Can the world change?

I want the world to change.

I want our value to be based on what we do, instead of what we have.

I want everyone, everywhere, to be able to wake up and do whatever they love, and do it to the best of their ability.

I want everyone, everywhere, to be able to receive whatever they need, and receive the best quality and quantity.

I want everyone, everywhere to be doing community service because they are part of the community that is receiving the service.

And I'm not sure humanity can handle it. We seem to thrive on struggle, on challenge. On rules and rewards and demerits. Perhaps it is something chemical that drives us, to reach and explore and pit ourselves against each other. To judge. To be the best, to have the most, to be the name in the history book.

After all the games we have created, after all the challenges we have thrown into our own paths, can any of us be satisfied with mastering the struggle of simply being our best every day?

Maybe, if we see it as the ultimate challenge. The challenge of being unique. The challenge of accepting ourselves without judgment.

Can I do it? Can you do it? Can we sit, just for five minutes, and let ourselves be? Can we exist, can we breathe, without the addictive adrenaline surge of worry and anxiety and comparison taught to us by society? Can I strive, every day, to be the best of me, and have it be enough?

 Can we allow ourselves all to be alpha, to be equal, to all have what we need, and to all do what we like to do, and to ALL be peaceful and joyful and competitive without harm to others? To live and experience and create and receive?

Can we, as humans, meet that challenge of creating a world that does not require the downfall, the humiliation, the subservience of another being?

Can the world change?

Let's find out.

I hope you're having a great day!
-Lila

Why Donald Trump?

I am a writer. And I have created a fantasy world.  

In this alternate Earth, there is a place called Ainland, that is ruled by a Queen.

Naturally there are people who expect they can do a better job of ruling, who want to make Ainland a better place according to their faith and their needs. They storm the castle and take the throne. But once they put the crown upon their head, She or He or It becomes the next Queen. Literally. Personal preference and past connections are forgotten; and the new female ruler is compelled to do what is best for the Land and the people.

Things obviously don’t work that way in America. Every human being, including the elected officials, business heads, philosophers, and spiritual leaders - everyone has free will. And a variety of opinions and beliefs.

So when Donald Trump swears himself into the office of the President of the United States, he will not magically transform into the best being or gender for the job. But what he will become is the elected official. Chosen through the system that is in place - a system based upon the opinions and choices of each and every citizen of the country. It may not be the best system but, since we don’t have a magic crown, it is the system we are working with. 

Our job now is to accept the choice, and, while we work to create a better system, work with the President we have. Even if he is the first person in the oval office to have a less than sterling character.

Oh, wait. He’s not.

Philandering, bias, looking out for their own interests, prejudice, misogyny… We (the people) have seen it all. And setting aside sexual misconduct (presumed or known,) what about the policies and intentions and actions for or against a specific race or class or gender or faith? These issues didn’t just spring up over the latest election night. 

Despite the documents which clearly state the purpose of our government, and the reason for the founding of this country, the current system does not treat all men and women as equal; nor does it afford them - afford us - equal self-evident chances to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

And since the system is made up of people, that means we as the people are not treating each other as equal. 

But maybe that is because we are not treating ourselves as deserving of equality. We have been hiding ourselves, desperately attempting to fit in, to either mold ourselves, or show the mask of social correctness. Finding the pack that will ensure the survival of our beliefs.

Or if that doesn’t work, trying to change the pack to fit our beliefs. Our needs. Throw a tantrum. Lash out. Bully our neighbors.

And now we have in office a man who is,or so I’ve heard (I’ve never actually read one of his books or watched a speech,) a bully, a braggart, an opinionated, self-righteous, misogynistic business man. An “ugly American.”

It appears he’s not hiding anything. We know of his actions and attitudes towards women, toward immigrants and aliens (though I’m not sure about ALIENS.) We know his attitudes toward races and classes and businesses. Towards celebrities and popular culture.

We know that because of his election, more people are showing themselves. White supremacists. Religious fanatics. Military extremists. Feminism. Black Rights. Gay rights. Human Rights. Activists for and against any number of beliefs and opinions.

We know that the emperor has no clothes; and he isn’t trying to tell us that he does. And so people feel it’s okay to strip off their own costumes.

And I think that is great. I think it’s time to be able to be ourselves. To stand up for our beliefs. To express the truth in our hearts. That is freedom! Not to inflict my belief on someone else, but definitely to be able to stand on the street corner and express with words my opinion. No matter what it is.

To each express and celebrate ourselves and our beliefs without fear of violence or oppression. Even if those beliefs are that the Native Americans make better New York cops than the Irish Americans (cuz of the horses.) Or that African American men are the only ones allowed to sing the bass line in the Hallelujiah Chorus. (It’s a gospel thing.) Or that homosexual Americans have better math skills than hetrosexual Americans. (Yeah, I have no basis for that one.)

I don’t expect you to believe all rulers should be Queen. 

What I’m asking, what I am practicing, is honoring and respecting the opinions of my fellow Americans, and allowing the country to continue it’s growth.

Maybe Donald Trump is the best representative for the country right now, this Ugly American. This brash inarticulate business man who wants to “Make America Great Again.” This being whose existence is bringing out the worst and the best in us.

Who knows what we really need? Except for the system to change. To allow us all to live - not similar lives, not cookie cutter versions of a single belief system - but equally. Each and every one of us secure in our truths and beliefs: lion and wolf and gazelle and eagle and dinosaur. Yellow and red and black and white and brown. Pine, juniper, willow, oak, and palm tree. Side by side. Honoring the fact that as people we are all equal. And all allowed our opinions.

Maybe his wall is a good thing.

But let’s not stop at Mexico. Let’s build one up by Canada too. Let’s enclose ourselves in a cocoon. So we can finish this transformation cycle. So that we can work it out amongst ourselves - we the people who have CHOSEN to stay here in the United States of America - we can argue and prophecy, protest and express, learn and conquer our fears and find ourselves.

And we can emerge a more civilized people who truly carry out the mandates on which the country was built.

 

One nation (not two parties and an unheard majority,)

 under GOD (no belief or title designated,) 

indivisible (unless we’re talking sports events,)

 with Liberty and Justice and equality for ALL.

Thank you.

Thank you for reading my opinion.

And I hope you have a great day.

-Lila

Soapbox of Perception - an unCivil war in which All of GOD's fires matter

Okay. Where to start?    (audio version)

Here are the issues rolling around in my brain.
* All Lives Matter
* A Country Divided
* The political monopoly
Let's see if I can express myself in a fashion easy to follow.


"All Lives Matter" - the War of the Words:
      Black lives matter vs All lives matter has been equated to ignoring a burning house: "My house is on fire." "All houses matter."

That comparison makes no sense to me. A more accurate interpretation is someone saying: "My purple house is on fire - my purple house needs attention."

And someone else replying "There are many houses on fire. They all need attention."

Sometimes, I admit it, I wish it was just one set of people with a definitive physical characteristic who was being oppressed, profiled, mistreated, bullied, wrongfully accused, and willfully slain. It would be so much easier, then, to know who to protect, who to guard, and (presumably) who the bad guys were.

But that is not the reality.

It doesn't matter what shade your skin is, what shape your eyes are, what tax bracket or zip code you are slotted in, what your labor is, or what spiritual rules you follow. If you live upon this planet, you have probably been harmed a time or two.

And if you are feeling harmed, it can feel even more harmful to hear "Black lives matter." Because it implies that only people who belong to that specific group are worthy of mattering. Only their suffering is true suffering; only their deaths are true deaths. They are the only ones who deserve to be helped.

But we are not groups. We are not governments and churches and societies and political parties and corporations and races and cultures. We are people. Individual. Unique. Alone.

As a happiness practitioner, I accept that people feel the need to band together for or against something in order to feel like they can survive, but, Ladies and Gentlemen, it has not improved any situation yet. Because here we are.

A "Country Divided"- as in separated into MANY parts:

An FB poster cited Obama as the cause for this division - and I disagree. I expect the African Americans, the American Indians, the LGBT Community, the Muslims, and the Asians all have examples of division in our past. Of course the Women have theirs. And let's not forget the Jews, the Pagans, or the indentured poor.

We have been a species divided since one being perceived difference and decided that difference was bad.

I don't know that America was ever truly whole; our Forefathers and Foremothers (meaning the leaders) were simply united AGAINST something.

And so they manipulated and compromised and created a country where "All men are created equal." And men, in the English language, stands for all human beings. And eventually, a form of democracy was founded in which we had a representative of this country, chosen by a majority vote.

Through the process of that election, some 200 years later,  a Democratic President with dark skin was voted into office. Many who voted differently then chose to deride and insult the chosen head of their chosen country. They chose to behave as if the voices and opinions of over half the citizens didn't matter. In short, they chose to behave as if Democracy was no longer a viable form of government.

And I know that not all Democrats have black or brown skin. (And not all those with black or brown skin are Democrats.) So I don't know if the uncivil choices were about skin color, or political party, or the need for a scapegoat because it feels like we're in a downhill slide and we can't figure out how to stop it.

Maybe it's simply that people perceive our choices to be limited, and they only know how to behave based on what used to be.

It does feel like some people are trying to convince the rest of us that there are only two groups in America. National and Foreigners. Christians and non-Christians. Black and White. Us and Them. Democrats and Republicans. (Aren't there laws against monopolies? Oh, but since there's two, it's not really a monopoly. My bad!)

But, just like there isn't only one specific physical characteristic that is being oppressed, there aren't only two political options. There aren't only two options for anything. There is no Right and Wrong. There isn't even an Us and Them!

There is me and you and him and her and her and him and him and her and her and him and...

And we each have thoughts about what would work and what is right for Us All! But it's not right for us all, it's simply right for us each individually.

For me.

Which is what Democracy is supposed to be, I think. An agreement by all to live by the rules that the majority has chosen.

And no. These rules should not work against Blacks, homosexuals, foreigners, women, the Green party,  non-Christians, or purple houses - whether or not they are on fire.

Neither should the rules favor them.

ALL lives matter.

All voices matter.

Each, individual person matters.

You matter.

I have pale, pinky white skin. I have blue eyes. I am female. I have a variety of medical challenges and a plethora of gifts and talents. I have a celtic american heritage; my current financial status is ambiguous; I identify with thespians and book worms and musicians and writers and spiritual leaders. I have theories about my past lives, but no proof. I have made decisions I am proud of, and ones that have helped me change.

But none of this is whoI AM.

I am Lila.

I am a one of a kind member of a diverse world.

And I matter.

Thank you, and I hope you have a great day!

-Lila

Soapbox of Perception - Imagine (as seen in Newsletter)

I would like to lead you on a mental exercise.

Think of your day, from beginning to end. You wake up. You break your fast, and groom yourself. You start your projects. You go to work or stay to work. You pick up groceries. You come home. You eat. You hang out with friends or family or both. You relax. You retire.

How many times did you pull out your wallet and give money to someone?

If it was none, yay. It was once or more, try again. Go through your day without giving money to anyone. Go through the day without receiving money from anyone. Keep everything else the same, including the picking up of groceries. Just take money totally out of the equation.

No, you're not stealing anything. You walk into the store, or get online, search for what you want, put it in the basket, even go through checkout for inventory or delivery purposes. And you leave the store or site. With no one chasing you. With no guilt. With the pleasant (or slightly annoyed) feeling of having accomplished another necessary chore.

Imagine that in your day. All the regular activities without money.

Imagine it in your week. Your month. Your year.

It's difficult to wrap your head around. It's taken me a long while to get past the reflex reaction of… if there's no money, how will I pay rent? How will I get food? How will I have electricity?

But imagine there is no money. Do the houses disappear? Does the soil quit growing produce? Do the cows quit giving milk? Do you stop?

During the Great Depression people didn't just cease to exist when they ran out of money. They may have killed themselves, or each other, but they didn't poof out of sight. The buildings stood vacant and fell into disrepair, they didn't vanish when the rent could no longer be paid. Think of this last economic crisis. The electricity didn't suddenly become unavailable when a person couldn't pay for it. It was turned off.

Despite the way we phrase it, money does not run the world. People use money to try and run other people. People use money as a status symbol, as power. And because money is the tool we use for goods exchange, people do a lot of things because they need money.

But what is money, really? It is an IOU. It is a form of barter using a middle man. Instead of working directly for the farmer and receiving milk and eggs and veg, you spend your time and energy at work. In exchange, work gives you money. You go to a store and trade the money for the edibles. The store has traded with the distributor, and the distributor trades with the farmer.

But money no longer represents the amount of energy expended.

Did I work any harder as an accountant than I did as a fast food clerk? No, I didn't. In fact, considering the smell and the quick tempo, the hazardous conditions, and polyester rash, fast food was probably a more difficult work environment than at-home bookkeeping.

And frankly, I work just as hard at writing as I did in the drive through station during rush hour. It's just different work.

So why is the monetary return so different, between energy expenditures: writer (zero); fast food worker (minimum wage); accountant (which could be anything from "nice" to "ridiculous"); retail; lawyer; teacher; insurance agent; doctor; politician; soldier; movie star?

Yes, yes. School and popularity and trends and fashion and science. So many philosophical and psychological discussions to tackle! And in my opinion, those are all, well, opinions.

For this article, let's just take money out of the picture.

Imagine: your health care doesn't depend on what you can afford. Imagine you can have whatever house brings you happiness, in whatever state or country you wish. Imagine you can train for whatever occupation you wish. Imagine wearing the clothes you like. Imagine driving the car you want to drive.

Imagine, more importantly, you could try a hundred different options until you found one that really truly suited you down to the ground. What are you doing with your life? What opportunities, options, possibilities for happiness have just opened up?

And, yes. I hear you. If there is no money, why would anyone work? Who would provide the health care, the houses, the street cleaning? What would motivate us? How would there be enough cool clothes, or cars, or food?  And how would we decide who gets which houses? Which cars? Which fancy stuff and which crap stuff?

Good questions. I hope to explore this subject further in a future article, now that I've actually managed to articulate the thesis. That money is not an accurate representative of the energy expended.

Perhaps you have the answer.

Imagine.

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila