth to know and understand other youth whom they may have never given the opportunity to know. It will encourage a peer to be drug free, volunteer in community organizations, and become involved in creative and extracurricular activities. The youth leader will receive merits and a letter of recommendation from their school to the college that they apply for to help with scholarships and show their leadership abilities. The peer whom they mentored will then be encouraged, themselves, to become a leader once they become seniors and follow in their mentors footsteps. I have much more on this idea, which I call “beneath my wings program,” but I wanted to give you a basic overview of the goals of the program.

Another idea that I hope to evolve on is integrating all the wonderful nonprofits to help benefit one another. For instance, convicts and community members can donate time to build homeless shelters. In turn, these people whom live in these shelters will donate time into another nonprofit org.. For example, the youth I work with at Pressley Ridge could donate time to help build additions onto domestic violence shelters or to the humane society. The homeless people could donate time to visit a nursing home to play a game of cards and converse with the elderly. In turn, the elderly could knit blankets for the homeless shelter or help them learn to read. A police officer could visit a juvenile placement and talk to at risk youth, on their level, without them being in trouble or having to feel intimidated. A person who is given a place to stay at a homeless shelter could agree to donate a few hours a month to the local ymca or boys/girls club to teach a youth how to swim, paint, play a sport, coach a little league team, or any other artistic venture. All of this would help give each of these individuals a sense of purpose and belonging. We could take youth who are in placement, people from homeless shelters or other organizations and have them donate time at the local library to help people learn to read. These are just a few of my ideas on this issue, but I truly believe that people whom receive help will also want to reach out and help others. Whether it is building something, sharing/teaching certain skills, or donating time to offer love and support to another, the theme would be helping one another. The CEO’s or representatives from community programs and non-profit organizations will have monthly meetings, in each community across the U.S., to see how they can integrate, support, and help one another. Through collaboration and joint efforts, far more people will be served and challenges will be overcome as well as less tax money will be used for these specific programs which means there will be more money to build/create more humanitarian programs.

Another program that I would like to see implemented in each town is the sober carpool/ride programs. The cars can be provided by donations within the community, or using automobiles that are built in learning programs such as trade schools, colleges, and prisons. Old junk cars can be taken into jails, or youth programs where the inmates or youth receive training on mechanics so that they acquire the skills needed to become successful once released from imprisonment. As each person is taught this valuable skill, and each car is completed, the car can then be donated to a person (preferably to a hardworking family with children who are in need, or a college campus). If donated to a family, they will then have to agree to donate one 4 hour shift a month, for an agreed time period (preferrabally a year) to drive home college kids or intoxicated individuals on the weekends. This will help to reduce the amount of drunk driving accidents and deaths resulting from it. If the cars were donated to college campuses, individuals who receive tickets or citations would have to agree to be a sober driver for a night rather than pay a fine or as a consequence for certain actions. Automobiles that are seized by the police, for drugs or other circumstances, should also be donated to programs that assist the public such as the sober driving program or a program that assists the elderly or disabled to do things like be able to go to doctor appointments or grocery shopping. Citizens who receive moving violations, have suspended licenses due to accumulation of points, or individuals who have community service hours could donate time to drive these cars in order to receive a deduction in fines or lengths of their sentence. People with outstanding and outrageous ammounts of fines to pay in order to get their licenses reinstated would have an opportunity to clean the slate and start over. I have known many individuals who were involved in situations which resulted in them owing the state thousands of dollars in order to have their driving priveliges reinstated. Most persons with a family do not have this kind of money, so they either drive illegally, or choose to live on welfare. Either way, the state does not receive the money most of the time, and the individuals children and family are hurt in the process as well as our tax money is used to pay them for being unemployed or for food stamps, etc. At least the state would be benefitting somewhat and people can choose to take the right path and have their license cleared through these community service hours, either way, the person will not have an excuse.

PART 2: PAY IT FORWARD

My second to largest idea is what I’d like to call, “the kick off.” This would be a specific date and time to start the events of “pay it forward.” Pay it forward would consist of three specific aspects and actions and would need the assistance of mass media and supporters to have the greatest impact. The first aspect would be what I call “tag” and would spread kindness all over the country. “Tag” would be a specific date and time (“kick off”) and we would encourage as many individuals as we can to take what they can afford and go into the community in search of a person/family who looks like they could use the money, and hand them the money. The giver would simply ask that the person who is on the receiving end to “pay it forward” with two acts of kindness. Whether it be to babysit for a couple who needs to rekindle the spark in their marriage, mow a neighbor’s lawn, clean an elderly person’s house, or help a person put the groceries in their car. It could be anything really, but this person would then ask the next person to do the same. For those individuals who have more to offer, financially, the greater they would ask the person to pay it forward. I know that I live paycheck to paycheck, but if an event like this were to occur, I could definitely come up with at least fifty dollars or so, and feel great about doing this deed. My faith in mankind tells me that there are many other caring individuals who would do and feel the same way.

The second aspect to “pay it forward,” would be a special newspaper section devoted to “pay it forward.” Here readers could post skills or actions that they can offer others, as well as things or deeds people may need or to be done. Only one requirement, if you receive help or a response to the message, then you offer your skills to someone else. This could be as simple as cooking someone a meal, helping out with chores, helping someone to learn a new skill, or tutoring a youth. It could be a roofer putting a roof on a persons home in exchange for the person remodeling their bathroom or equivalent to the roofing job. It could be anything really as each person’s needs are different. Since each person is specialized in certain skills, and lack in others, this concept would allow people to obtain/accomplish things that they may not have been otherwise financially able to. This concept is based on a bartering theory. This would help people to thrive based on Maslow’s theory because it would help people’s basic needs to be met, as well as others to thrive or get ahead.

The third aspect to “pay it forward” would be what I call “day of dreams calendar.” I would like to collaborate with individuals and create a calendar that is dedicated to giving. There are 365 days in a year and I would like to make each day a special aspect to giving. One day could be a free oil change, another could be a free haircut to a child who needs a confidence boost, another for winter coat giving, another for feed the hungry/grocery giving, another for dreams to ill children, another to a free scholarship to a college or university, etc. etc. For this, I will need the help of many to communicate and canvas. We would have to contact businesses and individuals and ask them for their participation. For example, if it was a free oil change day (once a year), we would approach a business and tell them what we are trying to do and ask them for their participation. Surely they would oblige when a thirty dollar oil change is a drop in a bucket to what the company earns. As we get one oil change place to support our cause, I predict that many other automobile places will also want to contribute, to stay in competition if for no other reason. This example would be the same no matter what service we were applying it to. It would be one day a year and one service from each company. I would like to think that successful business owners would like to give back, if not truly from the heart and good intensions, then from wanting to be perceived by the community in good ways. This calendar will be distributed to all individuals across the globe, and they could assist us in encouraging supporters by word of mouth, and also receive advertisements for their good deeds. What’s better than good PR, right?

PART 3: MUSIC CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

ITS ALL ABOUT DREAMS….IF WERE GONNA DREAM, LET’S THINK BIG!

My third and largest dream to conquer would be to see WV have a national football team. People think I am crazy, and tell me that it will never happen. My response to them is, “well if Baltimore can build a stadium in the middle of a congested city, why can’t we do it here. We have all this land!” I think this is a great idea because WV is big on sports, and would love to have a football team. It would bring in a ton of revenue once completed, create tons of job opportunities, and help tremendously with the economic success of West Virginia. What would be better than a football stadium in the middle of all these beautiful mountains? We could have places for camping, music, and activities surrounding it so that people who love the nature aspect and spending times with friends and family could make a week or weekend trip out of it. Family, fun, campfires, and football. What could be better than that?

Not only to I wish to see a stadium built, but I also want it to contribute to humanity by allowing it to double as a concert stadium when it is not being used for football. I live for music and living in West Virginia, I have come to realize that there are very few concerts in the area. My friends are always traveling to nearby states when they want to attend a concert. If the stadium was built, one night a week, a musician will come and spend four hours doing a concert that will benefit a charity or cause of their choice. If you think about it, there are 52 weeks in a year. That means yearly we would need 52 artists to give away four hours of their time for a great cause. With all the musicians who are giving, who have went through difficult times, or even had drug abuse problems, there are sure to be, at the least, 52 artists a year who would be willing to contribute. I would call this stadium “Music Makes the Difference.” It would be known as a place where people of love, faith, peace, and hope would gather to spread the message of love and hope.

I know that this is an extremely expensive dream; however, I have ideas that could help make it cheaper and also contribute to the problem of prisoner recidivism. There are so many people who are incarcerated, who reoffend once they are released. With the lack of transitioning programs available, once released, prisoners either end up back in the same environment or have nowhere to go, and no money or means to make it. This is a major cause of them reentering prison. It costs U.S. citizens tons of tax dollars to house and feed them, and the prisons are overcrowded. If we decided to build a stadium, I’d like to see non violent prisoners working on the construction of it. They would have the opportunity to integrate some back into the community, learn a sense of responsibility and work ethic as well as earn money so they have a starting point once they are released from jail. We wouldn’t have to pay them as much as we would a free citizen, but rather something fair, like a half or a third of what a normal individual would make. While they are building the stadium, and earning money, they would also be able to support their families or pay their past due child support as well as any fines. This will help to give them hope and encourage them to keep on the right path. Think about it, if you were released from prison, couldn’t get a job, no home, no way to feed yourself or money to start a life with while also owing the court money and past due child support, wouldn’t any individual feel that they were buried too deep in a hole to dig themselves out of? I know I would! This is why so many prisoners reoffend. They either do not see any hope or any light at the end of the tunnel, or they go from being locked in a cell, to complete freedom, with no transitioning period. I do see this dream as being possible, and if it had the right financial backers to see it through, it could do a lot of good with recidivism, save on tax dollars, help out financially with tons of good to charities, as well as make the investors tons of money once it was completed and obtained an NFL team while also contributing greatly to the economic success of our beautiful state.

My ideal future is probably somewhat of a mixture of all three scenarios, and I also realize that I may not achieve many of my dreams but that is what I am, an idealist and a dreamer. This is what keeps me having faith in all of mankind and know that every little effort from an individual can make a big difference in someone else’s life. Either way, I know I will be happy because in the end all I could ask for is to be surrounded by loving and caring individuals which I already am. I keep my mind optimistic, share my love, help to teach others, and truly love and care for every person on this planet so even if I died at this very moment, that would be okay. It would be God’s fate and I would die loved and happy with my dreams written down on this paper with hopes that others will find it, and encourage one another to work together rather than against one another and create a nation of peace, compassion, and LOVE!

**********WOMAN-OF-WONDER********** Thoughts & Theories to Promote Peace: ONE GOD......ONE LOVE

**********WOMAN-OF-WONDER********** Thoughts & Theories to Promote Peace: ONE GOD......ONE LOVE: When one argues that “religion is the belief in some ultimate reality,” one must first ask themselves the question, “what is reality?...

ONE GOD......ONE LOVE

When one argues that “religion is the belief in some ultimate reality,” one must first ask themselves the question, “what is reality?”  The meaning of reality can be interpereted into so many different meanings in itself.  Is there ever a truth, or only a truth for me?  We, as individuals, tend to base our realities on our own individual perceptions, and our perceptions are based upon our experiences and senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch).  When we realize that no two perceptions are ever really the same, only then can we connect with others, with hopes of achieving a “shared perception” or “shared truth.” Once we recognize this fact, we can then begin to better assess the rest of the statement. 

 

I can only speak for myself, an my interpretation of the statement, “religion is the belief in some ultimate reality,” and for me, I interperet this sentence as, “religion is the belief in some ultimate truth.”  I personally, cannot talk of truth, but rather, only “truth for me,” based upon my own perceptions, experiences, and interpretations.  I have never been a person who bases my thoughts, opinions, or actions, upon what another person says, thinks, or feels about a certain subject.  I take pride in allowing myself to experience all different types of situations, and experiences so that I can base my own thoughts and opinions upon my own encounter with them.  I have always felt like experience was a far better teacher than anything I could find in a book or be taught from another person. 

 

Do I believe God to be real, DEFINTELY!  This “truth for me” is not based on anything except for my own personal experiences with him.  The synchronicities that cannot be explained by anything other than a higher power, miracles, that seem to come out of thin air, these are my own personal experiences that can only be explained by knowing that a person who is capable of creating this vast world, and all of its beautiful creations, could have given me these signs from the skies, or placed the thoughts within my mind that allowed me to know that my faith is pure and true.  In fact, in moments of doubt within my own mind, where I have questioned my own faith, as if out of thin air there have been grand displays/signs that immediately erased any doubt that I ever had.  Could it be coincidental that I was given this “larger than life” sign at the exact moment of doubt, or during my lowest/weakest moment in life? Who else would have the ability to go within my mind, read my thoughts, and give me that ostentatious pretension of the power of his abilities?  Being the “thinker” that I am, I tried to recall, interpret, and identify reasons for these events, but was unable to come up with any answer than it being forces of grand design.

 

Just as with any relationship (coworker, boss, family, personal, group, etc.), a healthy relationship is formed as you learn to accept, respect, and get to know that person.  It is the same dynamics that will lead a person to a healthy relationship with God, as you accept and get to know your god, on a personal level, you will bridge a tighter bond.  Just as with any other relationship, when you forge this bond (and have this supportive relationship), the person is there for you when you need them.  This is how god has been there for me, once I showed my love and genuine friendship with him, he has supported me thorough every endeavor since that moment!

 

So do I rely on the credentials of an author who wrote a book on religion, or do I rely on my own experiences?  I feel, just as with any other thing you are taught in life, there will always be a slight doubt in your mind, unless you seek the answers and find proof yourself.  When you see and experience things with your own senses, it is then that no matter what you have been told, or read in a book, you have firsthand experience that will erase any doubt or belief that you may have ever had.

 

For me, the test has always come first, and the answers later, and this is no different with my relationship with God.  When I would question myself, my motives, and my abilities, I would tend to fail.  Luckily, being the resilient person that I am, I never gave up.  Instead I viewed this as a learning experience and marched on.  Eventually I quit questioning myself.  I knew my heart and intentions were in the right place, so just as machine needed energy to run, this love was my energy.  It was only after I learned my lessons that God gave me the signs that let me know he has been here all along and that I was on the right path.  It is these signs that have allowed me to accept challenges and obstacles, and to know that it is all in his grand design so that he can teach me and allow me to become the person he needs me to be.

 

In my opinion, it is one God that we all pray to or worship, the only problem is that we have all have attached our own meanings, interpretations, and perceptions to them.  Individuals, most acting upon their ego, tend to defend their own beliefs/perceptions, and come at the issue from an “I’m right perspective.”  If they think about religion in the same matter that they should view every other thing in life, they would realize that if a picture was taken with a camera and twenty people viewed that picture, there would be twenty different descriptions of that picture.  We are going to interpret the “issue, thing, religion” based upon what is important to us, social standards, chemical and biological make up (how our body and mind works), and conditioning from our lifestyles and pasts.  What stands out for one, may be of the least importance to another, what one finds beautiful, another may find repulsive, what one might find as fun and unique, another may find as being mundane.  As we are able to place ourselves “out of the box” and think and view things from an open minded viewpoint, we may be able to obtain different perceptions to our one reality; in my opinion, this takes lots of practice and the ability to clear away thoughts, expectations, feelings, and opinions, as well as getting to know individuals who are very different from yourself.  Only as you get to know them, on a very personal level, will you be able to share their perceptions, reasoning, thoughts, and experiences.

 

In my opinion, god is so vast, and capable of anything, and he knows exactly what it is that we need in our lives, so he allows us to receive his gifts (no matter what they may be), that will help us to reach that point of love, both for ourselves, and others, so that we are able to find that ultimate peace and happiness no matter what is going on in our lives or what we may be experiencing.  Just as we are all unique individuals, he has created us; therefore, he recognizes that fact, so he provides for us exactly what we may need which means different spiritual practices and religions.  Since God is the ultimate role model of acting upon the “SUPER-EGO” and ALL MIGHTY, he does not need the recognition for his efforts.  The importance for him is to bring this happiness and peacefulness into people’s life, to teach them to love one another and our lands; therefore, he does not mind by which name we may call him, as long as we call him!  I believe that no matter which God you pray to, he is one of servant leadership.  In no way does he need recognition or claim, his actions come from intrinsic values; therefore, his goal is “goodness and unity,” not recognition!

 

With the ultimate goal being for people to act upon Love (the light), rather than anger, fear, and hate (the dark), we can realize that it is truly one GOD that we pray to, and put our egos to the side, and accept the fact that we are all brothers, who are just interpreting the “big picture” based upon our needs, lifestyles, and interpretations, and to base all of our actions and behaviors upon LOVE and ACCEPTANCE for all!  <3.

my PATH

I have been asked, many times here recently, to describe who i am..this post is a good window in which you can begin to understand more about "who i am!"  For myself, the meaning of my existance and my lifes purpose is all about connecting with others so that i can help them (in any way possible with my means at the moment) to become self actualized, feel a sense of belonging, and insprire and encourage them to turn around and give it back (hence my motto "pay it forward").  It will cause a ripple effect, across the globe, that will produce world peace, unity, and compassionate/loving behaviors <3

I seek every opportunity that I can to learn, and grow so that I am able to pass my knowledge on to our younger generations. I hope and pray each day that the world will unite, and world peace will be achieved. I am actively involved in the community. I volunteer, mentor, and involve myself in any and every opportunity that arises that will benefit all of humanity, and our communities. I believe that as one person reaches out to another, it is possible to set off a chain of events, where people will help one another. I hope that as a person sees a person helping another, it will encourage them to do the same, while embracing diversity, rather than judging one another. As people are subject to different types of people, hopefully they will take the time to better understand the person and their situation. I am a passionate person, and I always stand up for people who are mistreated, or going through difficulties in their lives. I know that for us to create world peace, every individual must first find an inner peace within themselves, to accept who they are, where they came from, and traumas they may have experienced, to be able to grow and live with a positive outlook toward the future. I believe that with the help and concern of others, just by showing them that someone cares and believes in them, it will give people the hope and motivation they need for them to overcome their self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.

I love the word “link”. I think that everything in this world is linked. The mind is linked to the body, and its behaviors. The body is linked to nature and its surroundings, and to complete the circle, our surroundings are linked to our thoughts. As one becomes linked to the spirit within them, they are able to connect with the thoughts, and beliefs within them, and through self-actualization, they are able to recognize and acknowledge their strengths, talents, or even their weaknesses. The more a person is educated, the more they are able to understand themselves, others, and the world around them. As their minds expand, they not only accept but also begin to understand reasoning behind their own thinking patterns and others actions. Through this process, they are opening up to diversity, thoughts/values/and morals different from their own, which they may have once feared or rejected, but now inspire them to want to know more, which results in them being able to relate to others whom they may have misunderstood at one time. Once a person is linked with their inner selves, they then link themselves to others and the world around them. As these people link, groups are formed, and if they are able to reach out and support one another, a productive and supportive community shall arise. With communities now working together, these communities can link together, as they create a state worthy of praise. As each group accepts one another, and works together, our nation can create an environment that is beneficial for the success of our future generations. Maybe then, will our nations be inspired to join this force that is greater than one, to link together, to stand together, as a world undivided, where all persons are treated equal.

With love and acceptance in our hearts, one by one, we can lift each other up, and embrace uniqueness and individuality. No matter our race, religion, beliefs, thoughts, morals, or values, if we all act with kindness and love in our hearts for others, while trying to understand one another rather than judge, the universe will conquer any obstacles in its path, including diversity, poverty, hunger, and hate. People, organizations, governments, states, and countries can link together to form a bond where they realize that each group needs to work together and support one another in order for our country to strive.

For a person to be successful, they must be educated, but I also believe that real world experience is an even greater teacher. For one to truly understand others, they must live in the other person’s shoes. With every job, and every experience, there is valuable knowledge to be gained. This is the reason why I have never felt that any job was too big or small, too much of a waste of time, too dirty or degrading, too belittling or above me, or too insignificant because I am able to grow and better understand all the types of people and situations around me. I enjoy having the opportunity to see things through others eyes, or walk in their shoes because it not only gives me the opportunity to better understand them, but also help me value the things and people in my life.

With each class that I attend at WVUP, I am able to better understand myself, people in general, the youth that I counsel on a daily basis and the environments in which we live in. Through various Psychological courses, and Sociological courses, I am able to learn what it takes to help both people, and our communities. I hope to attend The Washington Center, in Washington D.C., next year, which specializes in the types of programs that I wish to get involved in such as Non-profit sectors, Civic engagement, Civil Service, Advocacy, and Leadership to help me further my knowledge on the subjects so that I am able to make a real difference in this world.

I hope to someday become a United Nations Ambassador, and own my own non-profit organization that has one mission, and that is to fundraise and find funding for other nonprofits that strive to benefit all of humanity. I hope to see an end to poverty, hunger, homelessness, prisoner recidivism, substance abuse, and self-defeating habits of today’s youth and victims of crime. I will dedicate any and all spare time to helping others, through mentoring, speeches, educating, relating, volunteering, reaching out, and mediating any problems between people or groups. I will make it so that people are not just a number, statistic, victim, patient, delinquent, or criminal. I will give their names a face, and a voice, and link them to services to help them to achieve an inner peace and the encouragement they need for them to become successful individuals. Linked through love, compassion, and understanding, the world will rise above, and all will reach their full potential, not by themselves but with the support of the world behind them!

The storm

Even in the roughest of times, can YOU create your own rainbow after the storm?

Its funny how people’s true colors come shining through when people are faced with a crisis.  Five nights ago, a terrible storm came through the area which left over a million people without power.   One thing that has come to my attention in these trying times is how much people take for granted, on a daily basis.   It is trying times like this that really allow people to be seen for who they are.

There are the individuals who think the world owes them everything, it is these individuals who will stop at nothing to see that they survive first, get their needs met, and do not consider anyone else’s needs when it comes to realizing their own. 

For the most part, my experience with this storm has been very enlightening for me in many ways.  It has really showed me how much we depend on technology, both, for survival, and to get through our daily routines.  I, personally would not change a thing about the past few days, even though these past few days, I have been a little hungrier, a lot hotter, and a ton more stressed, it has been an eye opening experience, one that has allowed me to reflect on many issues that surround myself, my family, my community, our nation, the world, and just plain old communications and relationships in general. 

Ok, I must first start by being completely honest with you all.  The first day after the storm, when I awoke at 9am and there was still no power, I was like “oh great, what now.”  I picked up my cell phone, no service, tried my computer, no service, no television, heck even my home phone wasn’t working.  I then grabbed some batteries to place in my century old boom box.  This is when I started to lose it a bit, when I realized that the radio wouldn’t even work.  I know this may seem a little ridiculous, but I’m not sure if it was the lack of communication (and not knowing what was going on out in the world) that had me more upset, or the fact that there was no music!  Now, after the fact, I would have to say that it was the “no music” that had me more aggravated than anything.  No matter what is going on in the world around me or in my life, it has never been something that a good song with a funky beat and some great lyrics couldn’t fix, and this was no exception!

I hopped into my VW, and was met by immediate gratitude as the noise from my XM satellite radio came bursting through my car speakers; this was one purchase that will never regret investing in.  Immediately my mood was heightened tremendously as I cranked up the tunes and headed towards town.  As I began my 45min. journey into town, I began to see the level of destruction the storm had caused, and as I arrived into town, I was surprised to realize that they, for once, had it much worse than us “mountain folk” did.

As I arrived into town, the level of destruction was fierce.  All of the stoplights were down, gigantic trees had fallen everywhere, parts of people’s homes were missing and thrown in the most unexpected places, utility poles had fallen on top of cars, there were no stores, restaurants, gas stations, or anything else open, and the whole city was completely out of power.  I was astonished as I drove, slowly, through the city…WOW; this storm had caused way more damage than I had originally thought.  A feeling of sadness engulfed me as I realized the extent of damage that the storm wreaked on the people of my community.

The majority of the mid-Ohio Valley’s residents are middle/lower class citizens who live week to week and sometimes just manage to get by (which isn’t a bad thing because they are some of the most generous and giving people even though).   Being from a hardworking community of middle/lower class citizen, which I too am a member, is one I am proud of because we tend to appreciate the things we do have that much more, and there is a strong sense of community and belonging among the people of this community for this very reason.  Many of these people will not be able to buy new food, fix the repairs on their homes and cars, or even stand to be off work for the days that the offices/buildings/factories will be shut down.  My heart reached out for these people, especially the ones whose homes and cars were destroyed, and who probably didn’t have more than the basic liability insurances on these items.

One example that really touched my heart was a family who is friends with my older brother.  They are a working class family with several children.  They rent their home, work hard, and do their best to raise their children with values, morals, and kindness.  As I drove by their home, with my brother, he pointed out to me the fact that the second story of their rental home had blown off of the structure and had landed in their driveway, on top of both of their cars.  My brother told me that after the storm, they walked outside and was devastated to see that their home was basically gone, their cars were destroyed, and then to top it off, the winds took away part of their fence and their dogs were also gone.  This broke my heart, to know that everything that people have worked so hard for was gone in an instant. 

As I continued on my drive, witnessing the destruction, my mind shifted from one of sadness and despair to one of gratitude and love.  As I drove through my communities, I saw families, together as a whole, sitting on their front porches laughing, joking, playing games, then there were the smaller children playing in the sprinklers in attempt to cool off.  No one was indoors, behind a computer, television, or gaming system, but rather, families were connecting in meaningful conversations and working together to repair and rebuild their homes and communities.   

As I turned each corner, there were more and more people pitching in to help one another, as I witnessed these people connecting to support on another, the sights filled me with the utmost joy.  This is all that I have ever wished, dreamed, and envisioned for the people of our great world, to sit back and enjoy the small things in life, time with family, butterflies resting on a flower, a dog chasing its tail.  Just an overall gratitude for surviving the storm, and the blessing of sitting face to face with their loved ones.  These are the things that blessings are made of, connecting with loved ones, the community, and their “higher power,” to realize that, hey, as long as we are lucky enough to still be standing on this great Earth, there is absolutely nothing that we can’t overcome as long as we put in the effort, all of our hardships will be overcome. 

In my opinion, people should be thankful because it is incidences just like this that give us the hope and strength to carry on, figure out a way, gain knowledge, ask for help, or reach out to others in order to gain that resilience that allows us to keep strong and carry on, no matter what is thrown in our paths!  In fact, it is situations just like these, throughout my life, that I have had to face that have made me into the strong and independent woman that I am today.  There were times, in my past, that I used to say “why me” but now, I thank god for those incidences because they always taught me a valuable lesson, you just have to choose to see it that way!

My interactions with others have been a mixture of good and bad, throughout the chaos that the storm has created.  Some people choose to focus on the bad aspects of the storm and the damage it has caused, which is getting them nowhere, and only adding to their misery because they are attracting more negative energy back into their lives.  Then there are those individuals who choose to see the storm in a positive light, “well hey, no work, yippee!  Guess this means card games with the kiddo’s and time to run in the sprinkler!”  These individuals are not allowing themselves to be weighed down by their thoughts even though they have just as much stress and worry as the other individuals.  I mean, how often is it that people have off of work for an entire week in the month of July?  Sometimes we must choose to leave things in the hands of our Gods, and focus, instead, on the here and now.  What can be done to fix things, if anything?  If you can’t do anything about the problem, why not choose to focus on the one thing that is most important in life, time that we have with our loved ones. 

I have heard that thus far, 12 people have died in this storm, in our area, including a man who had a tree fall onto his car and crush him to his death.  Now think about it peoples, are those jobs, paying the bills, that fabulous new addition that you put on your house, or some extra work that you may have to do really all that bad?  Imagine this man’s family, who, not only have to deal with the mess of the storm and its aftermath, but to lose a loved one at the same time, and trying to plan for that.  Please take a minute and try to be thankful for the things that we do have. 

Has anyone ever thought that maybe, just maybe, it is high time that we stop worrying about things like money, materialistic goods, status, power, wealth, titles, jobs, etc. and start to appreciate the small things that we take for granted each day?  The things, that we may not even realize that we are doing at the time, like giving our undivided attention to our children when they are talking to us or trying to show us something, or stopping to smell the roses and appreciate the natural beauty that we are blessed to have in our lives to enjoy.  With the natural disasters that this Earth has been dealing with for the past few decades, you would think that most people would learn to appreciate things like these, because without our beautiful and healthy nature, we would have no world……without a healthy environment, we wouldn’t have life of any form, or a place for organisms to survive if we continue to take these things for granted!

It is like the people of this world are slowly but surely doing it in.  Almost like a drug addiction, more and more, but yet never enough.  More waste, more wants, more technology, more toxic waste that is produced from these wants, more more more!  Where does it end and when is it too late?  Shouldn’t we just be happy with the simple things like being able to share joyful memories with loved ones, being alive and healthy, being able to enjoy all that mother nature has provided us,  and for being able to live our lives in freedom?  If we cannot learn to appreciate these things, there will be no us, eventually!

In my opinion, most of the things that we want in life are not needs, they are wants.  It is these wants that tend to destroy, both, the world and the people in it.  Most of the time, it seems to me as if what people “want,” isn’t really what they want at all, in fact, their wants seem to revolve around some type of competition.  Everyone trying to compete with the jones, our country competing with other countries, always, people trying to outdo one another or worrying about how they will appear in someone else’s eyes.  Whether it is for power, greed, status, money, or popularity, it is as if everyone is trying to outdo the next.

 Let’s talk about power for a moment, because this is a topic that just seems to get under my skin.  First of all, in my opinion, people who try to exhibit power or control others are just plain lazy individuals.  You cannot get anywhere by pushing or shoving someone around so that they will do or be the way you want them to.  When a person approaches a situation in this manor, it is a temporary fix and will backfire in the person who is “in power’s” face.  If you ask me, these people (controlling and authitarian), no matter what title or how much power that they hold, are just plain lazy and incompetent!

 A person with real power has the power to control themselves, to always act out of love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness no matter what they are being faced with.  Rather than try to control someone through force, these individuals will mentor, role model, support, encourage, teach, and relate to others.  Yeah, this is a longer and more exhausting and consuming process, but like they say, good things never come easily.  These are the strong individuals, the ones who can go and go and go, never giving up hope that a better world, or a better way is out there.  No matter who tries to knock them down, discourage them, kill their dreams, or obstacles they are up against, they persevere and create a much stronger group, nation, world, or culture.

 Now, WHO TO YOU SEEMS MORE POWERFUL? 

(1) The people who push, give orders, act out of fear and hate, compete with others, and HAVE to have control and power no matter who they hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally in the process,

OR

(2) The individuals who act out of love, and no matter what situation they encounter, they always act out of love, understanding, and acceptance and no matter what, no other person or situation is ever able to change this about them! 

In these crisis times, there have been the people who push their way through, cut in front of you for those loafs of bread or tank of gas, do not wait their turn at the broken stoplights, and would basically fight you tooth and nail for survival.  These individuals (which I have seen quite a few in the past few days) remind me of those “mean and selfish” people.  You know, the individuals who have to try to degrade, bully, talk bad about, be mean, etc. to/about others in order to look good or get ahead.  The ones that are not confident enough in themselves and their abilities to reach the heights of others, so much so that they have to knock down others to bring them down to their levels.  I advise these individuals to think again, because these people that you feel the need to degrade are usually the kind of people who do not break under pressure or do they allow their self-concept to be affected by others opinions of them.  This is exactly why they are at the conscious level they are, therefore, not able to be knocked down to your level.  RISE UP, try harder, give everything your all, never think you know it all, always realize there is more to learn and people that are better and smarter than yourself and always strive to compete, only compete against yourself to do better.  Anyone can do it, but it can only happen when you focus on you, only you, and working within your limits to do, and be the best possible version of yourself that you can be.

For those selfish individuals that I have encountered during this storm (like the woman who cut in front of us all at the BP on Rayon Dr. for gas), you may have all the resources that you need for survival; however, I have all the things that I will ever need, myself respect and my pride.  Never, ever would I stoop to your level, even if I thought/ believed that the world was ending, I would never give up my conscious and soul in order to survive because one day, when this world does end, those type of things aren’t going to get you anywhere anyways.

For my fellow lovers, if you are ever faced with a crisis or “survival of the fittest” type scenario like this, please do not let your love, morals, ethics, character, and values fall to the wayside because in the end, it is these things that will open up the gates to an eternity of happiness and love with others who mirror yourself, not the tank of gas, the last bit of water, or the last morsel of food!

Once we give up this power, we open up the gates to growth and success.  We realize that we need others, we need our earth, we need a clean and healthy environment, we need support, we need encouragement, we need happiness and joy in our lives, we need to become aware of who we are and all that we can accomplish in this world, for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our Earth, and for our future generations but in order for this to happen, we must live out of gratitude and love.  Love for our planet, love for others, and most importantly, LOVE FOR OURSELVES!

Be thankful, focus on the good, try you’re hardest, accept your weaknesses, and most importantly, realize that we are all in this together.

If you find yourself unhappy, you must journey within, because nothing outside of yourself is going to complete that void and bring you happiness.  Unhappiness means that there is a part of you that is incomplete or missing, which means there needs to be change, and no one else can figure out exactly what that is, but you! 

So instead of that new purse (that you have to kill all those animals to make...rrrrr), that new car (that burns all that horrid gas and produces harmful chemicals that kill all of our beautiful nature), that diet coke that you “must have” (yet throw away the bottle so that our world becomes consume with waste), the need for oil (to produce all those goods by machine yet dumps into our beautiful and vast oceans), that bag of trash (that you spent all that time containing to the one bag, yet throw it out your car on the side of the road), all the things we do not recycle (that eventually go into the ground and are consumed by us through the water), and everything else, that money “can buy,” TRY TO FOCUS, inwards instead and figure out what you are missing in your life that you have to cover up with materialistic goods.

Imagine a life with clean air, healthy foods, serene nature, no toxic waste/spills, leisure time with loved ones, running through fields of flowers, feeling the sunshine beat on your face or the gentle wind kiss your cheeks…shouldn’t these be the things that bring us the most happiness, yet we are doing all that we can to see that it is taken away from us forever!

MAGICà    LOVE, LIGHT, LAUGHTER, & PLAY....& IN THE END THERE WAS…….BLISS<3

LIFE IN A SMALL TOWN, NOTHING LIKE IT (DIFF BETWEEN PEOPLE FROM THE CITY AND PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTRY) ...GENERALIZATIONS OF COURSE

PLEASE OTHERS, IN TIMES OF CRISIS, DO NOT LET YOUR LOVE, RESPECT, MORALS, DIGNITY, AND COMMON COURTESY GO TO THE WAYSIDE <3  AND WITH THAT, MY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Growing up in the Metro Area (Maryland, D.C., and Virginia), I very much grew up as a “city girl.”  I was exposed to many different things, some good and some bad, by being raised in such a populated area that had lots of different subcultures.  Moving to West Virginia about four years ago was very much a culture shock for me, and it definitely took some getting used to.  Being born in West Virginia, you would have thought that I would be a little bit more “in tune” with the way that things work in small towns; however, I had no idea just how different it would be.  Now, I feel very blessed to say that I have the best of both worlds running through my veins.  I can put on a designer dress and stilettos, attend an art gathering, jazz/cigar bar, and enjoy a night full of dancing and socializing in the “big city,” or I can throw my hair back in a ponytail, put on my worn in converse, and hit the hills on a dirt bike, coming back with mud dripping off my eyelashes!

Life, in both areas, are almost polar opposites, it is almost like you are living on complete opposite ends of the earth.  Life in the big city is very fast paced, people are always “go, go, go!” and do not take the time to enjoy each moment or take the time to stop and help a person in need.  Traffic is horrendous, and you could possibly wait an hour to get into traffic from a side street because people will line up so tight that there is no way they are letting you in the line of traffic or you are able to pull into it yourself.  It is almost as if “each man for his own.”  People, in my opinion, seem more accustomed to worrying about their selves, instead of how their actions may affect someone else.  I think this comes from the culture that many cities have created because they are reacting to others actions instead of following their heart, intuition, or what they feel is “right.”  Also, many individuals possibly hear what is one the news, which compared to our small town in W.V., is filled with horrific incidences and crime which could possibly keep people wanting to mind their own business and not become involved in the things happening around them, out of fear that something bad could come of it.  Now, although my perception is mainly negative about the people who live in cities, this is just a generalization because I know many fine people who are kind, generous, trustworthy, compassionate, and caring that live in the city, but in ratio, the number of rude people far outweigh these kind individuals, in my opinion.  Now, living in the city definitely has its benefits also such as exposure to different cultures, races, ethnicities, experiences, and FOOD (haha def. one of my favorites).  There is never a dull moment in a city with choices that range from zoos, aquariums, NFL football games, Major league baseball, NHL hockey games, tons of musical experiences and concerts, museums, circuses, shopping and nightlife, variety of restaurants, and tons of fun filled activities available for children of all ages, including us J  Being exposed to all the different races, cultures, and ethnicities is something that I feel most grateful for living and growing up in the city.  My friends were people from all types of cultures, religions, social statuses, backgrounds, and countries.  This helped me to recognize the beauty in all different types of individuals and the realization about how much we can learn from one another.  Most importantly, this is where I learned that no matter what a person looks like, where they are from, what religion they practice, how educated they are, what there financial bracket is, etc. ……….. the only thing that matters, when it comes down to liking and caring about someone, is the size of their heart and their ability to be humble in realizing no one of us is any better than the rest.

Now let’s take a look at life in the country.  When I was younger, say 8 and under, my idea of fun did not revolve around playing Nintendo, watching TV, IPODS, or any other electronic that adults in the city like to shove in their child’s face out of fear of letting them outdoors to be exposed to possible kidnappings, child molestation, or peer pressures.  Our ideas of fun very much revolved around “exploring,” and “inventions.”  By inventions, I mean that we invented our own fun which, in my opinion, is a huge thing when raising kids.  I mean yeah, we could have children who are educated and learn how to do something well, or we could encourage creativity and have a child who invents the “next biggest thing” or idea!  We would explore caves, fossils, different types of minerals, rocks, bugs, or animals as well as use free and easily obtainable materials and sources to create inventions, make contraptions, build tree houses or forts, or to create new games to play.  It was never a dull moment.  From the time the sun rose, to the time it settled behind the trees, we were out roaming the mountainsides, fields, rivers, and forests.  From catching lightning bugs, and swinging from vines,  to blowing the fuzzies off of dandelions (to make a wish, and truly believing they would come true), our sense of fun never revolved around the need for money, expensive toys, or anything outside of our own imagination…..talk about fabulous!  Now, although this is all wonderful, fast forward to life as a young adult.  People tend to get pregnant and married at a much younger age here in the country.  They miss out on so many great opportunities and experiences that the world, outside of the countryside, has to offer.  Many people seem (this is a generalization) to be less accepting to people of other races, ethnicities, and cultures, and are very closed minded when it comes to anything outside of the way that they were conditioned by their parents.  There is very little diversity in the country, and not a whole lot of new experiences and opportunity to gain knowledge as to all the many different types of jobs, opportunities, colleges, people, music, or geographical landscapes that this gigantic world has to offer.  I think if more children, in the country, were raised with true awareness of the world around them, many more would hopefully choose to not get pregnant or married at 17, and instead go to college and open up the many different doors and paths to explore the world that surrounds them.

Now although I am looking at this “lack of exposure to the world” in a bad way, it can also be a good thing.  First of all, the drugs and exposure to crime is less, resulting in a lesser chance of a child becoming involved in gangs, drug dealing or usage, or the “wrong crowd.”  This is not because the country does not have these things, but more so because the ratio of people are far less in the country, which makes them less able to get “lost in the crowd,” or become just another person, student, or child without a name, a personality, a background, or a family, which many times can happens in a bigger city.  Also, another good thing about the lack of exposure too many things would be the fact that it seems to be a major cause for families and communities being “tighter” and more supportive of one another.  In the city where it is “go, go, go,” families rarely have the time to do the most important things in life, the things that will make a strong family, a good moral, ethical, and value system for their children and families such as family dinners, sitting around playing board games, swinging on the front porch swing, just talking about what is going on in their lives.  In the city, it is as if every minute of every day is accounted for and activities are “penciled in,” which can cause people to be so concerned with making it to the next activity, keeping on time goal, keeping up with the neighbors, competing with others, or becoming successful in their lives and jobs, that they lose sight of all the beautiful macro seconds of everyday, the events and experiences that truly matter, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS!  In the country, where there is less to do, people take the time to stop and talk to their neighbors, to help someone that is broke down on the side of the road, help an elder cross the street, hold the door open for someone, lend a hand, and create a sense of belonging and community.  In my opinion, this is what life is all about, and is the main cause of inner peace, contentment, and joy that no amount of money, social status, label, title, or materialistic thing could ever come close to in terms of worth!

And of course there are the issues of landscaping differences between the city and the country.  In the city, things appear to be “dirtier,” whereas things in the country are more natural resulting in a perception of cleanliness.  Cities are, many times, filled with tall building, congested areas, many streets, and tons of litter which is understandable considering the amount of people who are squeezed into the tight little areas.  In the country, the view is spectacular, the lush green rolling fields and hills, the wild flowers that grow in the most random areas, the sunsets behind the mountains, the mist that rises above the trees in the morning, the way the moon seems a thousand times bigger in the country, or the way the sky is so clear that it is as if you can reach out and grab the stars.  These are the things that I love most about living in the country, the sense of belonging and being at one with nature, and its elements.  There is certain peacefulness and tranquility that comes from this that could never be found in the city!

One thing I miss most about where I grew up in the city is the open waters.  I very much grew up as a water baby, it is my ultimate peace and there is nothing in this world that I love more than the ocean.  Growing up within blocks of the Chesapeake Bay allowed me to connect with the world in ways I would never be able to explain, in fact, it was the only way I was able to feel at one with one of my creators, Gaia (Mother Nature).  When life was becoming tough, or I was becoming overwhelmed with things going on in my life, I could go down to the bay and stare out over the water, possibly swim and become one with the waves, or just meditate with the infinite waters as my focal point, either way; it was how I was able to keep grounded.  This is the one thing I miss most about living in WV, there is no water here, not the waters I am used to anyways..More like mud holes…yuck, so when I go to Maryland to visit, the highlight of my trips is the time I get to spend on the bay, swimming with my nephew and niece, Garrett and Julia.  In fact, for years, every time I have gone home to visit them, we spend much of our time at Cape Beach (cape st. claire), which is a local community beach that sits on the Chesapeake Bay.  The beach is close to my sister’s home and one in which she is very much a member of their community.  I have never had any problems when I would go to this beach and spent many hours just playing in the sand, swimming out to the bowies with my nephew, or doing handstands in the water with my niece, either way, it was a time for me to let all the cares and problems in life sort of melt away and just be surrounded with that which I love most, family and the open water.

This past weekend, when I happened to be in Maryland for a few days for an unexpected trip, I attempted to take my nephew and niece to this local beach to enjoy an afternoon of fun and pleasure, as we usually do on our excursions; however, I was met by incredibly rude, selfish/greedy, hateful, and mean people.  The people who live near the little community beach, (a man with a bald head) came out of his house and told me that I could not park on the side street.  I apologized, thanked him and my nephew, niece, and I began to get into my car and move it.  He came to the end of his driveway and said to me, “you shouldn’t even be here; I bet you’re not a member of the community.”  My reply to him was, “no sir, I am babysitting these children who are,” and he said “yeah right, that’s what they all say, and then they come and leave their beer cans and cigarette butts.”  My reply to him, “sir, I do not smoke, I do not drink, I do not do drugs, and I use Jesus as my role model, we are just trying to enjoy some fun on the water.”  He came to the end of his driveway and got very loud and irate and said, “You’re all perfect, we are all perfect, get real.”  I knew, at that moment, to just get in my car before I said something I may regret.  I couldn’t believe it, I had been coming to this community beach for years, I was with two young kids, I am very respectful and polite, and I just wanted to enjoy the bay, which I terribly missed.  I got into my car, and I burst out in tears..I just couldn’t understand how people could be so mean, greedy, and unwelcoming; this is something I am not used to at all.  You see, in WV 99% of people would welcome you with open arms, and give you the shirt off their backs, and never ever in a million years would they deny you something that they knew would make you so incredibly happy yet not really affect them in any way.  WOW, I thought, this just confirms my feelings of “city folks” being rude, selfish, and only out for them.  Two days, in a row, I tried to go to this beach and was met, both times, by two different individuals who told me I did not belong there.  What gets me even more is my sister helps out with all of their local community events in their community, participates in the parades, helps out with the “strawberry festival” that is held every year at the beach, and her children go to school and play various sports in that area, so they are VERY MUCH A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY. 

One thing I am very proud of is my ability to hold it in, and not act on my emotions, no one will change me, and I will continue to meet rudeness, hate, or any other “devilish” ways with love.  I will not allow myself to mirror their ways, nor will I allow myself to react to their behaviors.  I take pride in knowing that I am true to no one but myself and the fact that I will never let anything anyone says or does to me change the way I act…which is out of love.  I am not confident with the person I am, nor do I have anything to prove to anyone about who I am or what I stand for.  I know myself better than anyone else who may claim to, and I can tell you. I am darn proud of the person I am, my actions and choices, and more so, my ability to always act out of LOVE!

This blog is meant to be somewhat of a shout out to the people of WV.  You were leery of accepting me into your community at first, but you have always shown me the benefit of the doubt!  The sense of belonging and community that I feel here is much like that of a large family.  People here are supportive, caring, kind, and always looking for ways to serve and help others.  I hope you all realize what a wonderful gift you guys offer to the world!  Here where people may not have the nicest homes or cars, the best paying jobs, or a college degree…but they have much much more…way more than all you city folk will ever have, the ability to share, help, give back, and you support and encourage one another, these are the qualities that you are sending to your youth, no matter what type of education or jobs they have, they will be raised with these qualities which mean far, far more than anything, especially in this critical time for our nation and economy.  Those city folk who have nice new beamers, and big homes, but are selfish and greedy, you know what, when things collapse, it is going to be us that stand strong because we are UNITED and cherish and love one another just as much as we do our own families.

I always say that there is nothing we can’t do….US, a million lower status, lower financial bracket, but huge hearted people with good intentions, will rise far above those few individuals in the world that own 80% of it, because when it comes down to it, money cannot buy true support, love, belonging, and sincere, honest, and trustworthy individuals.  I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you, but just because people have money, it does not mean that you can get all that you want…yeah, you may be able to buy those supporters, friends, legal team, campaigns, real estate, etc. but when it comes to it, you really can’t buy people, and guess what, if you can, then you are buying people with absolutely no moral, ethical, or value guidelines….lol not quite the type of people id ever want on my side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that is for my fellow lovers, the ones that believe in hard work, supporting one another, second chances, compassion, reaching out, and sharing what we do have in order to make a better world.  It’s the people who try, whether it be through hard work, encouraging/inspiring goodness in others, helping others to have their needs or overcome challenges, or just a kind word or gesture….Please, please, please do not let anyone ever change that in you because the world terribly needs people like you will stand strong in the face of adversary, challenges, and oppositions!  God bless <3