Ferroth

What can you do for your nation? Not just him. Not just her. Not just them. Not just whoever is in any ‘hot seat’ in government. What can you do to make your nation a little better? Your city? Your neighborhood? Your home? Every nation has its leaders and representatives. A face. But every nation is made of people. The people and what they say, do, and why they say or do anything, makes their nation, and determines that nation’s stability, safety, and tranquility. Any corruption starts with the little things. The littles ways people start becoming dishonest. Or stealing tiny little insignificant things. Telling little white lies…because that can give way to bigger dangers. People watch your example, and they learn from it. And others watch their examples and learn from it. It grows and becomes a great problem. Even seeing people as being different from you. ‘Those people are not us.’ ‘They believe different things that I don’t believe, and they will be the fall of the nation. I blame them.’ Any house divided cannot stand. Any family, any neighborhood, any nation. There are opinions everywhere, but only one truth. Are we all going to agree on everything? Likely never. But we must not make enemies of each other. We should educate one another and ourselves, and be humble with ourselves, set aside our pride, and pursue whatever is true together. Open up, communicate, in a spirit that does not accuse or condemn too quickly before listening. Even if we think we have the answers, we must be open and not afraid to learn something new. If the truth is out there, and if we have the ability to discern what is correct, true, and right, there is nothing to fear from exploring—even if just to understand where others are coming from—something so important in clean communication. Set a good example. Be welcoming. Be compassionate. Be wise and discerning. Do not condemn but try advising peacefully. Educate yourself with information and be prepared to meet whatever you will encounter in your nation. Be respectful of one other. Honor the human rights of every person through your words, actions with from a heart of love, not ego or pride. Do not be jealous, honor the good victories of others. Victories that build and heal and show love and compassion, wisdom and bravery. As Doctor Martin Luther King Junior said in his Strength to Love speech in 1963, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." And as Doctor King said in his Atlanta sermon in Georgia in 1967 "If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective." Mankind must be upheld. Anything that creates division in our minds, ‘us versus them,’ must be torn down. This is not to say we shouldn’t be discerning—but we must be compassionate and uphold humanity, and the dignity of every person. Not just by voting for this person or that but by our compassionate example. And by holding our representatives accountable even the ones we vote for. We must be careful to not be loyal to any one person and whatever they say or do or who we believe them to be that it come before what it true. We must be loyal to mankind, our neighbor everywhere. We must show it by our polite and respectful example. Our educated and wise example. Our good deeds. Our rebuking for apathy of what is wrong—even the little things. Our desire to build up others, not destroy them, where at all possible. To defend those who are wronged. To give to those who have none. Once again quoting Doctor Martin Luther King Junior, this time from his letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Anywhere, even in our homes, our neighborhoods, our cities, and everyplace and most importantly everyone who makes up anyone’s nation. Let it start with you. Let good deeds, shunning wrong deeds, compassion, discernment, and justice and peace all start with you. There’s much work to be done, because people see the example of others. Hypocrisy hides in many corners of the world, and people suffer from it. They don’t forget what they suffer. They don’t easily forgive. Clean it up, and let others know you clean it up not because you hate your nation, but because you love your nation. Any enduring nation must be able to live with its conscience. Love your nation, because you love humanity. Because you put mankind before all—the dignity for every living person before pride, before clan, tribe, house, whatever. Show you understand the importance of what is right. And the dangers of what is wrong. There is work to do. We must all hold each other accountable, uphold what is true, in a spirit of compassion, and pursuit of what is right. We must be humble, listen to each other. Look at each other and see—this is my friend. What can I do for them? What can I change? What can I do, to move my nation and the world, mankind, closer in the direction of what it right? What is enduring? What is stable, and tranquil? Just believe. :) ——— Comments disabled to avoid potential wildfires. It is not my intention to endorse any political agenda here or condemn another—it is my intention to transcend political agendas and address something much more important. The truth, and the pursuit of it. Education and learning—as much as possible. What is right, avoiding what is wrong. Respecting one another. Working together and setting aside a clan, tribe, house, any unjust and detrimental division. Reaching out and listening to each other and being willing to listen to what they have to say—not being afraid of information in pursuit of the truth. Doing one’s own part, not just a leader or representative. I decided to write this journal after listening to a compassionate friend of mine who has seen many people stealing in front of her in a cashier line. :( The fall of any nation starts with the smallest injustices—ones we do again and again even if we know they’re wrong or we kid ourselves into believing it’s ok—the principle of hypocrisy. But I believe just as little things from everyday people can hurt a nation, the good things from the everyday person can help heal it. :)

“Yo it's crazy, amazing We can turn our heart through the words we say Mountains crumble with every syllable Hope can live or die Well, it's crazy to imagine Words from my lips as the arms of compassion Mountains crumble with every syllable Hope can live or die So speak life, speak life To the deadest darkest night Speak life, speak life When the sun won't shine and you don't know why Look into the eyes of the broken hearted Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope You speak love, you speak You speak life, oh oh oh oh oh You speak life, oh oh oh oh oh” Speak Life sung by Toby Mac— Song Writers Jamie Moore / Ryan Stevenson / Toby Mckeehan Happy Easter everyone! :) Come Alive. Just Believe.