Weekly Musings on Life, Love, and Politics – Week 6

Let’s get right to it…the latest weekly musings!

  1. While there are times when we won’t always be up and happy, it’s during the times we’re down when we should empower ourselves with hope. If we can’t find it within ourselves, look to the inspirational and uplifting journeys of others who made it through. This may be just what we need to hold fast and securely to our hope.
  2. When our elected officials are unable to compromise on bills that impact the very people they represent and they let their personal interests impact their ability to fight for what’s right, you have to wonder who they’re really standing for? Do they forget why they’re in office? Do they forget they stand for all and not just the people and organizations they keep in their back pockets?
  3. I have to admit that I’ve often been caught off guard and amazed by the level of hatred, intolerance, and ignorance expressed in comments to political news articles in the weeks following the election. I probably shouldn’t be. But one thing’s for surethis nation is not as progressive as it’s oft proclaimed.  There’s still a long, LONG way to go.
  4. Loving someone is easy. Maintaining a relationship with themnot so much. What should keep the relationship strong are the very things which brought you together. This, along with the desire and willingness to see the relationship (and each other) prosper and grow.
  5. Sometimes we have to ask people what they want (outright). Forget the guessing games. If we were mind readers we’d be in a different realm. We’re able to proceed confidently when we all have an understanding of the purpose and mission of why we’re here. Otherwise it’s bullshit.  When time and money are at stake, bullshit deserves no seat at the table. Unless it’s a bullshit convention, bullshit should never be allowed a seat at any table.
  6. It’s a shame (for others) when you do your best to give people what they want (and then some) and it’s still not good enough.  No matter how good it is they’re never satisfied. What strength and fortitude it takes to deal with this on a regular basis (especially if it’s at work or at home). Realize it’s not always you, sometimes (or a lot of times) it’s them. Just don’t let it ruin your confidence or self-esteem. Don’t let it change you. Don’t let it stress you out. It’s all part of the process of learning how to work and deal with people.

The Power Of Your Words (from Prevail)

You’ve got the power to influence the masses;
You’ve got the power to make change.
You’ve got the power to make a difference in someone’s life,
So don’t underestimate the power of your words.

Someone is always listening;
You’ve got to be responsible for what you put out there.
People are looking up to you.
They admire you,
Respect you,
Want to be just like you.
So encourage them,
Inspire them,
Uplift them,
‘Cause if anyone’s gotta take it to the street,
It better be for a damn good reason.

Set an example,
And never underestimate the power of your words.       

© 2012 BuddahDesmond

Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics is available at iUniverse, Amazon (Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle), Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million (Paperback | Hardcover), and other retailers.    

Related Post:
101 Days Project: Prevail

Weekly Musings on Life, Love, and Poltics – Week 5

My apologies for the delay, but here are the latest weekly musings:

  1. If you lose the battle, always remember to bow out gracefully.  Don’t continue talking trash in your defeat.  It will only cast a dark(er) light on your character.  May even make your supporters question why they ever rooted for you.
  2. Laughter is an infectious tonic that can bring light to any situation.  It’s one of the Creator’s natural cures.  Try it.  You’ll feel so much better.
  3. While it can be hard maintaining a positive outlook, even when everything around you is suggesting otherwise, you’ll be better for it.  Believe it.  The power of positivity (and faith) will help you conquer ANYTHING!
  4. Our relationships give back what we put in them.  It may be easy to blame our partners for what we aren’t getting, but remember relationships are joint ventures.  We always have to check ourselves first before we have the audacity to check our partners.
  5. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day are everyday, not just on the days specified by the calendar.  We sometimes break our necks to go out of our way on these particular days to show our families and friends how much we love and care for them.  Some could say it’s a bit foolish.  We should strive to show our loved ones what they mean to us every day of the year, not just on holidays and special occasions.
  6. Instead of waiting until New Year’s, maybe we should try making changes, resolutions, and setting goals on our birthdays.  What better day to commit to life changes than on the anniversary our birth?

Until next time, enjoy your week!

Weekly Musings on Life, Love, and Politics – Week 4

Without further adieu, here are the latest weekly musings:

  1. Tolerance is limiting.  It leads to a dead end road.  It means that total understanding, respect, and empathy are not possible, because one is not able or is unwilling to embrace that which is different from oneself.
  2. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much the world opens up to you when you get out of your own way. 
  3. Rejection is unavoidable.  If you’re “lucky enough” to have yet to experience it, don’t worry… It’ll happen.  It’s foolish for any of us to think that we’re so good or so untouchable that everything belongs to or is meant for us.  Not so.
  4. Unless you have a plan or recommendations on how to make life as we know it better, STFU!  We can be so quick to complain when things don’t go the way that we want them to.  Complaining is useless.  If you want to make a difference, you have to collaborate with those than don’t share the same beliefs or ideals as you.  By doing that, we can get the change that will benefit everyonenot just you or those like you.
     
  5. Sometimes the best opportunities are those that come about by accident or those that we create ourselves.  We have to be open to all possibilities.
  6. Love manifests from within.  It’s so easy to be led astray when you can’t find it within yourself.  Stop looking out, and start looking within!

Our America

(Written in Praise of President Obama and Vice President Biden’s victory in the 2012 Election.)

 
Image courtesy of Just Jared site.

Our America is not one that is steeped in homogeneity.  Our America is ever changing, evolving.  It doesn’t always look like you, sound like you, love like you, or believe like you.  In our America, our differences don’t create problems.  They bring about unity.  They showcase the beauty of diversity and inclusion, not inferiority and hatred.  

In Our America, access doesn’t come with million or billion dollar price tags.  Opportunities exist for all, especially all who believe in themselves and are committed to diligence.  While Our America is not perfect, it cannot keep up the status quo just to appease the good ole boys.  Only doing this will forsake itself, its people, and the world by not adapting to change and by not allowing new perspectives and styles of leadership to come to the forefront.  

Change, the right changeespecially when given the opportunity to blossomis essential to our livelihood, our growth, our productivity, and our economy.  Our America needs to move forward.  Our America needs progress.  Let our America prevail!

Related Posts:

The Power Of Your Voice
Day 98: I’m Voting for Progress – Obama Biden 2012
Day 96: Michelle Obama at the DNC 2012
Desperation (from Prevail)
Politricking

The Power Of Your Voice

My partner and I got up early this morning so we could get to our polling station before it opened (at 6 AM).  It was very good thinking on our part considering how long the line was, even at 5:50 AM.  But seeing the line of people this early was a beaming sign.  It meant people were not going to be swayed in any way.  They were going to let their voices be heard.  The coldeven with the temperature below freezingwas no deterrent either.  That’s because the cause was/is worth it.

The cause is worth it because my ancestors fought too long and too hard for all of us to be able to vote.  They knew the power of the voice and that we’d only falter if we remained silent.  They recognized the importance of the collective…and that if we all had the chance to vote that we could collectively change our world for the better.  My ancestors died so that we could we could be free and live in a world where equality and justice reign supreme.  Therefore I don’t take any of it vain. 

I also don’t take it lightly the (ongoing) issue of voter suppression and oppression throughout this country.  There’s too much at stake for any of us to be cast aside or denied our right to exercise our political voice.  And after being in a long line of voters today and seeing the long lines of people voting early in days prior, I know that this rightthis precious rightis something we all (should) hold dear.  As someone said exiting the polling station this morning, “You’ve got to show up in order to show out.”  And I’m so pleased, so happy, so grateful that people across this country have/are doing just that.

Never think that you don’t matter or that you don’t count.  Because you do.  If you feel you aren’t being represented well or at all, you have the right to voice your concerns and act accordingly.  If we fail to act or we don’t exercise our rights, then we’re giving in.  We’re signing off and are just as accountable as the parties in office.  Or as many will sayif we don’t vote, we don’t have a voice.  Remember, you and your voice are worth more than they’ll ever admit.  Why else do you think they up the ante on tactics to scare us away from the polls (especially during Presidential Elections)?

I don’t care what scare tactics they use.  I wouldn’t care if it was subzero or 100+ degrees outside this morning.  If I had to stand in line all day today to vote, I would do it.  I recognize the power of my voice and power of my vote.  And I’m glad to see that so many of my fellow Americans do too.

Related Posts:

Day 98: I’m Voting for Progress – Obama Biden 2012
Day 96: Michelle Obama at the DNC 2012
Desperation (from Prevail)
Politricking

Weekly Musings on Life & Politics – Week 3

Sorry for the delay with posts this week.  School has seemingly taken over my life again.  With less than five weeks left in the semester and in my MBA program, I have had little time to sleep, socialize, or maintain consistency with anything outside the books.  The good thing, many would say, is that I’m in the homestretch.  It won’t be long now!

In the interim, I’d like to leave you with my musings on life and politics for the week.

  1. If one or a few groups of us have to be put down, cast aside, or degraded for the sake of “progress,” then we’ve failed as a society.
  2. Supremacy prevails when we don’t have access to the same chances and opportunities for a better life.
  3. Fear is a powerful yet crippling emotion.  It gives immense power to those who use it as a controlling mechanism, while it cripples and weakens those who fall prey or succumb to it.
  4. You have to want happiness.  You have to want change and/or want to change.  There’s nothing and no one that can wave the magic wand to make everything all better.  That’s for fairy tales.  This is real life.  Embrace it and play your part.
  5. What you look for in others may already lie within you.  Locate, realize, and tap into it.
  6. The understanding of why things happen to us may not come immediately.  But everything clicks when the reasons and learning lessons unveil themselves.  Life is funny that way, isn’t it?

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  Hold on.  Be strong.  Everything will get better.

Desperation (from Prevail)

With two weeks before the election, I thought it fitting to share this poem. “Desperation” (from the “Politics” section of Prevail) was written just before the 2008 election. While the stakes are seemingly higher now, much of the poem’s content is still quite relevant. If you remember nothing else for this election, please remember the power of your voice, your vote, and your dollar. And use them all wisely. Just as elected officials should be held accountable for their actions, we too should be held accountable for putting them into office.

Desperation

When desperation sets in,
Colors don’t matter.
You have no time for games;
It’s about functionality,
And what makes the most sense,
when all other qualities and characteristics are amiss.

When desperation sets in,
Decisions are made nearly in haste.
There’s almost no doubt,
No second-guessing.
When time was wasted on bullshit before,
you’ve got to go with the best for the future,
or what’s better than what you’ve got right now.

When desperation sets in, you might let go of all sense, logic, and reason.
Just because you can’t lose faith in the system,
You don’t want to give up hope.
Even when your leaders have proven otherwise,
You have to have faith in the truth and the power of the people.

When desperation sets in,
Political parties don’t matter.
It’s all about who can do better than those who currently stand before you in office.

When desperation sets in.
You just want someone who can do the job,
Someone you can trust,
Someone who you could stand on a temporary if not permanent basis.

When desperation sets in,
You hope to not make the same mistakes twice.
Cause you’ll really be fucked;
You’ll be fucked in more ways than one.
Most importantly—it won’t be the way you’d like it to be.

When desperation sets in,
Don’t get blinded by the façade,
Don’t be swindled by the sweet talk.
Charm is good but revolving doors that lie are not.

When desperation sets in,
Don’t go with the lesser of two evils.
When the vote counts, make sure it’s a step in the right direction,
Not a step into another (inter)national nightmare.

© 2012 BuddahDesmond

Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics is available at iUniverse, Amazon (Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle), Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million (Paperback | Hardcover), and other retailers.

Alice Walker’s "Democratic Womanism"

 Image courtesy of the New York Daily News site.

I want to vote and work for a way of life
that honors the feminine;
a way that acknowledges
the theft of the wisdom
female and dark Mother leadership
might have provided our spaceship
all along.
I am not thinking
of a talking head
kind of gal:
happy to be mixing
it up
with the baddest
bad boys
on the planet
her eyes a slit
her mouth a zipper.
No, I am speaking of true
regime change.
Where women rise
to take their place
en masse
at the helm
of earth’s frail and failing ship…
~ Alice Walker, “Democratic Womanism,” 2012 

During an interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, writer and activist Alice Walker recited her poem “Democratic Womanism,” written in honor of the late Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.”  In this poem, she challenges us to rethink the current practices of our leadership and to question the effectiveness of a political system that has only let its people down, and has led to the further destruction of life and the well-being of the planet.  “Democratic Womanism” encourages us to look towards the wisdom of women, as they have have so expertly led, managed, and taken care of all aspects life and the planet.  By doing so, we ultimately have a chance to change the course of life and our world.

What does Walker’s “Democratic Womanism” mean to you?  What is its relevance in relation to the 2012 election?

Power of Love: A Contemporary Aside (from ‘Prevail’)

Nothing’s worse than men obsessed with power,

Having the all-consuming ability to exercise control and influence 
     over others,
Like beasts foaming at the mouth with the high of going in for the 
     kill.

Maybe it’s the elevated nature of the position,
This putting-on-a-pedestal type treatment.
Or it’s simply a common case of ego,
When all of the attention has blown one’s head up to the size of a 
     Goodyear blimp,
When arrogance and ignorance have taken the place of humanity, 
     decency, and common sense.

There’s this godlike attitude,
This I-can-do-no-wrong mentality,
This holier-than-thou, my-way-is-the-only-way-because-there-is-no-other-way frame of mind.
But let me put it to you quite simply—your shit stinks too.

You may make decisions about the economy, education, 
     healthcare, defense, and other facets of our government and 
     society.
But you will never have the power to control the heart,
For the heart cannot be contained.
You will never be able to control anyone’s ability to love,
For love is divine.
You will never be able to tell anyone who they can or cannot love,
For love is essential to living.
Like breathing,
It’s a natural thing
That cannot be controlled by man—
Love is too powerful.
It’s stronger than man.
Continuing to push the issue
Will not make it any better.
Continuing to push the issue
Will make things worse,
Causing us to divide even further.

Love is not a choice.
And who you happen to love
and who happens to love you is not an alternative lifestyle.
There is nothing alternative about love.
Love is an essential part of life.
Essential to feeling complete.
There is no substitute;
There is no alternative to something we all have an innate need 
     for and right to experience and share.
Love will forever reign supreme.

Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics is available at iUniverse, Amazon (Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle), Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million (Paperback | Hardcover), and other retailers.