Why Are People Hateful? (2 of 2)
In this day and age, there are way too many religious cults. Stop attacking Islam and worry about your own misplaced heart. Do you want to save someone? Really save someone?! Save yourself, and the easiest way to do that is by thinking for yourself (it would help if you did less judging, too). Your God would approve. We also need to tax the churches, giving that money to the needy and poor. (I don’t know about you, but when I am done paying my bills, I got no money for Jesus.)
What is this post really about? Facebook! My Facebook page is just that – my page, and it’s important to me, and I will not be censored. If you really look at it, not my words or photographs, but just look at the architecture of the page, you’ll learn a great deal about what keeps me thriving. There is nothing phony here. What you see is what you get!
You’ll learn I am a very structured and organized man who cares about order, style and purpose. I am compulsive, a tad obsessive and a bit enigmatic. Again, no apologizes. It’s taken me a long, long time to get here, to find my voice, but I found it, and every label I wear, I wear proudly for the entire world to see.
Also know, I always put myself on the list. You need to do the same, because in this day and age, people really aren’t into martyrs anymore. I’m not! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. You must!
I am no stranger to challenge, defeat and triumph. At times, it’s cyclical, but I take it all in stride and, like the next person, I pray in earnest for positive outcomes, and I keep moving. That’s key!
For some, my life looks a certain way. Make no mistake, I don’t always have my shit together, but I know who I am and the one thing I have never lost sight of, and what I preach often and what I’ll continue to preach… Love thyself, first and foremost!
Love yourself enough to go that extra mile (powerful words, and my words of wisdom from lessons learned). If you get anything from that statement allow it be this… Tomorrow is a new day, and anything is impossible, and if you need a God to get you to that next level, allow him/her to lead the way, but don’t shun, judge or belittle anyone who doesn’t subscribe to your faith, because yours is not the only one to lead the way. I think your God would be totally cool with you thinking for yourself. I absolutely believe in the power of prayer, but more than anything I just believe in the human spirit, and that’s good enough.
To the Facebook friend who feels threatened by my rhetoric, especially as it pertains to my causes, please don’t make threats to unfriend me – just do it! My sister-in-law, a born again Christian, unfriended me. She does that periodically. I have tried to extend an olive branch to my family, but their Fundamentalist mentality doesn’t create the most cohesive environment for us to thrive, and I am cool with that… so cool! It actually makes my life a whole lot easier because I have some of the best friends in the world and many of them are people of faith, go figure. It must be said, to drop me because of religious convictions speaks volumes about your relationship with God. You’re clearly not secure in your faith. – paerki
Carlisle
The photos in this post are from my recent trip to Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful day, cold and windy, but still remarkably pleasant. I enjoyed my road trip.
It was a two-hour adventure using a combination of highway and scenic routes. There was much to see as I occasionally gazed out the car window to enjoy rolling fields, quaint pastures and miles and miles of farmland. I appreciate getting in touch with my inner farmer, longing to own a small farmette – a pipe dream, of course, but it could happen. Still, I see it as an opportunity to nurture my imagination and creativity.
I ultimately ended up in Carlisle, a lovely little historical borough nestled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It’s beyond special and extremely serene. This was my second visit and like my first, I was easily captivated, immediately taking notice of the architecture, tree lined streets, mountain trails, neighborhood paths and wildlife.
What excited me most were the Letort Spring Run (a tributary of Condodoquinet Creek), which cascades through the central part of town and where one can fly fish, and the Yellow Breeches Creek, a trout stream popular with the locals. All was memorable, and adds to the community’s inviting qualities.
It was challenging hiking the Appalachian Trail. The wind was relentless, but I endured for 2-miles and then called it quits.
It was a good day. It's hard to believe, but I snapped no photos in Carlisle. I had one simple goal, to be present in the moment. Snapping photos would have taken me away from my purpose.
I hope you had a good day too, my friends. Here's to a new week, happy it will be a short one, thanks to the holiday. Cheers! – paerki
