It would be, we're all ok.
The title of this blog and first line of the subject are lyrics of a song by Jewel. I don't know why, but I connect with them. Think on that one statement.
We're. All. Ok.
There's a sense of oneness in that. That we don't have to strive for something else that isn't us. What if we said "fuck society." What would the resulting action be?
It would mean that a teenaged kid wouldn't listen to the church anymore about his being gay was a sin, when in reality, that book they're reading, says we all are.
It would mean that a woman, possibly you, wouldn't compare herself with other women based on appearance.
In fact, none of us would compare ourselves at all. Seriously. What matters at the end of the day? A female's dress size? My #sixpack?
No. What matters comes in the form of multiple different things. Kindness. Honesty. Love. Compassion. Happiness.
And what sucks about all of those is that society tells us daily that what matters is appearance, money, appearance and more money. But let's get back to it. And say however you want to say it. My sailor mouth will stress the meaning for us all. Fuck. Society. I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And gosh darn it, people like me. Yep, classic SNL got it right 20 years ago and we're all still struggling with it. I don't look for "vanity" when I'm looking for friends. But I treasure those that honor friendship; that glorify the regular; and those that at the end of the day, when I'm having a shitty day, i can turn to and say "Pick me up."
We all should. Those are the friends that are with us for life. And those are the friends that we NEVER need to explain actions. It comes down to the game Red Rover. Would you rather stand by someone who you don't know and may give you up....
Or stand next to the one that knows you and isn't going to let go, regardless of how hard your friendship is hit?
"I won't be made useless. Won't be idle with despair......"
"....In the end, only kindness matters......."
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Dharma talk, number 1
I teach yoga. It's been a wild and wonderful journey to get to this point and I cannot say how much I've loved it. I'm a relatively new yogi, finding my path but it's so crazy cool and I can tell now - I'm on a path. As a teacher at the studio, I get to give a dharma talk to help set an intention for class. In my mind, it can range from a great workout to meditation to whatever.
My dharma talk in a class this week came from a friend and his wife, whom I may have only met in passing at a softball game. I worked with him when we were both in a past "life," and since we have moved on. Moving on/forward is a common theme in my thoughts but my thought about them revolved around their dedication to give back.
They've dedicated not only their lives but their relationship to a "1 of 7" concept. Translated, one day out of every seven, give something back. Giving back for them can range from volunteering at a soup kitchen to mowing a lawn to picking up trash. It's helping others out in a way that they are able, in that moment, to help.
I am inspired by them. I'm a yogi in DC. Or in reality, I'm a #badyogi in DC, trying to figure out what's going on. How can I apply that to my life. And the answer hit....
I can lead a class and when I set their intention for the class. And for this class, I set the intention to think of one person in their life that was struggling. Struggling with health issues, financial scares, employment or whatever it may be. While those in the class may not have the time available to give back in an "organized" manner, they were on a mat for an hour. Whether or not you believe in the spiritual connection to the universe that the mat carries is not the issue. Imagine if someone comes to you and says "I thought about you for an hour today." What is the POWER in letting someone know that bit of information?
Throughout the hour, I kept bringing poses back to the person and making it relatable. Warrior II is, to me anyway, the most proud stance. What has this person done or is this person doing that makes you proud? Dolphin pose reminds us that work is play and play is work; how can we help this person take joy in the little things? And child's pose has us bowing - the ultimate sign of respect and honor.
At the end of class, I'm asked the students to tell their person they were thought of for 60 minutes. Hopefully they did. I told my inspiration for my dharma talk that he and his wife inspired it. And I'm doing it again....
Kip and Liz - for those that know you or know of you, we've learned that giving of self isn't hard and should be a regularly scheduled event. You make me want become that person that will join you on your journey giving something back to the world that we all need. Whatever that may be, for that day. Namaste!
My dharma talk in a class this week came from a friend and his wife, whom I may have only met in passing at a softball game. I worked with him when we were both in a past "life," and since we have moved on. Moving on/forward is a common theme in my thoughts but my thought about them revolved around their dedication to give back.
They've dedicated not only their lives but their relationship to a "1 of 7" concept. Translated, one day out of every seven, give something back. Giving back for them can range from volunteering at a soup kitchen to mowing a lawn to picking up trash. It's helping others out in a way that they are able, in that moment, to help.
I am inspired by them. I'm a yogi in DC. Or in reality, I'm a #badyogi in DC, trying to figure out what's going on. How can I apply that to my life. And the answer hit....
I can lead a class and when I set their intention for the class. And for this class, I set the intention to think of one person in their life that was struggling. Struggling with health issues, financial scares, employment or whatever it may be. While those in the class may not have the time available to give back in an "organized" manner, they were on a mat for an hour. Whether or not you believe in the spiritual connection to the universe that the mat carries is not the issue. Imagine if someone comes to you and says "I thought about you for an hour today." What is the POWER in letting someone know that bit of information?
Throughout the hour, I kept bringing poses back to the person and making it relatable. Warrior II is, to me anyway, the most proud stance. What has this person done or is this person doing that makes you proud? Dolphin pose reminds us that work is play and play is work; how can we help this person take joy in the little things? And child's pose has us bowing - the ultimate sign of respect and honor.
At the end of class, I'm asked the students to tell their person they were thought of for 60 minutes. Hopefully they did. I told my inspiration for my dharma talk that he and his wife inspired it. And I'm doing it again....
Kip and Liz - for those that know you or know of you, we've learned that giving of self isn't hard and should be a regularly scheduled event. You make me want become that person that will join you on your journey giving something back to the world that we all need. Whatever that may be, for that day. Namaste!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Why my sin...
This is going to be another tough post to write and I think it may be my first that becomes a "work in progress." It's about religion, both organized and spiritual. And at the end of the process, I may have a question to ask the reader. I may not. I don't know where I'm taking this but there's this thought that keeps coming back...
Why my sin?
Why is it that I'm the one that was shamed from the pulpit growing up? Why is my sin so much worse than yours? How is it that churches freely protest me and my life while ignoring members of their own congregation. Biblically speaking, there are multiple sins listed. Murder, adultery, jealousy, divorce. Bacon.
But I'm singled out. Because I fell in love with a man? Or because my being Christian and loving a man demolishes your faith in the Bible? Because quite frankly, my faith took a few stumbles when I came to terms with it. There are so many bigger things to be concerned with in this day and age, so why is a hateful "Christian" church praising God for deaths because of me? Why is an organization that shapes the lives of young men slowly coming to terms with letting a young man in that may be different? Why have others judged me harshly yet forgotten - they are not the judge?
Organized religion, and those that lean on it for support because they are afraid (my word, not theirs), are potentially the worst combination. Bullying a LGBT youth is always going to be acceptable,,,until the church realizes they are the ultimate bully. Organized religion today doesn't spread the gospel of Christ, but the gospel of self. A gay man (me), that knows more about the Bible than most ministers, is a bigger threat to them than a non-believer. And so to cast me out, they highlight my sin.
I know a few things they don't though. God, whomever he, she or it ends up being, made me like this. Honest. I've chosen to be happy, to be myself. I didn't have to but I did. I know I am so lucky to have a family that has continued to love me. To support me. And I know there are many out there that aren't so lucky. My hope, my dream, is that slowly, one person at a time, the message gets out - I (we) are just like you. We (I) want to love the person our heart leads us to. Happiness is the ultimate goal. And I know my favorite book of the Bible still is Ephesians. I don't know why. I like it though.
Where is my faith today? That's another blog, meant for another time/place. But where I am today wasn't shaped by me being gay, but it was shaped by me loving another man.
Why my sin?
Why is it that I'm the one that was shamed from the pulpit growing up? Why is my sin so much worse than yours? How is it that churches freely protest me and my life while ignoring members of their own congregation. Biblically speaking, there are multiple sins listed. Murder, adultery, jealousy, divorce. Bacon.
But I'm singled out. Because I fell in love with a man? Or because my being Christian and loving a man demolishes your faith in the Bible? Because quite frankly, my faith took a few stumbles when I came to terms with it. There are so many bigger things to be concerned with in this day and age, so why is a hateful "Christian" church praising God for deaths because of me? Why is an organization that shapes the lives of young men slowly coming to terms with letting a young man in that may be different? Why have others judged me harshly yet forgotten - they are not the judge?
Organized religion, and those that lean on it for support because they are afraid (my word, not theirs), are potentially the worst combination. Bullying a LGBT youth is always going to be acceptable,,,until the church realizes they are the ultimate bully. Organized religion today doesn't spread the gospel of Christ, but the gospel of self. A gay man (me), that knows more about the Bible than most ministers, is a bigger threat to them than a non-believer. And so to cast me out, they highlight my sin.
I know a few things they don't though. God, whomever he, she or it ends up being, made me like this. Honest. I've chosen to be happy, to be myself. I didn't have to but I did. I know I am so lucky to have a family that has continued to love me. To support me. And I know there are many out there that aren't so lucky. My hope, my dream, is that slowly, one person at a time, the message gets out - I (we) are just like you. We (I) want to love the person our heart leads us to. Happiness is the ultimate goal. And I know my favorite book of the Bible still is Ephesians. I don't know why. I like it though.
Where is my faith today? That's another blog, meant for another time/place. But where I am today wasn't shaped by me being gay, but it was shaped by me loving another man.
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