Many people reach a point in their lives when what others think just doesn’t matter. Some reach that point earlier; we call those people free thinkers. Those who achieve that freedom of thought later in life are deemed wise.
I’m working on my freedom.
“What other people think of you is not your business.” ~ Deepak Chopra
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Others’ Opinions…
Inhale Wisdom, Exhale Constraints…
Inhale Purpose, Exhale Fear…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
#Wisdom
The powers that control America WANT angry white men to have guns. Violence is how Europeans gained and their descendants maintain control in this country. The elites who foment fear in those with whom they share skin color only, need foot soldiers for the race war they keep trying to start.
And, if some white kids get shot up, well apparently that’s collateral damage they are willing to accept…
“Guns made us free and have kept us free, one side says; the other side rejects guns as instruments of domination, lawlessness, and terrorism. The conflict rages on because both sides are right.” ~ Jan E. Dizard, Guns in America
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Domination…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Lawlessness…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Terrorism…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
The permissions granted to white Americans but denied to America’s citizens of color have created a sense of entitlement among the former and often sucked the hope of life from the latter.
A European, middle-class, “Christian” culture dominating all social constructs in this country has given white males in particular the confidence to act on whatever good or evil impulse they have.
Black Americans, on the other hand, frequently withhold permissions from themselves and their children to take life-affirming actions because of a sometimes imagined but often real risk of life-altering consequences.
“… the fear he hears in the voices of his elders is…another fear, a fear that the child, in challenging the white world’s assumptions, was putting himself in the path of destruction.” ~ James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
#AmericanExperiment
Renita Alexander, Leadership Unlocked
Whether looking for opportunity or looking to escape oppression, immigrants have believed in the idea of America even as America becomes less welcoming. But it is not the opening of America that will deplete us. It is the isolating, the narrowing, the closing of America and the building of walls to keep those we fear out…that’s what will drain us.
The irony is those who would make America great want to shut and bolt the door.
Inhale Openness, Exhale Persecution…
Inhale Opportunity, Exhale Oppression…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Fear…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
The enslaved in colonial America did not miss the irony of their oppressors’ protests against oppression by the British…all while keeping them in bondage.
“Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” ~ Emma Lazarus
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Oppression…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Bondage…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Slavery…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
It is endlessly ironic to me that the descendants of those who often escaped religious persecution in their countries of origin are so intolerant of other religions in this country.
“So when a nation of immigrants starts putting up travel bans, you have officially lost the plot [of the Bible].” ~ Rob Bell
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Persecution…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Intolerance…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Hypocrisy…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
The time to be patient … the time to linger … the time to focus fully on life’s divine flow … that is real freedom.
“Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.” ~ Steven Wright
Inhale Patience, Exhale Chaos…
Inhale Lingering, Exhale Rushing…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Constriction…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
While people are using social media to protest Dove’s awkward attempt at “representing women of color thoughtfully” (their words), #45’s FBI has apparently launched COINTELPRO 2.0 to target and discredit what they’ve labeled “black identity extremists.”
The FBI has a history of targeting activists fighting for equality and social justice; in this latest move, the Bureau has “conjured’ extremists from peaceful protestors, who they say pose a growing threat to law enforcement.
And while it may not have been intentional, the Dove ad is just a distraction.
“All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’ If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn’t committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.” ~ Martin Luther King, I’ve Been To The Mountain Top, April 3, 1968
Inhale Focus, Exhale Distractions…
Inhale Protest, Exhale Discredited…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Denial…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita
A story about Hazel Bryan and Elizabeth Eckford popped up on my timeline as I was writing about forgiveness. It was an older article, written in 2011, about the unlikely friendship of Eckford, one of the Nine who tried to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, and Bryan, immortalized in all her racist rage, trying to prevent that from happening.
Their friendship blossomed after Bryan apologized, grew into a partnership over their shared experience, and then shriveled under the weight of suspicion from their communities and each other. Bryan’s conversion to and activities as an activist were not enough to gain forgiveness and acceptance among those she had hurt.
And I wondered…are we ever permitted to transition from the mistakes we’ve made…transform in the eyes of those who judge us harshly? Are there some grievances too egregious to be forgiven?
“Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.” Colossians 3:13, MSG
Inhale Friendship, Exhale Unforgiveness…
Inhale Forgiveness, Exhale Unforgiveness…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Unforgiveness…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
#Forgiveness
I often say women would rather be called the B-word than selfish. But the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves to meet the sometimes imagined expectations of our various roles sometimes becomes too heavy a burden.
Yet we keep shouldering on until our bodies are broken, our spirits shattered and we’re left disconnected from the very people for whom we sacrifice so much.
What if there was another way?
“When we accept others’ freedom, we don’t get angry, feel guilty, or withdraw our love when they set boundaries with us. When we accept others’ freedom, we feel better about our own.” ~ Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, Boundaries
Inhale Simplicity, Exhale Burdens…
Inhale Freedom, Exhale Burdens…
Inhale Boundaries, Exhale Burdens…
Just Breathe
#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita
