Year: 2024

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Learning How To Vote

How have your political views changed over time?

Over the past few days I took a break on social media in order to spend some quality time with my family watching movies. I am very into inspirational movies that have a lot of high drama and then wrap up with a happy ending. I must admit, I am a sucker for love and a hopeless romantic.

I watched a really crazy one called The Kept Woman, that I felt I needed to be rescued from. There was so much symbolism in there that was clearly inferencing conservatives vs liberals in a tongue in cheek, Norman Bates meets Laverne and Shirley type of way. The not so subtle politics of it all got me thinking.

An Interesting Politiview

I used to secretly call myself a liberal traditionalist. Itโ€™s a name I coined which means, I believe in tradition for me and liberal values for you, if you chose them. But, as a law professor I worked with once said, โ€œyou just want to do what you want and have someone else pay for it.โ€ Iโ€™d never thought of it that way, but I plead the fifth to that statement. Iโ€™ve given this statement a bit of thought over the years and have come to the conclusion that itโ€™s basically a common sense moderate. ๏ฟผ

When I turned 18 and was finally able to vote I was an environmental girl. It made sense that I was planning to cast for the Green Party yet I clearly remember being told by a classmate at the University of Michigan that โ€œweโ€ were all voting blue. So I voted for President Clinton, and I didnโ€™t give it much thought because I was not fully invested in politics. Like lot of young people I was concerned about rushing, partying, going to classes and dating. Also, I thought he did a great job. I donโ€™t regret voting for him. My money looked great at the time he was in office. I mean, what was not to love?. Iโ€™ve since learned that life is more nuanced than that and I know many people had a fair amount of complaints during that time.

During those years, I was very much into my church. Although I occasionally went to mass by myself, I considered my church home to be the non denominational church, Word of Faith. I was very into my church sorority/fraternity on campus and they thought differently about politics. I simply assumed that my pastor was a Democrat. I learned later that he was not. He was the person that advised me to stay in school and then pursue my acting dreams and Iโ€™d be blessed. I wish I listened. I went my own way, only to come back to what he said, and finally get back on track.

In college I was close with his daughter as well. We lived in the same dorm and she was a good friend and even mentor. They were a family strong on family values and adamantly against abortion. At the time, it was not a big deal for me. Again, I was against it, but I also didnโ€™t feel that connected to the issue. I didnโ€™t know anyone that had one. I didnโ€™t plan to get one and I figured that it would all take care of itself. This is the mindset of a lot of wait and see individuals.

I also regretfully condemned people on other issues. Those typical Christian arguments about not being fully submitted to God or who drank alcohol. Ironically, as I began to enter the Feminist arena later in life I took the simple stance of women being equal. Equal pay, equal opportunity, etc. That was until I learned about the movement during the 19th century and the role of African American club women. LThese highly privileged women did not resonate with me at the time, but they would later in my life. They share my values and beliefs and their ideas of advancement work in tandem with men. Yet, I still remained dissociated from my politics, like a lot of people, because I figured it would all work out by the hands of โ€œthey/them.โ€

At some point, that changed. When I grew deeper into my faith as a Catholic, I did not become political but I did have a fire lit for life and service. I also began to think logically about how a non profit could help, or my challenges and losses could benefit others, and myself. Additionally the trials of Women in the Bible inspired me and their stories are not always spoken in the way Iโ€™d like to see them. They are juicy, controversial and powerfulโ€”they are the blueprint.

I hate to pit one value against another politically because ideally we should all be independent. We should embrace the ideals of charting a new course while giving a portion to those that need it and who are finding their way.

I have spent the last year continuing to create my own new plan. I had to take a step back to take a step forward. I kept asking, โ€œLord what is your will for me?โ€ Even if it is slower going, I believe when we are given a vision it is to be carried out.

This vision changed how I see things politically. As an entrepreneur, how am I best served? I know that as a person, I will help others. But how can I be in a position to do that? What are my beliefs around food and medicine? Who is aligned with what I actually believe? For many of us, the area is gray. But who is that?

I am not the first to say it, nor would I be the last, but we are more alike than we are different. Which is why we focus on issues that are more personal and make them grand scale. Government should focus on major issues that are often out of our control. They shouldnโ€™t be like a helicopter parent telling us how to live our lives. However, there are times when it has to be. This is unfortunate because we continue to slide back into rhetoric that pulls us back and causes us to behave in a way that is detrimental to our societal civility. I want to be where the rhetoric is for all. Where I feel uplifted and not like a fool. I want to feel like I am moving forward and not stuck and where my difference is ok.

The very thing that makes this country great is its diversity. No one should be minimized or should minimize themselves. If you carry the light of the world in your heart, you donโ€™t want to see anyone abused and downtrodden. Itโ€™s like a marriage.

A Marriage of Opposites

In my marriage I used to say, letโ€™s try to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Letโ€™s see the good in each other instead of clinging fast to the negative narrative. The truth is being told to you, right here and right now. Can you see it? Yes. But sometimes itโ€™s hard to feel it. We want to feel the difference and thatโ€™s harder.

Friends, I have to be honest. My ideas often did not get through. In a marriage of complete opposites and beliefs in every way, agreeing is struggle on all levels. However, through that lens and challenge came an understanding that for some people it is harder to have them see a new way. Their heart is hardened from hurt and disappointment. They may never recover or believe what they see. They want change but they want the comfort of knowing that the one in front of them is still the boogeymanโ€”then they can be right.

This is also our political arena. So, for me faith is very important. You can do and say all that you want, but faith and hope are required for change and that is a spiritual design. That takes time.

I too suffer from my own limited beliefs. I canโ€™t let myself off the hook entirely. You may be like this, โ€œI believe in change and goodness, just not from you neighbor! You are a hopeless case.โ€ Well, that is a little true. And we are all someoneโ€™s hopeless case. But the biggest rewards come to those who endure big challenges. Similarly, to take on the Feminist ideology of the personal is political, it all still holds true. Our lives effect our choices depending on the day. Iโ€™m also still green leaning. I believe compassionate people care about this earth. Caring about space and nature brings us into the magnificence of creation and a natural connection to each other.

In conclusion, I have changed only in the regard of me being aligned in an intentional and logical way when it comes to how I view politics.

Here are some things to consider:

Do you care about what happens to your immediate life or on a grand scale? Who makes those decisions?

If you are a new parent, changed religions, or identify with the LGBTQ community or have family that is incarcerated how does that affect your decisions?

If you are largely stable and you want as much of a melting pot with shared values within a pluralist society how does that affect your decisions?

These thoughts help to align us with our true selves and allow us to authentically negotiate what is right and true in our lives.

You may lose a lot following your convictions. I didnโ€™t do anything radical but talk about my spiritual walk and it caused my world to crash down. However, that is ok. What is good still stands and old things continue to pass away. This too shall pass.

Stay strong. Stay focused.

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I Could Use More Fun In My Life

What was the last thing you did for play or fun?

Iโ€™ve really lost that fun gene. Iโ€™m either no fun or too much fun. Either way, I think itโ€™s time for more of the latter. The truth is I am in a stage of re-discovery. Iโ€™m Slowly learning what I like and donโ€™t like. I have my staple activities like movies, art and yoga but I can see travel in my future.

Lately Iโ€™ve been looking at various yoga retreats and artist residencies in an attempt to mix work with pleasure. These are so cost effective itโ€™s hard not to pass up.

In this season of my life I can say itโ€™s beautiful but itโ€™s also bittersweet. I lost a lot in my pursuit of happiness and regaining of myself. But, it had to be done. Now that all thatโ€™s left behind me is a bunch of foreign land itโ€™s time to rebuild. Itโ€™s time to think about what kind of life I want to build this go round. I want to build something beautiful.

I want creativity, colors, and the wonders of nature and enterprise. Something that is an accurate reflection of who I truly am. For this, I am willing to take time. But, I can see some fun along the way.

Believe it or not, there is nothing in my life that hasnโ€™t been foreshadowed. It just always looks different when it arrives. I had a dream last night that left me with a very warm feeling. The best is yet to come. (No rush though) I never have just stopped and smelled the roses of life and this past year I have done that. When you slow down, take a back seat, or a lesser job like I did โ€”you can see what you want. You can also see what you donโ€™t want. Knowing what you want and donโ€™t want is new territory for me. Itโ€™s scary, but I wonโ€™t compromise it. Itโ€™s been the best gift to myself.

Iโ€™ve recently switched my news watching to comedy shows. I like to laugh. Laughing and being lighthearted is something that has fallen by the wayside and I am on a serious mission to recover it.

If you are having fun, I would love some tips. What are some cool things youโ€™d recommend?

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Itโ€™s Not Just One Man, But The Heart of The Great Ones That Shaped Me

Describe a man who has positively impacted your life.

When I think about a man who has positively impacted my life, itโ€™s hard to pick just one. Iโ€™ve met lots of gentlemen in my life. Itโ€™s the reason I know they exist and they can be difficult to find. A characteristic that I appreciate the most in men, outside of kindness, is wisdom. Believe it or not, wisdom is hard to come by. You can find intelligence, but wisdom is a bit more difficult.

I grew up in a two-parent household with my stepfather who raised me. I actually felt he was hard on me most times, and that made me angry growing up. But, when I think about how I present myself to the world in professional situations, how I interview well, how to persevere, and how to tap into my feminine sideโ€”that came from my dad.

I think itโ€™s a misconception that strong women have no men in their life. Itโ€™s actually quite the opposite. I like to tell the story of how my dad taught me to drive and he took me to get my learnerโ€™s and I failed because I couldnโ€™t parallel park. So he told me to wear something โ€œbetterโ€ and flash a bright smile so I could pass my test the next time. Well, letโ€™s just I passed the next time with flying colors!

My dad was a wellspring of advice. His famous line of, โ€œboys only want the cookies without the milkโ€ to when I was down telling me to โ€œdo what I got to do to make it throughโ€ and then buying me jewelry always brightened my day. I didnโ€™t always get gifts but I got a lot. It made me appreciate nice things and thatโ€™s important to experience.

My biological father was brilliant as well. I didnโ€™t grow up with him and I actually reconnected with him in adulthood, but he made me feel special. Maybe because we looked so much alike. He was someone blessed with a with a wellspring of ideas. He always had new ideas, each one better than the next. He reminded me of Walter Younger from A Raisin In The Sun. Sort of like a giant among ants. Throughout my life, I have had spiritual fathers of different races that felt compelled to take me under their wing over the years and I believe itโ€™s part of the reason my mind is so expansive. I am a good listener and I listen to everything that wise people impart.

Iโ€™m so quiet, I think they forget Iโ€™m there, but I have sat at some powerful tables listening and often taking notes.

I only have had two challenging relationships in my lifetime. Overall, I have been treated well in love. I donโ€™t have a ton of people to compare it to but the challenging relationship had an imbalance of feminine energy.

I am more on the soft side as a default but I have toughened up over the last few years. I am not a woman that understands men naturally, I actually learned the mind of man from having a teenage son.

All I hear about day in and day out is his โ€œmanhood.โ€ That always makes me smile. I also see the way his little sister adores him and how much he adores her. They are my inspiration when I think of a good give and take. One of my favorite things about my son is his ability to express himself, say he is sorry, and remember your favorite things.

So when I think about a man who positively impacted my life I canโ€™t think of simply one. But I think about that loyal, encouraging, wise, and even at times funny, characteristic that runs through them all.

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We Are Ready To Not Simply Talk About Shared Values, We Want To Live Them

The best way to do something is to do it. Faith without works is dead. However, when you feel that you’ve done all you can but you still can’t “make it” then it’s time to investigate the genesis of your discontent. I like to use marriages of opposites as a point of reference. For example, the glass half empty person married to the eternal optimist. In both case they are not right, or wrong, but what can be agreed upon is that there is a glass. The contents of it is a matter of perception, and therein lies your discontent, or your joy. If you focus on the glass, you will see that the glass itself is malleable. It can be utilized and symbolizes opportunity overall.

There is a school of thought where people wait for their cup to be filled and others learn to fill it themselves. Which is better? I personally am self-motivated and activated. While it is always nice to have the support I desire, I am not entitled to a sustained stream of anything. If I were, that means that someone is giving for me and taking from them, and that could leave them in lack. The goal is always to be what I desire and to share it. That is the most abundant state and one where most giving can be genuine. I feel alot of people would categorize themselves as genuine, altruistic, and even selfless. Yet, the real challenge comes when your help is no longer needed or someone you helped surpasses you. Will you be able to handle that? Most of us can’t. We want you to do good, but not necessarily that good.

You Don’t Really Grapple With Truth, You Grapple With Interpretations

This is where the idea of living out a truth as opposed to talking about a truth has a different feel. It will cause you to think logically upon the things you claim to value and to become honest about your desire to share them. For example, when we say “our shared history” what does it mean? If everything thing is shared and we came up together, can anything be appropriated? Of course. The truth discontent is the lack of citing the sources, or citing the creator. It doesn’t mean that it won’t be taken, it absolutely will be, and monetized as well, but at least we will know where it came from.

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Does this communal sharing work both ways? Of course. You wear my dreadlocks and I dance the Irish jig. However, what is lost, is individuality. A menudo and melting pot isn’t necessarily diverse on the surface. It appears more like a goulash and less like a buffet. Personally, I like everything having a cultural diversity. I think now people comfortable embracing their heritage and they want to figure out a way to keep it a normal part of their existence without it being a centerstage issue. They don’t want to be set apart for it, judged for it, discriminated against because of it–but it also doesn’t need to suck the air out of the room. How is that done? I have my ideas but I will wait and see. I guess this can be solved within in a pluralistic society, yet technically we already live in one. We live this everyday, and it’s what makes this country great, but there is a disconnect. Many people feel trapped in a state of discontent. I think what we desire is to feel a sense of connectedness, and that comes from a connection that goes beyond the law books and the dogma and into the heart. That can only happen without interference.

One of the best things to come from this election was the honesty of the people. I actually think that we grow more and more honest and resolute each day. Instead of planning what to say next in the debate of life, it may be even better to listen. Listen to what is being said and valued. The ideals that are being actualized in this moment are centered around strength, peace and empowerment. Empowerment now, not when someone provides the parameters.

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It is also important to note that some people simply do not believe in that line of thought. That has to be acknowledged as well. Again, there are two different schools of thought. Neither is right or wrong, but for increased success and greater buy in, it’s best to know true intentions and feelings. Once all of the cards are on the table, can their be room for certain complaints? No. If you like or dislike something, you will take the consequences because it was your decision. Disenfranchisement is actually born from the hopelessness of true change occurring. It is the very definition of apathy and going along to get along. Sadly, far too many people are ok with that. Can they be trusted to serve my interests if they don’t trust me to understand? Not at all. At every level there not only should be transparency, but an understanding.

Now is the time to live it and be it. And before you take hold of this message, make sure it rings true. In this day and age, everyone subscribes to a different truth. It’s best not to criss cross the lines in the sand, unless you are truly in the middle. We need people who will fight with intelligence and integrity, not for solely for their own futures, but for quantifiable differentials that will produce substantial long standing outcomes.

The love will come from us coming up from the trenches together. We are all in this together. I know what it is like to have to make some intense grocery, travel and shopping decisions. But I also know, like many of you, that I have a good life because of my values, who I am, and how I live my life. This is the time to learn new skills in finance, business, and even the circular economy. This is a time to get excited about what you can do to make your dreams come true. If you fall short, so what? There is a deep satisfaction that comes from trying in the first place. Good luck.

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I Feel Good All Over, This Is Divine Living

Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

When people encounter me, I hope they will leave with the warm and fuzzies. They often leave with a clear head or feeling like they want to embark on a new journey. All of it is good to me. Itโ€™s not necessarily my intention, but I like to see situations from all sides. I feel itโ€™s the best way to be fair and balanced.

When you connect with me, I want you to feel like how I like to feel. I like to feel good. I like to feel like people are rooting for meโ€”itโ€™s the same energy I give off.

I was having a conversation with a woman who had stopped by my table at a sustainability fair and she just blurted out โ€œwow, I feel so comfortable talking to you.โ€ Thatโ€™s what it should be. You should be unjudged and safe to be yourself. Who among us is perfect? I know Iโ€™m not, but at the end of the day, I hope to be loved and at minimum, listened to.

This confident self-awareness is new for me. For a long time I had no voice or anything to say. Today, after fighting many battles, Iโ€™m happy in my skin and with who I am. I owe a lot of it to nature and grounding myself in nature. If there is one thing I am the most grateful for in my life it is the great outdoors. Iโ€™m a total nature girl: camping, tree hugging, creek water gathering, jam making and berry foraging woman.

Iโ€™m still working out some kinks in my system, but I like to be real.

Iโ€™m not perfect but I am authentic. To many people authenticity often feels like love in a heavily curated world. Getting others to their authentic selves is something I do best, just by being me. If someone isnโ€™t authentic I donโ€™t hate them, I actually relate to them because for the majority of my life I was queen of the carbon copies. Sometimes itโ€™s like that. Without it weโ€™d have no reason to go on a journey of self discovery.

How would like others to connect with you? How would you like to be seen? Sometimes itโ€™s about grounding ourselves and becoming more natural. Itโ€™s about being natural and showing your flawsโ€”while striving towards your betterment.

I just like knowing people will be there for me because I know Iโ€™d be there for them. Itโ€™s not easy to find, but no matter what, I still will be me. I never want to make what someone doesnโ€™t do affect what I do. I want to still extend love if I can and as long as it doesnโ€™t hurt. And if God protects babies and fools, then I am good with being a fool. At least Iโ€™m protected.

How about you?

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Lights, Camera, Action! Or No?

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

This story is old, but I started acting overseas at a young age. I was discovered at the bumper cars by a German woman scouting a movie and I ended up being called in and getting a small role. I played the best friend of the cheerleader. Ironically, I seemed to reincarnate this โ€œfriend of the cheerleaderโ€ role many times in my future. Now, I think Iโ€™m too long in the tooth at this point to do any high kicks, but it certainly did last a long time. I still do a movie or two a year. I did one last year, that ended up in a film festival. Acting is always fun. But, I think I like to connect with audience even more.

When I look back on pictures like this, it makes me feel like I am performing. While I am more comfortable giving a speech, being on stage and in front of the camera in generalโ€”I am looking to do so in a way that is meaningful. I have been building up my credentials in ways that would allow me to serve, and continue to help others. I like to think of the world as a stage. A very big one.

When I think of all the things Iโ€™ve been through, it only makes sense to share the ways that God and has changed me. In the past I was overly emotional, quick to assume, and often looking for love in the wrong places. I had many wounds that I allowed other people to reopen and today I have strong barriers and zero codependency. If anything I love this newfound freedom. Iโ€™d never go back. In my opinion feebleness and desperation arenโ€™t the best energy for the stage. However a love filled person is.

Today, I have acquired quite a few bumps and bruises, but I feel more alive and connected than I ever have. I feel secure and even surrendered to the wondrous places life can take me.

I know this is a bit far off into my future, but I actually think of how Iโ€™d be as a grandmother. I look forward to sharing all of the crazy things I experienced while baking some pretty tasty cookies. These days I have learned that it truly isnโ€™t how you started, itโ€™s how you keep on going.

When I get back on anyoneโ€™s stage, Iโ€™ll share that.

Always remember that life is a stage, you are the star, keep on keeping onโ€”show em who you are!

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It All Lies Within You: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Expression And The Power To Re-Write Your American Story

Written by La Luz

All of my endeavors have been in the realm of publishing. Within the realm of media you have the ability to touch upon many topics. I began my first newspaper while living in Ft. Riley, KS. I was in the fifth grade, and we all sat at a four-top table with me at the head giving out the writing assignments. I remember calling one of my friends on the phone over the weekend to see if they would bring their pages in on Monday so we could staple the newspaper together. She told me that she may not be able to because she only had pens at home. Maybe we only could use pencil. Iโ€™m not sure, but thatโ€™s a memory that still speaks to me.

It was all so simple then. When you wanted to get something started, you just did it. In fourth grade, I used to love the Babysitterโ€™s Club series and decided I wanted to start my own. So, I made the flyer. My mom made copies, and I put them in my small neighborhood on the military base. I babysat two times. I was actually a bit nervous so it didnโ€™t last long, but I liked getting paid. I liked knowing that I could start something and just go do it.

Today we have so much red tape. We are discouraged before we start. I think because we are thinking in the โ€œmiddlingโ€ space. See, big dreams need lots of people. Small dreams can become big dreams, but they need fewer people to start.

In the middle you often get tripped up and therein lies the problem. You also have people with bigger voices coming to take the food from the small fish, but as a highly intuitive empath, I am here to let you knowโ€”that time has come to a halt.

No longer will you, your ideas, and your freedom of expression will become engulfed by people that will use your vulnerabilities against you, especially for profit. There is a shift in the atmosphere.

James 3:3, in the English Standard Bible, talks about the โ€œbit in the horseโ€™s mouth used to steer him.โ€ To me, I read that as the power of spirit being able to use an individual to do a good work. This same spirit calling a people who believe on faith, in humanity, and the goodness of their fellow man and woman to speak a truth that will continue to balance the scales. This is a powerful thing. It is also a truth that speaks to how David was able to overtake Goliath. See, freedom of speech is a slippery slope but it also has its confines, or it should. Unmitigated freedom of speech, that operates outside of the civility for which it was intendedโ€”is incendiary and dangerous. Yet, with the โ€œbitโ€ in our mouths and the roots of truth as our foundationโ€”then the truth becomes the power. True is Power because like a math equation it largely follows a pattern. If you go forward and contextualize truth as unemotional facts, they become easier to work with and then bring forth new emotions.

Free speech should to some degree should stop at actions. If harmful actions follow words, then we have work to do when it comes to educating the public how to discern and respond to information.

With or without permission, the choice and the ability to rewrite your story and to exist in a world where you feel validated and seen comes from the bottom up. Not the top down. Freedom was bestowed on you at birth but the noise of the world will force you to fumble.

At the end of the day it should be family first. Safety first and honoring the divine call that resides over the lives of us all. My work with The House of Maryam is a passion. It is an inter religious endeavor that centers peace, resource management, and sacred living practices that will actually save lots of families and individuals. Peaceful religious freedom and expression is not only a must, it is needed. The Maryam is seen in many ways throughout many traditions but the mother figure as a whole is constant. Yet even that constant is nuanced. This isnโ€™t about being kissy-face and pinching cheeks this is a matriarchal call. To be a matriarch is not about money, she is the stability of the family. She is the lighthouse and standard bearer of the generation. When the matriarch passes she becomes the ancestor we call upon.

Matriarchs and patriarchs are the leaders of our world and they grow into position. We need a nation of individuals that ok with cultivating wisdom and becoming those people who are able to give wise counsel. Therefore we need our minds, our choices and our voices to be free. Let the voice of reason and truth be the unifier. Let common sense and empowerment be the unifierโ€”not solely your pain. Trouble doesnโ€™t last always but your progeny and your legacy will.

You may not be strong enough to do this today. But you will grow into it. You will respect every aspect of your life because your imprint will be on it. To me, thatโ€™s how you rewrite the story. You rewrite it together, throwing out the old wine and braking down the old vessel and making room for the new.

I dream of a New America. Where someone is not constantly telling me what to do. Where even if I am wrong, I can die knowing that I have the tools to think for myself. I have the wisdom to know that I can better myself or someone can lead me to that notion. But I will no longer sit in the passenger seat of my own life.

Peace be with you.

Donโ€™t forget to subscribe and share. Thanks for reading. Very much appreciated. Please share your thoughts. Itโ€™s better not to write in a vacuum. You matter to me.

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On Day One: The First Day After I Got Married

Daily writing prompt
Tell us about your first day at something โ€” school, work, as a parent, etc.
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I remember the first time I got married, and the very exciting yet awkward day after. Although there hasn’t been a second time yet, I like to think of the first time. Before I’d gotten married I thought that there was something major that happened in order to get there. Basically, you can say “I do,” and head on out to Chick-fil-A if you wanted to. It’s really that simple, you just need to complete the paperwork. Although my mother and stepfather had been married for 20 years, I had no inside track on the mechanics of a relationship. In fact, their marriage was sadly ending, as mine was beginning. Fortunately, they remain good friends.

I am a person that is wired for optimism. I am always hopeful and full of belief that someone or somewhere out there, things will look up for us all. I write these things, while existing in some challenging times in my own life–but I still believe in the promises of goodness. I believe them even more today when I see the miracle of compassion that has been transforming on the inside of me.

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The first time I got married it was at a bed and breakfast in Baltimore County. It was a small wedding, and the wedding package included a honeymoon suite with a ginormous hot tub. This was a shotgun wedding from the standpoint of me being three months pregnant. But, we knew at the time we wanted to get married. By the time we got to that room after saying “I do” something strange happened. I felt like I was looking at my husband for the first time, and I also felt like I had married someone else’s husband. The latter is a feeling I never was able to shake. Now that I am fully invested in healing work, spiritual education, and the practical and sacred spiritual life of women and families–I understand these thoughts often have legitimacy. Also, for the sake of this conversation, we should understand that some ties are spiritual, not necessarily physical. However, the day after my wedding I was expecting to do something. I felt like I should be doing something, when what I needed to be was still. I never quite shook that feeling either. I believe that comes from lack of understanding of womanhood, and a practical understanding of the spiritual nature of the male and female relationship.

I have often said that, the ministry of mom is very different than the ministry of wife. Unfortunately, they don’t often mesh well at the same time. This is often why relationships end in divorce during those stressful toddler years. A person can’t serve two masters. This is even sometimes why a second marriage may prove more successful than the first, because the stressors may not be there. However, I know that within some communities, there is still lots of work that needs to be done when it comes to positively building relationships not built on dogma or trauma. My love mantra for anyone is, be with whoever is the best fit for you. Whoever gives you the peace you desire, whoever makes you feel seen and accepted, whoever feels like they are for you and not against you–make your allegiance to that person. Cultivate a safe haven of happiness for yourself. Don’t suffer in silence.

In 2019, I actually stopped gossiping and denounced Babylon. For me, that simply meant living by truth, not by a lie. When I stopped gossiping, just about everyone I knew fell off. I never said, “I don’t gossip” I just stopped or changed the subject. Additionally the ringing of my phone also stopped. No one close to me took that proclamation seriously, and that’s okay. It was a hard right turn onto a path that would ultimately pave the way for my life’s purpose. Here I am today, five years later, still on my journey. As a woman who also considers herself to be a divine feminine, not in the sense of popular culture, but as one close to the will of my Creator. For me, divinity works from the inside to the outside. When I am called to shift an environment, or embody the spirit of the Proverbs 31 woman, while still being who I am in the world, that comes from spiritual discipline. Life is going to life, and it has taken a long time to become the steady boat on rocky waters.

The work within me is not over. It will never be over until I take my last breath. I know at any moment, I can be a mess, but I bounce back very quickly. See, I have come a long way from needing validation like I did on day one of my wedding night. I wanted to be a perfect wife out the gate and that desire caused me to often fall short of that goal. We can’t make smart decisions and choices in desperation.

Someone recently said to me, “never let anyone take away your shine.” I pass that on to you. We are designed to be the light of the world and therefore we need to make our main love a vertical love first. When that love is addressed, you will have what you need to face the day. With that understanding, you won’t feel a desire to be anything other than joy, peace, love and sometimes enraged if it comes to that. But, you will sure bounce back as long as you are connected to the Light and maintaining that shine. Looking back on the innocence of my first day of my marriage it makes me smile. It was a moment of firsts that can’t be replicated and I look on it fondly. I was 100% open, innocent, and believing. Through out the tough times, I like to reach back for that hopeful woman and continue to bring the beauty of her heart forward. You should try that too.

If you would like a nice mediation music to bring peace to your day, here is one to help heal those memories and wounds.

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To Be Strong And of Good Courage, The Most Admirable Trait of Them All

Written By: La Luz

What is something others do that sparks your admiration?

We live in a world where the bullies run anti-bullying campaigns, people with unchecked mental health are preaching health and wellness, and the unhealed are navigating folks through healing journeys. Thatโ€™s just the beginning.

These ironic themes that pepper our existence have gone on for quite some time. We have allowed it to perpetuate while residing in a sleep state they keep calling โ€œawakened.โ€ In actuality it can be semantics to some degree. If you are operating against your interests to some degree, your lids are still a little low. Itโ€™s time to rise and see.

The Real Hero

The hero is always the person strong enough, brave enough, and bad enough to stand up and tell the Truth. The truth has a ring to it and it garners the respect of the people.

Itโ€™s hard to come to grips with the truth because for so long not only do we not acknowledge what we are seeing, feeling and experiencingโ€”we actively work against our betterment and then complain about it. In my opinion, itโ€™s better to have someone say, โ€œhey, I donโ€™t really like you, but I want you to be safe.โ€ Instead of, โ€œof course I have no problem with you. Youโ€™re amazing and you are welcome anytime!โ€ While doing everything in their power to harm me or covertly erect barriers to my true success.

This is the gaslighting hidden behind the โ€œgas face.โ€ Donโ€™t get me wrong towing the line has its advantages. You get to live largely without static. But, the moment you answer the call of truth get ready for some pushback. Most of us have no idea that we live in a state of quasi-mediocrity at times. Itโ€™s because we preach that Christ was once a benevolent meditating shaman-esque archetype, who now resides in heaven, and is patting the heads of all the goody-two shoes down here on Earth. Thatโ€™s not true. Thatโ€™s the sugar laden milk we feed the little kids to get them excited about something they donโ€™t understand fully. You donโ€™t chastise the church, call people out, and tell people who are struggling to โ€œrise and be healed.โ€ You donโ€™t really beat up benevolent people who live on the outskirts of society quietly restoring the sight of blind people and raising dead people up. That guy would be considered a one man non-profit if he needed the cash. (Apparently a rich man, paid for his proper burial after he died. But as we know, he was already gone. Still a nice gesture though.)When someone like that is in your midst you go and see about the person who is disrupting the status quo, and getting the lame off the streets. Especially when, to some degree, someone feels their abject poverty serves a purpose.

I talk about Christ a lot because the more you know Him, the more you begin to believe in the unbelievable. As a self-crowned theologian, I like to compare his early church wisdom teachings, that rattled the cage of every double-minded individual of his time, to the calm and loving genie he is often reduced to today. I like old Jesus better. The more you think you know, you realize you know nothing. Thatโ€™s a good thing.

See, if you donโ€™t tell the truth about the most courageous person who suffered intolerable cruelty and humiliation for sticking to his gunsโ€”youโ€™ll never understand the suffering in your own life. Regardless of whatever marketing campaign or social media influencer mantra that we are force fedโ€”every person living is subjected to suffering. Everyone. No person alive, due to money, status, ethnicity is able to escape suffering because death meets us all. It is one of the reasons I am a student of eschatology,because itโ€™s best to get comfortable with that fact. It also allows you to have compassion for your fellow man.

To know God is to suffer with Him.โ€

At times, while we are speaking a truth to power, we are then harmed and temporarily dismantled. Yet somehow we become more refined, and even more beautiful and courageous, through our trials. This is the hope of our calling.

The Courageous

I admire the courageous. The ones that can walk away from a tough situation that erodes their self respect. I also admire the steadfast and unmovable. The ones that are willing to be martyred for a cause. The ones that resist the goading and temptation of the enemy and cause the unrighteous to flee.

Sometimes standing is stronger than running and silence is more powerful than words.

My question today is, what truth do you stand on in this moment ? What principles are you willing to fall on your sword for even if it means losing those closest to you?

Take a moment before you answer:

Do you love what you see when you look yourself in the eyes? Are you able to live with your choices and the truth of who you are? If so, then you win the gift of perfect peace and more.

If not, the challenge for you is to keep pushing. Keep digging. Keep being honest until you are fearless. On the other side of your fearlessness is faith and after thatโ€”your real life.

Peace be with you. -La Luz

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Through Lifeโ€™s Ups And Downs The Greatest Gift Is Having The Patience To Find And Be Yourself

What positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?

This was my lowkey Italian themed holiday. Believe it or not, everything was not shown in the pictureโ€”and it was under $100. That should make anyone who feels they need to break the bank this holiday season smile deep down on the inside. I created the event in this way to demonstrate that the Thanksgiving holiday is about love and communionโ€”not long suffering. Iโ€™m thankful that I did it.

I love Thanksgiving and this one was no different. I opted to do something small at home, and it was probably the most laid back dinner with my kiddos, Iโ€™ve ever had. I used to have my judgey glasses on when people would opt to spend a holiday apart from their family, but now I get it. Not to cheapen it, but itโ€™s a meal. Albeit a grand and commemorative one, itโ€™s still a meal overall.

I know when you think of Thanksgiving you donโ€™t think of Italy, but how many holidays have you run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to make foods that half of the people in attendance wonโ€™t even like?

Exactly.

Thatโ€™s what I think of when I consider all of the turkey eating and wasting. Yet, when I mention that I donโ€™t like turkey, people often want to believe itโ€™s because I need it cooked a different way. Actually itโ€™s simply not my forte.

In fact nearly 35% of Americans dislike turkey. Thatโ€™s a lot. Consider what you are actually doing, youโ€™re partaking in an event where youโ€™re forced to pretend (you donโ€™t like turkey or your Uncle Bob) and then grin and bear it for the sake of family. This is the perpetuation of suffering. I donโ€™t know whatโ€™s worse, little kids having to answer the question of โ€œhowโ€™s school?โ€ a million times, or eating bad potato salad until I bust.

What I will say about this Thanksgiving is that it may have been lowkey but there were days of leftovers and the kids liked everything on the table. This is a win for mitigating food waste in our household. Studies have shown that approximately 312 million pounds of food will be wasted this holiday. Considering the overall high cost of food and the impact of food waste on the environment, it may be time to reconsider how we celebrate with food this holiday season.

While itโ€™s safe to say that you donโ€™t want too many holidays to pass without seeing your elderly family members and chuckle over some dried out bird and boxed stuffingโ€”itโ€™s equally ok to sit one out from time to time.

The Most Positive Thing Of All

Overall, the most positive thing to come out of this year was me regaining my voice, strength and my light.

Over the years, and for a variety of reasons, Iโ€™ve lost a lot of the things that made me sparkle and shine. Anyone can lose them when you fail to be honest about how you feel and take action towards resolving things that no longer serve you. When you donโ€™t you are only left with a mound of complaints, no solutions, and fewer opportunities to get it right.

There are seemingly a great many barriers to happiness. However, putting all things into perspective, puts all things into perspective. It makes you think about what is it you really want. What do you really want to be doing? What really makes me happy or would make me happy right now? A lot of times we give a knee jerk answer instead of putting our thoughts through the fire and monitoring our actions.

Thatโ€™s what I did this year.

I didnโ€™t just say โ€”I want this! I like this! I had to exorcise all the junk and things I did not like from my consciousness over a period of months, unlearn some bad behaviors, and consider my true feelings.

Do you know how you truly feel about things? When it gets quiet, if you have the luxury of stillness, do you remember who you are? I believe we come in this life knowing who we are and then we forget and then it becomes a fight of a lifetime to recall all of the things that made you sparkle.

Todayโ€™s Spiritual Foundation For Leadership

This Thanksgiving I was thankful for finding the love of my lifeโ€”me. Itโ€™s been so long since Iโ€™ve met up with myself itโ€™s been like discovering a twin flame connection. This reconnection with my lost and forgotten self has created a peace and wholeness within me. Itโ€™s not only made me question a lot of decisions Iโ€™ve made in the past, but has brought about a newfound hope for the future.

No one in life can wave a magic wand and make all of our problems go away over night. But, wouldnโ€™t it be great to know that you could begin to do that for yourself. First, accept your life. Accept where you are. Accept who you are and seek to find comfort with the circumstances of your existence. If you can find gratitude in the small things, you can count on the blessings of good things coming around the corner.

If we are beautifully and wonderfully made, then we are made to be love, give love, receive love, and to reflect it out into the world. You can only do this by telling the truth, accepting the truth, changing it if necessary, and then living it.

I donโ€™t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. ~ Bill Cosby

The quickest way to your downfall is trying to please others by any means necessary. Donโ€™t despise humble beginnings or humble moments. Those are the moments where we have the ability to rediscover ourselves and design a life of truth and significant meaning.

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This Is Happening: Our Thoughts And Our World

Written By: Luna de Luz

Daily writing prompt
What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.
View all responses

When I think about what I would do if I could not fail, I would run a digital media brand of my spiritual and creative wellness business. I believe that these things are healing modalities that shape both our inner and outer worlds and transform our environment. I like business, and I am in the business of spirituality, creativity, . This website, along with two others that are set to launch, marks the start of a thought hub and a virtual archive dedicated to my reflections, as well as the preservation of the brilliant minds that preceded me.

Digital media is such a powerful tool. We all know and understand the power of social media and a lot of it is not good. However, there are a few of us that desire to interject goodness into our culture and seek balance where things have gotten out of hand. This can be done in several ways, but two of them come to mind: Color and Rhetoric.

Image Generated By AI

Color has a strong impact on our moods. When you go into a store or even drive through different neighborhoods, try to take into account how the colors make you feel. According to a February 2024 article posted to VeryWellMind on color, “Color is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and even influence physiological reactions. Certain colors have been associated with physiological changes, including increased blood pressure, increased metabolism, and eyestrain.”

If you want to change your mood even within your own living space, enlisting more color or changing the colors you have, are a great way to start. or example, you might consider painting your walls in soothing shades of blue or green to create a calming environment, or adding vibrant splashes of red or orange to energize and invigorate your space. Subtle changes, such as incorporating colorful cushions, artwork, or plants, can also have a significant impact.

Furthermore, it’s important to remember that the perception of color can be subjective and may vary from person to person. While one individual may find yellow uplifting and cheerful, another might perceive it as overwhelming. Therefore, it’s essential to choose colors that resonate personally and align with the desired ambiance of the space.

Experimenting with different hues and tones can transform a room and, ultimately, influence your emotional well-being in a positive way. Embrace the power of color and let it enrich your life with warmth, energy, and tranquility. I’ve noticed that as I have gotten further along my spiritual path, I desire less clutter and more white walls. The same goes for my artwork and spiritual practice. I see my artwork as well as

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The Magic Of Deers

Do you ever see wild animals?

I live in an area where I get to see quite a few deer. I could always see more, but I see a lot. Deer are beautifulItโ€™s funny they tend to mirror the energy of my spirit. Sometimes I will see a family of deer feeding along a trail. I may see two majestic looking buckโ€™s eating apples off my small tree, or a doe and just her babies grazing the shrubs. However, every time I see them, they speak to me.

As a spiritual totem, deers symbolize fertility, facing fears, and seemingly show up when you need to receive unconditional love. Iโ€™ve often seen deer at times in my life that Iโ€™ve felt alone, or had no one to talk to, and when I needed that love in my life. They especially show up when I felt confused and their presence provided clarity.

Deer are filled with magic and wonder.

The Lakota have a story about a Deer Woman whom they refer to as Anukite. Anukite shows up to protect women and children against harmful men. She may show up as part deer and part woman, or just having deer feet. She represents both the moral and immoral side of sexuality and can inflict vengeance on wrongdoers or cause them to lose their minds when they encounter her sexually.

Native American tradition has some interesting connotations to spirit in reference to deer. Deer also play a role in Buddhism as it represents manโ€™s connection to nature and receiving information Here are some of those ways:

The Buddha’s first teaching

The Buddha first taught the four truths of the aryas at Deer Park near Sarnath, India. This event is represented by a deer and a dharma wheel.

Coexistence with nature

The Buddha is considered a paragon of man’s coexistence with nature.

The Jataka Tales

Deer are often featured in the Jataka Tales, which are parables about the Buddha’s previous incarnations. For example, in the King Banyan Deer Jataka, the Buddha is reborn as the golden deer king.

Whatever your experience with deer are, they remain a powerful symbol of love, life and fertility. They come to you when you need them and serve as a powerful reminder to pay attention to the abundance of life.

Here is a beautiful deer story to share with your family. This still happens todayโ€”the beautiful conversation between man and animal. If you are still enough and quiet enough you can feel it.

PBS: Little Deer and Mother Earth, Native American Culture
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All Loyalty Is Not Good Loyalty, It’s Good To Know The Difference

What is one thing you would change about yourself?

There is really only one thing I would change about myself and it revolves around my loyalties. Throughout my life I have struggled with engaging in relationships, and even jobs until the point of catastrophe. Although I know that after every catastrophe of some kind immediate blessing appears after, I still seem to take my time making decisions. That’s because if there’s a catastrophic moment allowed to enter my life, I know it’s for a reason.

Life Is Too Short Too Be Unhappy, Is it?

I wrote an article about life decisions the other day and posted it on Nextdoor, and someone commented that life was too short to be unhappy. I remember thinking is that true? In my mind that is an oversimplistic way of looking at life. Think about it, just because you rid yourself of one area of unhappiness doesn’t mean that another is not going to pop up later down the line. Unhappiness, just like happiness, is forever. Ultimately happiness is a choice and it is controlled by you. Now, there are situations where people can disrupt and systematically try to dismantle your happiness and decisions need to be made about it. All the decisions involve a level of detachment, and that is where my pontification comes in. When is it time to reconsider your loyalties and embark on the next phase of your journey? For the most part, life tends to move along for me from glory to glory. However, in the rare moments when tragedy hits, I know itโ€™s time get off the fence. When my steady boat threatens to capsize, I know the only thing that will get me through is faith and loyalty to whatever I hear from God.

This past year my spiritual journey has unearthed a lot about my strengths and weaknesses. It allowed me to see how I put others before myself, and how they would like to see me put myself first. Believe it or not, I have put myself first but it still looks like putting other people first at times. In many ways, that’s most of us–we are simply caring individuals. Maybe that’s just how my life is designed. I am created to inspire.

In the past I allowed so many people to keep the energy and gift of inspiration in small group. But, I noticed that my spirit was calling me out the group. I was feeling a desire to spread my own wings and fly. I believed then, and still believe now, that all things ultimately work for my good. Even in the toughest of times and sometimes especially in the toughest of times. Like you, I’m a person that at one moment I think I have a part of my journey that is so compelling than another thing hits me before I can even tell how I was delivered from my past. Through it all, the worst thing has been meeting so many emotional vampires– but I now know that I’m the only one with the power to change that trajectory. The change comes with the consideration of my loyalties. Wherever I go, I take the crux of who I am with me, because it belongs to me. Just as the essence of you belongs to you, and you can always call back your power when necessary.

Loyal To God

This past year has caused me to rise up in my life and take the drivers wheel in a firm way. It was initiated by a consecration I did to The Virgin Mary last year. After I completed this consecration, I began to see life with new eyes. I saw that due to my rose colored glasses I was missing a lot of important things in life. I was missing important moments. I was missing hidden truths, and I was missing myself. When we are loyal to God we get the ultimate gift of being reconciled with spirit and with ourselves. It is a level of divinity that brings about continued happiness.

When I reflect on 2024, that will be my greatest gift, that of spiritual growth and finding myself again. It has been a journey of discovering all the things I love, and removing all the things I can live without.

Loyalty to the wrongs things, and to severely broken things, can cause you to become despondent and stagnant. I donโ€™t think that is Godโ€™s best for our lives. I remember going through a great deal of emotional stress that caused me to shut down and become numb. Numbness is one of the worst things you can feel. Especially if you are like me and you understand that life is a gift. Going numb is dangerous. Thankfully I am not numb today, yoga and art helped a lot with that. But the interesting thing about that time is I had a memory that crossed my mind like a beam of light. I had a memory of eating pizza with my friends. It had been so long since Iโ€™d done anything fun that the memory of me having fun was lost. I know that is a direct correlation to negative soul ties and negative relationships.

For many Christians we take a lot. There is a false teaching somewhere that makes it seem like we need to be the wastelands of the lost and itโ€™s not true. When God says he cares, you are counted in that grace. You are designed for glory and happiness. The thing I had to retrain myself to remember is that God is the savior, not me. My job is to keep my soul in alignment to my calling and pray for others on theirs.

You may say, what if I am married to that person? Iโ€™d say especially if you are married to that person. You need to pray for them, but your loyalty is to whatever He is calling you to do. Too often in our lives we are tied to situations we should have never been in because we leaned into our own understanding then we need God to get us out.

If you are called to move across country, start a new endeavor, leave a friend or family member behind โ€”be obedient. If you are called to stay, do that too. Obedience is always better than the false sacrifices we tend to make. Sometimes loyalty has an end and possibly a new beginning. For me, I have undergone such a significant spiritual change that I no longer resonate with a great many things. It’s now time to make new plans, alliances, dreams, and memories. Not out hate for the past, or a lack of loyalty but out of a hunger for the future and a renewed relationship with God.

So when anyone asks where my loyalties lie, there’s your answer.

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A Little Steak Here And There Is Great for Recharging The Blood

What are your feelings about eating meat?

When I think of meat, or meat related questions a big picture of Fred Flintstone and his brontosaurus burger often comes to mind. I know itโ€™s a silly image but I became a vegetarian all by myself at the age of twelve. It wasnโ€™t until the last twelve years have I been on again off again with meat. Today, I think I have derived a firm conclusion on meat eating via the ideology of the Pueblo Indians and my connection to Curanderismo. Itโ€™s good in moderation and even better when itโ€™s well sourced.

In the second grade my son was working on a project about the Southwest Indian culture when I had an epiphany: the eating of flesh is when you need to be strong and aggressive and the intake of veggies and fruits are for calming and peace. Also, the seasons of eating meat came into significance for me based on when the concepts of seed time and harvest.

After I had that highly intellectual and rationalized thought, it made sense to me why eating fish sometimes made me sad. Itโ€™s because I believe life is in all things. Once I reconciled all those high level beliefs within myselfโ€”I went to the Korean BBQ and had a meat feastโ€”no regrets. It was amazing and I love good cuts of meat. Unfortunately not all cuts are of good quality unless they come from the right source. I would rather have small portions of great instead of large portions of meh.

To support my wayward meat eating habits and the meat eating habits of my family I purchased a smoker. I love eating smoked foods. This method of cooking low and slow is actually good for your skin as well. (I believe so)

In short, my daily habits donโ€™t include meat. It does however, include too much dairy. I feel better, think and operate better, with minimal meat. But there does come a time when I canโ€™t say no to a good steak. Itโ€™s one of the best ways to recharge the blood.