With so much going on in the world does it make sense to anyone that acting out in violence against violence ever works? I know that right now in America the black citizens are outraged at the grand jury's decision not to indict two white officers who "killed black men".
We stand on our soap boxes shouting that we want justice for the people wrongly "killed", yet we offer up as a way of social change, violence. Has anyone stopped to consider that if we as out spoken people of America want social equality, then violence has to be the last action we take against one another.
Look you may not like that I'm quoting from the bible, but sometimes what we cry out for what has already be set in example. Don't forget, "Do unto others' as you would have them do unto to you." And yes that means that sometimes when we think that something awful, some higher form of injustice has occurred, we must stand quietly, hold each others' hands and lift up our voices for change.
That path is never easy, it requires courage from a place far greater than most of us are willing to give. That level of courage must come from our hearts along with forgiveness, another aspect from the bible. Learning how to have that big social change means understanding that violence for everyone is wrong no matter the reason you think it is necessary.
There will never be a time in our history where there is complete and true equality, that will only happen in the movies. People can come together as close as we can get, still demanding that all others' must live in peace, void of violence. This is a concept that far too often we expect for everyone else, but ourselves.
That thing that you would demand from your neighbor, you must also demand from yourself, there in lies true equality and justice for all. Look to yourself for justice, for it is right inside of you, deep down within your heart, right where God placed it at your birth. We should never lose sight of justice without violence, equality for all, by all.
Praise be to all mankind, be merciful, kind and loving. True Peace from within, will surely survive on the outside.
CJ
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2014
Ranting
There's nothing new about how awful and sad families can be with each other. We live our whole lives under the assumption that family always comes first, but what exactly does that mean? For me, right now that means family can change events that happen to suit their own purposes, even if those events aren't the truth.
This rant covers one event that is a decade old and the other eight years. It is a subject that I have written about before and no matter how I try to solve the problem it just doesn't seem to go away or get better. Now, I'm just plain sick and tired of information being twisted to suit other people, family members needs. In short order, I'm pissed.
Here's how I see this situation that has torn me away from my father and my siblings, except for my older brother. In 1997 my husband and I had our home broken into and there were things that we had stolen from us. One of those items was my husband wedding band. Although I found out who was behind the thief, I had no witness to the event and no evidence to support that knowledge. I also knew why the thief occurred, but could do nothing to change of those facts.
I went to my father telling him about those events and asking him two questions that day we spoke in my parents home. The first question was when he and my mother passed away the only thing that I would like to have was his wedding band, which was exactly the same type of ring my husband had had and my paternal grandmother's bible which he had told me my whole life would be mine anyway.
According to my father it was my grandmother's wishes that I have her bible because I had been named after her and my father was her oldest child, and I was his first born daughter. Second my husband is a mechanist just like my father and so I told my dad that his ring would be a nice thing to pass on to us. I in turn would pass on the bible to my first born, our daughter and the ring would go to our son. Since my husband and I only have two children each of our children would receive one special heirloom from my family.
My mother had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and it was such a rare type we knew that the chance of her being cure was zero. My mother was an only child and she had always wished for a large family, thus six children were born in our family. We are three boys, three girls, how cool is that for having a large family. I told my parents that I would wave any other consideration of inheritances including money for the two items I asked for and both of my parents agreed. I never thought about this conversation again until right before my mother passed away.
My father accepted an invitation to our home for dinner one Sunday after church. I thought he could use a home cooked meal and little time away from mother's failing health circumstances. That day he brought my grandmother's bible and a bible that belonged to my mother with him to my home. He and I sat at my table and he signed my mother's bible over to me. We decided together not write in my grandmother's bible because it was an antique and I didn't want to add anything to what already existed in those original pages. My father never said another word about those bibles for the next ten years.
As time moved on from my mother's passing my dad changed quickly. Two weeks after my mother passed away he took his wedding band off and announced that he didn't have to wear it anymore, he wasn't married now. Okay, he was right. He wasn't married anymore, but that only meant that he could start trying to date my parents single female friends, which he did.
We, his children were caught off guard. We hadn't expected him to move so quickly in his efforts to find another wife. He spoke often about the single brother and sister that still lived at home and how they would have to move out when he got married again. He moved quickly from one single female friend to another, always hoping that he had found his next wife.
As it worked out none of the females he tried to take up with were interested in marriage. In 2006 it was brought to my attention that the ring that dad had promised me wasn't going to be left to me, but to my niece who at this point wanted nothing to do with our family. She was single and had our last name and it was told to us that she was even trying to change her last name so as not to be associated with any of us.
At that point I spoke to my father, reminded him of his promise to me and thus he agreed that I was right. He remember that I had agreed to give up all claims to any and all property for the bible and ring. The bible I had, the ring should be mine upon his passing. Here's where again my father took charge and after being invited for dinner on a Sunday he came through my door and immediately handed me his wedding band.
I asked him several times if he might not want to wait and leave it for me till after he was gone. He assured me that he wanted the right person to get it and he was making sure that I got his ring. My husband asked him if maybe he shouldn't just leave instruction that I was to receive the ring after he had passed away. He again said he wanted me to have it, he wanted to make sure the right person got his ring. It was at this point that I thought the situation with the bible and the ring had been settled. At his passing I would receive no money or any other property in lieu of the two items I had already gotten. I was satisfied with this arrangement and thought all was well.
In 2010 my younger sister who is the executor of my parents' wills informed my daughter that the bible I had been given in 2000 was not mine to keep. The bible according to my sister was to be hers, per my mother's will. Also the ring that my father gave me was not mine, but was to go to our niece per my mother's will. Stating this fact to my daughter those items needed to be return to my father, immediately.
Are you kidding me? First of all neither of those items belonged to my mother and were not hers' to give away since she died before my father. Second of all my father gave both of those items to me and for a decade no one said a word about either one. My sister came to my house hundreds of times to visit me, or my grand daughters when they were in town. She saw the bibles every time she came to my home and yet she never mention any of this to me, not once in ten years. She also knew I had the ring and again never said a word to me until 2006 when I then reminded my dad of his promise to me. After 2006, not one word was ever spoken to me about the ring. So why all of a sudden did things change? What happen to me giving up everything that I might get just so I could have two things that I wanted more than money?
What happen was my sister had a little incident involving my grand daughter, owed my grand girl an apology and couldn't, wouldn't give it to her. That lead to a split with my daughter and son in law and took my sister ability to visit with them away. In short my sister created an event to make me a bad guy and to get even with me because I did apologize to my daughter and son in law and to my beautiful grand girl for my part in the mishaps.
So here we all are in 2014 and what do suppose has happen? Well, once again the subject of the bible and ring has come up. My father who is still alive has gone on a hell raiser with me about those items being return to him. But here's the kicker, I don't have those items anymore. I have since passed the bible on to my daughter, which is what I said I was going to do and the ring now belongs to my son. My son uses the wedding band for his own wedding band at this time. This information has been shared with my father and my children have told me to have their grandfather contact them. My dad will not do that and has no intention of speaking to either one of my children about those items.
So exactly what am I to do about this? Well, according to my sister, who by the way refuses to speak to me and hasn't spoken to me since 2010, the year of the grand- daughter incident, my mother's will can't be probated. HUM, let me see, why not? The items in my mother's will that she would have given to someone else were not hers' to give away unless my father passed away first. Okay, that didn't happen so my dad was free and clear to give me those items.
Now it's a free for all as the rest of my siblings join in the fun of smashing me, except for my older brother who doesn't want to be involved. He's the smart one if you ask me. My dad told me as late as last night that he was threw with me, that I had taken as much from him as I could and he didn't have anything else for me. I am never to contact him again and as far as he is concern I am not allowed to come to his funeral.
Well, I'll be a jackass then. How in the world can things get so upside down? My dad was the one who gave me the bibles and the ring and now it's my fault that my mom's will isn't probated. What? Funny how no one in the family is talking about the jewelry that was suppose to go to my daughter per my mother's will or the desk that my son never got that my mom left to him. No one has an answer for those missing items. HUM...... Go figure, right.
So, here we are all messed up and I'm on outs with the family. Okay, so this is my rant and I know that none of this makes any sense, but this is the nature of the Griffins, so it has been my whole life.
We are a crazy bunch of messed people, who hold grudges and spit and spew at one another for things that will never count for anything in our next life. As for me all I can do is pray for myself that I won't end up being so hateful like the rest of my family, older brother being the exception here. I pray for myself, my father and my brothers and sisters to find peace, if not with each other than within ourselves, myself included.
I hope that some how I will always remember that at the end of the day I still have a good, loving husband, and a wonderful daughter and son in law, a good son and sweet daughter in law and three beautiful, smart and awesome grand girls that are the light of my heart and soul.
While I may not have a close family of a father, brothers or sisters, God has provided me with a great family of my own. No amount of money, rings or bibles can take their place. All things considered, I'm still rocking pretty good here. From where I sit, I'm in a far much better place than the family that wants to spend time hating.
I continue to wish for peace to all concern. Love is far greater a skill than hating any day of the week and so the story goes on.
Be well and forgive the rant, now I feel much better.
Peace out.
CJ
This rant covers one event that is a decade old and the other eight years. It is a subject that I have written about before and no matter how I try to solve the problem it just doesn't seem to go away or get better. Now, I'm just plain sick and tired of information being twisted to suit other people, family members needs. In short order, I'm pissed.
Here's how I see this situation that has torn me away from my father and my siblings, except for my older brother. In 1997 my husband and I had our home broken into and there were things that we had stolen from us. One of those items was my husband wedding band. Although I found out who was behind the thief, I had no witness to the event and no evidence to support that knowledge. I also knew why the thief occurred, but could do nothing to change of those facts.
I went to my father telling him about those events and asking him two questions that day we spoke in my parents home. The first question was when he and my mother passed away the only thing that I would like to have was his wedding band, which was exactly the same type of ring my husband had had and my paternal grandmother's bible which he had told me my whole life would be mine anyway.
According to my father it was my grandmother's wishes that I have her bible because I had been named after her and my father was her oldest child, and I was his first born daughter. Second my husband is a mechanist just like my father and so I told my dad that his ring would be a nice thing to pass on to us. I in turn would pass on the bible to my first born, our daughter and the ring would go to our son. Since my husband and I only have two children each of our children would receive one special heirloom from my family.
My mother had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and it was such a rare type we knew that the chance of her being cure was zero. My mother was an only child and she had always wished for a large family, thus six children were born in our family. We are three boys, three girls, how cool is that for having a large family. I told my parents that I would wave any other consideration of inheritances including money for the two items I asked for and both of my parents agreed. I never thought about this conversation again until right before my mother passed away.
My father accepted an invitation to our home for dinner one Sunday after church. I thought he could use a home cooked meal and little time away from mother's failing health circumstances. That day he brought my grandmother's bible and a bible that belonged to my mother with him to my home. He and I sat at my table and he signed my mother's bible over to me. We decided together not write in my grandmother's bible because it was an antique and I didn't want to add anything to what already existed in those original pages. My father never said another word about those bibles for the next ten years.
As time moved on from my mother's passing my dad changed quickly. Two weeks after my mother passed away he took his wedding band off and announced that he didn't have to wear it anymore, he wasn't married now. Okay, he was right. He wasn't married anymore, but that only meant that he could start trying to date my parents single female friends, which he did.
We, his children were caught off guard. We hadn't expected him to move so quickly in his efforts to find another wife. He spoke often about the single brother and sister that still lived at home and how they would have to move out when he got married again. He moved quickly from one single female friend to another, always hoping that he had found his next wife.
As it worked out none of the females he tried to take up with were interested in marriage. In 2006 it was brought to my attention that the ring that dad had promised me wasn't going to be left to me, but to my niece who at this point wanted nothing to do with our family. She was single and had our last name and it was told to us that she was even trying to change her last name so as not to be associated with any of us.
At that point I spoke to my father, reminded him of his promise to me and thus he agreed that I was right. He remember that I had agreed to give up all claims to any and all property for the bible and ring. The bible I had, the ring should be mine upon his passing. Here's where again my father took charge and after being invited for dinner on a Sunday he came through my door and immediately handed me his wedding band.
I asked him several times if he might not want to wait and leave it for me till after he was gone. He assured me that he wanted the right person to get it and he was making sure that I got his ring. My husband asked him if maybe he shouldn't just leave instruction that I was to receive the ring after he had passed away. He again said he wanted me to have it, he wanted to make sure the right person got his ring. It was at this point that I thought the situation with the bible and the ring had been settled. At his passing I would receive no money or any other property in lieu of the two items I had already gotten. I was satisfied with this arrangement and thought all was well.
In 2010 my younger sister who is the executor of my parents' wills informed my daughter that the bible I had been given in 2000 was not mine to keep. The bible according to my sister was to be hers, per my mother's will. Also the ring that my father gave me was not mine, but was to go to our niece per my mother's will. Stating this fact to my daughter those items needed to be return to my father, immediately.
Are you kidding me? First of all neither of those items belonged to my mother and were not hers' to give away since she died before my father. Second of all my father gave both of those items to me and for a decade no one said a word about either one. My sister came to my house hundreds of times to visit me, or my grand daughters when they were in town. She saw the bibles every time she came to my home and yet she never mention any of this to me, not once in ten years. She also knew I had the ring and again never said a word to me until 2006 when I then reminded my dad of his promise to me. After 2006, not one word was ever spoken to me about the ring. So why all of a sudden did things change? What happen to me giving up everything that I might get just so I could have two things that I wanted more than money?
What happen was my sister had a little incident involving my grand daughter, owed my grand girl an apology and couldn't, wouldn't give it to her. That lead to a split with my daughter and son in law and took my sister ability to visit with them away. In short my sister created an event to make me a bad guy and to get even with me because I did apologize to my daughter and son in law and to my beautiful grand girl for my part in the mishaps.
So here we all are in 2014 and what do suppose has happen? Well, once again the subject of the bible and ring has come up. My father who is still alive has gone on a hell raiser with me about those items being return to him. But here's the kicker, I don't have those items anymore. I have since passed the bible on to my daughter, which is what I said I was going to do and the ring now belongs to my son. My son uses the wedding band for his own wedding band at this time. This information has been shared with my father and my children have told me to have their grandfather contact them. My dad will not do that and has no intention of speaking to either one of my children about those items.
So exactly what am I to do about this? Well, according to my sister, who by the way refuses to speak to me and hasn't spoken to me since 2010, the year of the grand- daughter incident, my mother's will can't be probated. HUM, let me see, why not? The items in my mother's will that she would have given to someone else were not hers' to give away unless my father passed away first. Okay, that didn't happen so my dad was free and clear to give me those items.
Now it's a free for all as the rest of my siblings join in the fun of smashing me, except for my older brother who doesn't want to be involved. He's the smart one if you ask me. My dad told me as late as last night that he was threw with me, that I had taken as much from him as I could and he didn't have anything else for me. I am never to contact him again and as far as he is concern I am not allowed to come to his funeral.
Well, I'll be a jackass then. How in the world can things get so upside down? My dad was the one who gave me the bibles and the ring and now it's my fault that my mom's will isn't probated. What? Funny how no one in the family is talking about the jewelry that was suppose to go to my daughter per my mother's will or the desk that my son never got that my mom left to him. No one has an answer for those missing items. HUM...... Go figure, right.
So, here we are all messed up and I'm on outs with the family. Okay, so this is my rant and I know that none of this makes any sense, but this is the nature of the Griffins, so it has been my whole life.
We are a crazy bunch of messed people, who hold grudges and spit and spew at one another for things that will never count for anything in our next life. As for me all I can do is pray for myself that I won't end up being so hateful like the rest of my family, older brother being the exception here. I pray for myself, my father and my brothers and sisters to find peace, if not with each other than within ourselves, myself included.
I hope that some how I will always remember that at the end of the day I still have a good, loving husband, and a wonderful daughter and son in law, a good son and sweet daughter in law and three beautiful, smart and awesome grand girls that are the light of my heart and soul.
While I may not have a close family of a father, brothers or sisters, God has provided me with a great family of my own. No amount of money, rings or bibles can take their place. All things considered, I'm still rocking pretty good here. From where I sit, I'm in a far much better place than the family that wants to spend time hating.
I continue to wish for peace to all concern. Love is far greater a skill than hating any day of the week and so the story goes on.
Be well and forgive the rant, now I feel much better.
Peace out.
CJ
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Letting Go
I recently experienced something very,very painful to me. The last few years I have been estranged from my father and all but one of my siblings. In order to build a bridge of peace between those of us estranged I try once again to reach out.
I thought that if I reached out to my aging father who is 84 that perhaps he might at least take time to meet with me.
At first he agreed to have lunch with me, and that felt very promising. But the very next day he called and there it was, once again those same strings being attached to our relationship. Again he and I had to revisit the same situation that had torn us apart, but to no avail.
How many times would he and I cross over this same pathway? We had talked about the "thing" that had ripped us apart. Over and over I went to the event that had happen, what he had done and how he had turned around 10 years after the fact changing his mind and wanting to redo -re-gift items that he had given me.
We talked about this situation for hours, again. Going over the whole event play by play. Yet, 10 years after the fact he still wanted me to give him back the gifts he had given me.
Strangely enough I no longer had those gifts. By this point in time I had passed those items on to my two children. They now belong to my children and I would not ask for them back. It went against everything that I stood for, NO was still my answer.
I told him that he was more than welcomed to call his grandchildren up, ask them for the items. He would not.
Now, once again I am closed off from my family, my father, my two younger sisters and two of my younger brothers. This was a real heart breaker for me, again.
So, now what, I thought. Well, I'm doing the only thing that I can, I'm moving on. Pushing forward even though I know that the chances of me seeing my father before he dies is highly unlikely.
In the end all there is left for me to do is to gather up my strength and except to art of letting go. It's not what I want, but it's all I have.
I love my father and my sisters and brothers. I pray for their happiness and well being everyday, but I can not be consumed by this any more.
So, I'm letting go and moving on. I wish them wellness always, but as for me, well I'm doing just fine.
Living, loving and being happy isn't always easy, but with a lot of practice it can get easier.
Be happy people.
CJ
I thought that if I reached out to my aging father who is 84 that perhaps he might at least take time to meet with me.
At first he agreed to have lunch with me, and that felt very promising. But the very next day he called and there it was, once again those same strings being attached to our relationship. Again he and I had to revisit the same situation that had torn us apart, but to no avail.
How many times would he and I cross over this same pathway? We had talked about the "thing" that had ripped us apart. Over and over I went to the event that had happen, what he had done and how he had turned around 10 years after the fact changing his mind and wanting to redo -re-gift items that he had given me.
We talked about this situation for hours, again. Going over the whole event play by play. Yet, 10 years after the fact he still wanted me to give him back the gifts he had given me.
Strangely enough I no longer had those gifts. By this point in time I had passed those items on to my two children. They now belong to my children and I would not ask for them back. It went against everything that I stood for, NO was still my answer.
I told him that he was more than welcomed to call his grandchildren up, ask them for the items. He would not.
Now, once again I am closed off from my family, my father, my two younger sisters and two of my younger brothers. This was a real heart breaker for me, again.
So, now what, I thought. Well, I'm doing the only thing that I can, I'm moving on. Pushing forward even though I know that the chances of me seeing my father before he dies is highly unlikely.
In the end all there is left for me to do is to gather up my strength and except to art of letting go. It's not what I want, but it's all I have.
I love my father and my sisters and brothers. I pray for their happiness and well being everyday, but I can not be consumed by this any more.
So, I'm letting go and moving on. I wish them wellness always, but as for me, well I'm doing just fine.
Living, loving and being happy isn't always easy, but with a lot of practice it can get easier.
Be happy people.
CJ
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Knowing self worth, that's justice.
Sometimes I think about all the craziness going in the world. I wonder why innocence people often can't find justice. Then I think about the idea of what justice means.
Does it ever really prevail for mankind?
Since the earliest of days when man first stepped into being and Cain killed Able, we have sought some form of justice. But what is justice exactly?
Is it the act of making others' feel better about what has happen and how they are left to feel?
Is justice setting right the wrong done to another person even if that person has passed on from this life? How do we then seek justice for them?
Is justice the act of making others feel your pain for your loss?
Knowing my own self worth when things go terribly bad in my life can have it's own value of justice.
Knowing in my heart and soul that I have to wish and want love for every human being, including those that have caused me harm has justice attached to it.
Too often we think of justice as the act of making our loss and the pain that accompanies that action as as even task master. Those that cause our pain should suffer as well.
But in reality that is not justice, that is too often revenge. Understanding that justice comes from within, and we act according to our moral standard of fairness. This does not always serve as justice for any loss.
Knowing myself and believing that forgiveness serves as it's own justice is not easy. Letting go of pain and submitting to art of forgiveness can allow you to embrace a greater concept of justice.
Many times there is no earthly justice, only what may or may not come in our final ending.
First understanding how to believe in the strength in your own heart while trying to rise above the hurt that we do to one another is our best hope. Justice will come from inside of your heart and soul, there to be share with all that know you.
Self worth, there is true justice in planting yourself completely and fully inside of that concept and letting what will be, will be.
All things wrongly done to you will be replaced with righteousness.
In the end, all will be well and right will replace wrong.
Take care to find justice first in your heart then in your life and the rest, well that is left to our maker, if you believe in that.
CJ
This is just my opinion. :)
Does it ever really prevail for mankind?
Since the earliest of days when man first stepped into being and Cain killed Able, we have sought some form of justice. But what is justice exactly?
Is it the act of making others' feel better about what has happen and how they are left to feel?
Is justice setting right the wrong done to another person even if that person has passed on from this life? How do we then seek justice for them?
Is justice the act of making others feel your pain for your loss?
Knowing my own self worth when things go terribly bad in my life can have it's own value of justice.
Knowing in my heart and soul that I have to wish and want love for every human being, including those that have caused me harm has justice attached to it.
Too often we think of justice as the act of making our loss and the pain that accompanies that action as as even task master. Those that cause our pain should suffer as well.
But in reality that is not justice, that is too often revenge. Understanding that justice comes from within, and we act according to our moral standard of fairness. This does not always serve as justice for any loss.
Knowing myself and believing that forgiveness serves as it's own justice is not easy. Letting go of pain and submitting to art of forgiveness can allow you to embrace a greater concept of justice.
Many times there is no earthly justice, only what may or may not come in our final ending.
First understanding how to believe in the strength in your own heart while trying to rise above the hurt that we do to one another is our best hope. Justice will come from inside of your heart and soul, there to be share with all that know you.
Self worth, there is true justice in planting yourself completely and fully inside of that concept and letting what will be, will be.
All things wrongly done to you will be replaced with righteousness.
In the end, all will be well and right will replace wrong.
Take care to find justice first in your heart then in your life and the rest, well that is left to our maker, if you believe in that.
CJ
This is just my opinion. :)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Why Lingerer?
I've mentioned several times that I am a southern gal from Georgia here in America. Every state in our awesome country has it's own rich and sometimes tragic history. For years many sectors of people have fought to have our state flag changed.
It probably isn't much of a secret that here in Georgia slavery was a very common denominator before and during our civil war. At one time our state flag was the Confederate Flag, a symbol of the southern unity for slavery.
Of course history shows that the civil war was a great instrument in the freedom of slaves. This was and has been the right choice for our country. No human should ever own another human, under any circumstances. However the fight about that symbol has continued onward.
Several years ago our legislators debated over the changes that our state needed to make and so the Confederate Flag was no more. It's original symbol did remain in a small form. The debate has reared it's head again taking on the discussion of whether or not there should be car tags that still have the Confederate Flag on them in any manner.
Some people would argue that that flag reflects racism and continues to display disrespect of the Negro community. Other say that it allows us to connect with our history and pride that our southern heritage maintains.
I don't like racism in any form. I am oppose to harmful treatment of any human being no matter their origin. As far as I am concern we are all God's children and since I don't know if God is a race of any type, then each man, women and child are equal.
However, having said that I pose this question. Can a flag no matter what it's symbolic history may be decide how I feel about other races? Does the Confederate symbol used on the car tags really reflect racism related to slavery of so long ago? When do why just let the past be the past and concentrate on improving the present and our future.
Sometimes the more you hang on to something negative the more it becomes the reason for the hatred. I think, and this is only my thoughts here, that if I work as hard as I can to be a better person everyday to every individual I come in contact with, then any symbol from the past can not represent who I am.
If I really want people to think better of me as a older white female from the south, then I have to be the very best that I can be. I am what you see. I am not a racist, but I am a fair and kind individual that cares deeply for everyone.
Moving forward and letting go is hard. Learning from the past and excepting the challenge to grow must be the goal.
Flag or no flag, I say let go and work on the issues that are killing our society. We have much bigger problems than whether or not a symbol on a car tag really reflect our hearts.
Why lingerer? It simply doesn't pay.
Be kind, it matters everyday.
CJ
It probably isn't much of a secret that here in Georgia slavery was a very common denominator before and during our civil war. At one time our state flag was the Confederate Flag, a symbol of the southern unity for slavery.
Of course history shows that the civil war was a great instrument in the freedom of slaves. This was and has been the right choice for our country. No human should ever own another human, under any circumstances. However the fight about that symbol has continued onward.
Several years ago our legislators debated over the changes that our state needed to make and so the Confederate Flag was no more. It's original symbol did remain in a small form. The debate has reared it's head again taking on the discussion of whether or not there should be car tags that still have the Confederate Flag on them in any manner.
Some people would argue that that flag reflects racism and continues to display disrespect of the Negro community. Other say that it allows us to connect with our history and pride that our southern heritage maintains.
I don't like racism in any form. I am oppose to harmful treatment of any human being no matter their origin. As far as I am concern we are all God's children and since I don't know if God is a race of any type, then each man, women and child are equal.
However, having said that I pose this question. Can a flag no matter what it's symbolic history may be decide how I feel about other races? Does the Confederate symbol used on the car tags really reflect racism related to slavery of so long ago? When do why just let the past be the past and concentrate on improving the present and our future.
Sometimes the more you hang on to something negative the more it becomes the reason for the hatred. I think, and this is only my thoughts here, that if I work as hard as I can to be a better person everyday to every individual I come in contact with, then any symbol from the past can not represent who I am.
If I really want people to think better of me as a older white female from the south, then I have to be the very best that I can be. I am what you see. I am not a racist, but I am a fair and kind individual that cares deeply for everyone.
Moving forward and letting go is hard. Learning from the past and excepting the challenge to grow must be the goal.
Flag or no flag, I say let go and work on the issues that are killing our society. We have much bigger problems than whether or not a symbol on a car tag really reflect our hearts.
Why lingerer? It simply doesn't pay.
Be kind, it matters everyday.
CJ
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