Who knows how long this sign had been standing there on the side of the road? Days, Weeks, Months? A couple of years perhaps? I don't know. What i do know is when several of my family members got into the car and drove down that road on December 26th last year is when i finally saw the sign. We were on the way to a funeral of my young niece. She'd been killed in an automobile accident just a few days before.
Now when i pass that sign, i read it and i say to myself. Zero. Because All Lives Matter.
July 5th another man was shot by police officers while they were detaining him outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Another man. Another human being was shot. Alton Sterling, a 37 year old black man was shot and killed by these officers that are here to "serve and protect". Who were they serving on Tuesday? Who were they protecting? From all reports these officers had the man down on the ground, pinned with no visible gun and still they shot him.
How many shooting deaths are acceptable in your family? Zero. Because All Lives Matter.
June 12th Orlando shooting. 50 deaths, including the shooter. Senseless. Needless.
June 25th Fresno, CA. Police shoot an unarmed white man, Dylan Noble, 19. Senseless. Needless.
July 7th, Saint Paul, MN. Police shoot Philando Castile, during a traffic stop. Senseless. Needless.
There are countless others. It saddens me to read anymore of them. My heart is heavy.
There is a movement #BlackLivesMatter that states on their website:
"Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression."
I ask myself, "what can i do?" Sure i gave money to the #WeAreOrlando fund. Sure last year i gave money to #TheCharlestonNine. But what does throwing money at a problem do? Hopefully it went to the people that matters. I'll never know.
Yes, I happen to be a middle class, middle aged white woman. I was lucky enough to have been born into a great family that didn't teach me racism, or that i was better than anyone else. My parents taught me to love people, no matter who they were. Because all lives matter. My parents taught me that i could do anything i wanted to do in life, i just needed to set my mind on it, plan it out and do it.
There are a lot of people in this world that weren't taught those simple principles. I've learned over the years that some people are taught that because of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their religious beliefs, they don't have options.
I'm hear to say that we all have options. It doesn't matter (or it shouldn't, but i'm affirming here), your race, your gender, your sexual orientation, whether you are fat or skinny, tall or short, a bully or the most loving, giving caring person i'll ever encounter. It doesn't matter if you are a genius or not. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, healthy or sick. It doesn't matter. IT DOESN'T MATTER. We have choices. And we've got to learn to make better choices. For ourselves, for each other, for our future.When you make the choice to hate, what are you teaching our children? When you make the choice to turn a blind eye to something, what are you teaching our children? When you make those choices you dig deeper into your own pit of despair.
What does God teach? God is Love. You make the choice to love or to live in fear. It isn't always easy, but we must choose to Live in Love. Live a life of service to others, not just your church, or your family or friends. Life a life of service to all. When you see someone that needs help, help them. A word, a smile, a hand - acknowledge that the person is ALIVE. SEE the human being, the Divine Spirit that dwells in them, SEE their Light that is shining. I KNOW it is scary sometimes. Because that person doesn't look like me. That person doesn't act like me, smell like me - but when you look into their eyes you realize that that person is you. Because we truly are ONE.
I wasn't sure what to write about today. I had no intention of writing. But the words came out - i don't have the answers to everything, i don't know how to change this trend of killing, all i know is i had to say something. No matter how small this something was/is. What can i do? Yes, i pray. Yes, i love. And that "golden rule" "Love your neighbor as thyself" i've been thinking about that. I'm here to tell you - that isn't necessarily a good rule. I say this because, for years, YEARS, i hated myself. And so yep, i hated others. I didn't think i did, but now that i have changed some of my thinking - i realized that i certainly didn't like myself. I didn't take care of myself, and i certainly didn't treat you any better. So first the golden rule should read something like, "Love yourself first, and then you will love others."
Perhaps that is it. Could it be that simple? Part of the reasons for the killings. No one loves themselves, so if they don't matter in their own lives, no one else's life matters. #AllLivesMatter #SimpleAsThat
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