Vulnerability

Picture this scenario:  You're driving down I-5 North at 65 mph in the rain, leaving an appropriate distance between you and the car ahead of you, when a car driving 60 mph suddenly pulls from the right lane into yours.  You now have to hit your brakes in order to keep from hitting him, and you see headlights in your rear view mirror fast approaching.

Reaction 1:  "DICK! Man! I wish people would learn how to drive! It's not like it never rains in Seattle."

Reaction 2:  "Well then... You must be in a hurry. I'm thankful I was allowing enough room for just this situation."

Which version would you say best describes you?  I'm sure we have days when we could be either.  But let's take it just a little further down the rabbit hole.  What if I were to tell you that you aren't either version?  What if I told you that you have a lifetime of being conditioned into thinking that you are "less than", when in truth,  you are infinite potential.

You actually aren't either voice.  You are the quiet observer that sees both voices.  How many times have you started to be Reaction 1, then realized that wasn't in alignment with who you wanted to be, and became Reaction 2 instead?  So you aren't either version, you're true self is the one you are trying to get into alignment with!  Roll that around a bit and let it sink in. 

This would be where I would drop the mic and walk off stage, but I want to give you another perspective. 

I am a nurse, and I have lost every ounce of faith in the healthcare system.  Insurance companies don't offer any assurance, or insurance, that you will be covered for any ailment, and if you are covered, you are often cut far too soon.  The curriculum for the medicine we practice was developed by the companies that sell the medication doctors are instructed to prescribe.  The list is long.

So why do I go to work and truly love what I do?  Because I am not a part of that system.  I have a choice to brighten the world around me in spite of that system.  I can choose to be a walking example of compassion for the struggle of those around me.  I can offer so much more just by realizing that I am not Reaction 1 screaming: "THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN" thus causing more attention to be drawn to and energy focused on the system I have lost faith in, or Reaction 2 possibly siding with the patient crying: "The system is broken, I'm truly sorry...".  I am the observer that realizes I am so much bigger than any system.

I am the example.  I am proof that you can heal with love and empathy for your fellow man.  I am the realization that every person in every bed I see, is just another version of myself.  We are all this incredible version of God.  We are all capable of so much more when we open our hearts and become vulnerable. 

We owe it to our children to at least try.  Leave them a world worth living in.  One without war or hate.  Start to realize the potential within yourself and be the example.

Transformation

trans·form

tran(t)sˈfôrm/

verb

verb: transform; 3rd person present: transforms; past tense: transformed; past participle: transformed; gerund or present participle: transforming

1.

  make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of.

Let's take it a step further. "Think of it as two words. The second word is form. It means the physical world you live in, and all of the boundaries we experience in our life. That's our form. It's our body. And then trans which is put as a prefix, in front of our form. And the prefix trans means to go beyond, to soar above, to go past. So transforming really means going beyond your form. That is, going beyond the limits of your body." ~Wayne Dyer - 101 Ways to Transform Your Life.

I wanted to title this blog, "I Have Evolved." Evolving happens slowly over time however, and the profound change I feel within myself is too big for that. Every day I try to be a better version of myself than the day before, and in that sense I suppose I am evolving, but today I can truly tell you that I am not the same man I was yesterday.

I have my wife to thank for that. Even when I am at my worst, she allows me to be who I am. She makes it OK to be vulnerable. And when I have no right to receive it, she trusts me enough to tell me her deepest fears and insecurities. She demonstrates a faith in me that I will take that information and show empathy and compassion instead of using it as a weapon or way to deflect off of myself. 

This morning played out in just this fashion. Because of that, I was able to see the world from a very different perspective. I had no words to convey the shame and heartbreak I felt with this new knowledge. At the same time, I could feel a strange sensation in my chest. It wasn't an alarming feeling, or one that caused me discomfort. I had only given it a passing thought at the time. When I think back on it now, it is the same feeling I get when I look at my wife and she doesn't know I'm staring at her. Or when my baby boy looks at me and smiles. Or when I hear my sweet Muffinbutt say, "I wuv Dadda." Love. I was feeling my spirit shift out of love. I believe that. 

I made a vow to myself that I was going to take back control of my life today. I was going to start writing my future again. I swore my wife would never doubt how much I loved her, that she would always know that she is the only woman I have ever truly loved more than myself. I want her to know, through my actions, just how much I appreciate her. How thankful I am for her. I swore I would always try to be worthy of her. 

Prior to this morning, I thought I was a pretty stand up guy who was capable of seeing the world from a compassionate point of view. I want to be happy, I try to think happy thoughts. Law of Attraction and all that... Then I got to see the world from my wife's perspective. When you look through the eyes of someone who genuinely cares as much for strangers as she does her own family, someone who will always blame herself first for any argument, someone who sacrifices so much of herself and puts her dreams and goals on hold for the opportunity to play with her children... When you do that and you are willing to let it take you wherever it goes, you cannot help but be changed. I thought I had become a good person, and then I got to touch my wife's bare soul only to realize just how far I had to go just to be worthy of her love.

I'm a little awkward in this new me, I am still learning how to be genuine without being a dick. But man, the world looks amazing tonight. I had an incredible meditation, an urge to write, and I have never felt more blessed and thankful to be in this moment than I do right now.

I have no right to give anyone advice, but for the 2 or 3 people who read this, I beg you to just let go. Trust in God, whatever name he goes by, and know in your heart that things will always work out for you. Make your mantra, "I want to be happy" and do whatever it takes to make it happen. If you are lucky enough to find the other half of your soul in your lifetime, devote yourself to them completely. Love them so hard it hurts and never let them have to wonder if they are enough. Prove to them through your actions that they are loved, because words don't teach. Most importantly, strive to be the man she thinks you are. She will love you wherever you are at, but don't be fooled. She knows you. And she knows what you are capable of. Be worthy.

This is a public "shout out" to my homie. Thank you for being my best friend and for the enormous heart you must have to be able to forgive a fool like me time and time again. I will do my best to deserve you.

Perfect Health

We all want to achieve perfect health, but what does that really look like? For some, it could be the 240 pound woman who is now the 180 pound man. For others, it could mean the 285 pound woman who is now a size 6. And yet for some it is a lifestyle of eating organic and going to the gym 4 days a week.

For me, perfect health the the absence of disease. Dis~ease. It is the realization that disease is a human creation and not from who we truly are. We are, at our core, at ease. At peace, not just with ourselves, but with everyone and everything around us.

It comes with knowing that you are so much more than this body, that you have within you the Power that creates worlds.


Once you turn your eyes from what the world wants you to see, once you see how the media dictates the mood of the masses, once you experience just a single moment in true alignment with who you really are, so much weight is lifted off your shoulders. You are no longer burdened with the system and it's self proclaimed authority over you. You see it for what it is. And you start to educate yourself on how to take your life back, to influence change, to improve your life.

My daughter reminds me every day of how much I take for granted. We were at the ocean yesterday, and after I carried her down to the sand, I set her down so she could take in this vast body of water we had in front of us. She looked up at me and smiled, got wide-eyed, and whispered, "Wooooooooow."

In that moment I was able to stop and revisit my initial observations, and look at my surroundings again - from the perspective of a 2 foot high miracle seeing it all for the first time in her new body. SHE puts me into alignment more often than not, because I have learned to listen to my heart. And I am proud to admit that she teaches me more about living than I have ever learned in nearly half a century of journeys. For the ability to do that, I thank my wife. She has shown me how to love myself, and in doing so, given me permission to love her more than the air I breath.

So, back to the original question: What does disease look like?

I think I just painted a pretty clear description of what it looks like in my life. It also looks like Chewbacca Mom, the 240 pound woman now turned buff man, the size 6 and 7 and 8's on up and down. It looks like you, like me, and even like that man who was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. We are all connected, we are all the same. Disease comes when we separate from our Source. Disease is the result of not being in harmony with yourself, and Nature.

We, as a people, need to stop focusing on the disease of our world and start making decisions about our own lives. You are the only person responsible for your happiness. Start acting like it and stop blaming everything the media tells you to blame. Educate yourselves, learn about the things that make you excited, stop watching repeat after repeat of the same violent and hate filled messages on the TV and spend a few moments outside, or painting, or playing music. Learn how to knit that blanket, or grow the biggest tomato without hurting the environment. See how easy it is to be good at something you are passionate about. See how naturally you learn about it, how quickly you pick up little ideas of how to improve your own version of something.

Start focusing on this moment. Here is where you can make a difference. Start loving and being grateful for this moment. It's really all that we have.

I Have A Dream

I want to be a farmer. Not in the traditional sense maybe, but I want land and huge, beautiful gardens. I'm tired of working for other people. I want to do something with my life that gives back to the Earth we live on. To it's people. I want something positive to leave my children.

My wife and I have a dream to own land one day. We want to grow food organically and give it to our community when they need it. We want to invite people out for bonfires and cooking. We want to own a food truck that we can drive down through Seattle and feed the homeless with. We want to have clothing and coat drives in the late summer and early fall so that we can give them to those less fortunate who must brave the elements in the colder season.

I am tired of spending 2/3 of my day away from my family because survival depends on it. I am tired of other people dictating my future.

I can picture a Mead Hall (I don't know what else to call it, it resembles something I saw on Vikings) on our land where we throw parties and feasts when the weather is fowl. Large fireplaces on each end of the room with a smaller (maybe gas) fireplace that runs the length of the hall down the center of it. Large wooden tables are set up on either side of the middle fire pit and I picture friends and family sitting on either side laughing and eating.

I see beautiful gardens and pastures of wildflowers. I want to work all day with my kids and wife in the mud and dirt maintaining them.

I picture my older children taking my younger children out (and grandchildren) and building forts in the woods. I see a large guest house where family comes to stay often.

This is just a glimpse of what my wife and I have discussed. We have no idea how we are going to get there either. But we believe that someday we will have it. And, from what the Universe has taught me, that's the biggest part of it.

Last night my wife got me thinking hard about it again. I had been side tracked by life's follies lately. Today I am back on course. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in life is that yesterday does not define who you are today.

I am not the same man my older children knew. They don't understand that. They have an image of a guy they used to know, and a couple of them hold onto that with a passion.  I can't blame them, they think that they have to be who the world thinks they are still themselves. There comes a time in everyone's life, I believe, that they decide they are who they are and stop trying to be this version of themselves that will make everyone else happy. Some call that selfish, as if that is a bad thing. But it's not.

You see, until you come to a place where you can be the best version of yourself for nobody else but you, then you can't be that person for anyone else either. And until you understand that it really doesn't matter what other people think about you, then I don't think you can be as compassionate to others as you are meant to be.

We weren't put on this Earth to hoard our wealth and to envy other people. We were put here to do our best individually so that we can be a part of something greater. We thrive in communities, we nourish with our love, and we find ourselves in giving back to others.

When you get on board with that knowledge it truly is amazing to see how the Universe just puts things in your path to make it easier.

I was stressing about today. It's a turning point for me at work, a new opportunity that I was a little afraid of. Until last night. My wife, without even knowing it, set me straight. Today I embrace change, and I welcome any new adventure. Only in resistance to it do we find hardship.

Today, take the time to look around at all the amazing things that surround you. Literally stop and smell the flowers. Hug a tree. Walk barefoot in the mud. It's in the small, seemingly mundane things that we find the most beauty. Nothing about your life is by accident, it was all influenced by your decisions. Doesn't it stand to reason then that if you are unhappy with what you see, you can simply decide to start looking for something else?

Without change there can be no change, change the way you look at things and the things you look at change!

Understand that life is short and so precious. Don't waste it worrying about what other people think of you when their thoughts are none of your business.

I am taken care of. I will always come out on top. I don't rely on other people to lift me up, my happiness is not their responsibility. I alone have the power to choose happiness even if everything seems to be going wrong.

Today do something nice for you. Then share it with someone else. There is power in that.

Falling off the wagon

It's been a long time since I posted, and because of that, this will likely be a long read. I have a lot to get off my chest, however, and since this blog is therapy for me - and an option for you - I don't see the harm in it.

The previous posts are all about being on your "high flying disc" as Abraham Hicks would put it. It's easy to look around from up there and see where you need to go next, but what happens when you fall off it?

The last month has been one of the most challenging I have ever had. I have more empathy for single parents now than I ever did. I started my day by going to work, then I would come home and take care of the baby, clean, cook and get the baby ready for bed. My wife would go to sleep when the kid did around 6:30, so I basically spent my evenings alone. Wake up the next day and wash, rinse, repeat.

It really didn't take long for me to stop meditating, and I could feel the results of that immediately. I started to get angry quicker, I was more irritable, I was exhausted at the end of the day and woke up the next morning forcing thoughts of calling in sick to work out of my head.

I would get to work and be unhappy. It started to permeate everything and I carried it like a weight. It was obvious to my wife, I'm sure my daughter recognized it, but I would try to put on my best face for them regardless and power through the day.

It sucked. But let me tell you why. Because I was looking at it (most of the time) through the eyes of my ego. My ego feels like I should get something back for my efforts. My ego wonders if she is really as sick as she presents. My ego is all about MY comfort and people serving me. Love is about serving others.

I tried to remind myself during my quiet time at night about how all of that was selfish and I would remind myself about the lessons of Wayne, James, Radleigh, Abraham, and those great teachers I listened to and read. I would feel a little better at night, tell myself I need to make time to meditate in the morning, and start my day the same way I had the previous one.

Yesterday we were listening to a clip of Tony Robbins talking about getting back up after being down. He said that even he still gets down, but the difference is he doesn't stay there. It's a choice whether or not you let yourself feel that way. You are in control of your own happiness, and you have the power to pick yourself up.

Yesterday I also got my wife back. She seemed to turn a corner and I know for a fact she was feeling better because she started talking when I got home and didn't stop until she went to bed. It was like we hadn't seen each other in a month, and in a sense, we hadn't.

Yesterday was also one of the worst days at work I have had in a LONG time.

All of it came together and I realized I had a choice to make. I could continue down the road I was on, feeling used up and tired, or I could take back control of my life. I chose to take my life back.

So here I am today, and let me tell you the difference in perspective is amazing. I now look back at that month and think of how amazing it was to be able to spend that much time with my daughter. She was frustrating at times, when she gets tired she pushes buttons on purpose, but the majority of the time we played. We watched her TV shows, we cuddled and had tea parties. I have a stronger connection with my child right now than I ever had with any of my other kids. And that's a shame. I missed out on so much. That's a topic for another day, though.

Today I meditated. Today I am grateful for the job I have. Today I am thankful for a wife who, even thought she couldn't even shower some days without throwing up, never stopped saying thank you to me for being there for them.

It really is about perspective. This last month has proven that to me. You see what you choose to see. My wife is having a good day so far. But this evening could be another story. That doesn't matter anymore. It is what it is after all. Today I am choosing to see the positive. Today I take my life back and stop feeling sorry for myself. Today I am going to be the man my wife thinks I am.

Today I challenge you to be the best version of you that you can be. Not for anyone else but yourself. See the good. We have enough negativity from other sources in our lives, don't be a contributing factor. Don't create your own obstacles.

Put love first. Put yourself first. That doesn't mean that I stop doing what I need to do, it means that I don't need to be resentful for doing it. Because love is about service. It's about sacrifice and giving. There is so much more reciprocation from the universe when you put love first.

Today is a new day. Today is your day. Seize it.

On Parenting

Today I’m going to speak mainly to my son and daughter in-law, but it will apply to anyone who is on the brink of becoming a new parent.

Many people may not think I should be giving advice about being a parent when I’ve managed to muddle the parenting of my older kids, but the truth is I’m not the same father they knew. I’m not the same man. So what I have to say is relevant and it comes from a perspective of love.

I want to let you know about some things that nobody told me about.

First, I want you to know that it’s totally fine to be scared, even terrified. Most of us at this stage have issues with taking care of ourselves, let alone another tiny human being. It’s OK. You will get through this.

It’s OK to not have an answer and to make it up as you go. I’m pretty sure your intent isn’t to harm the baby, so get creative! Need to pee but the kid is teething and freaks when you put him down? Then go pee with the baby, or… wait for it… put the baby down and go pee. It’s OK if he cries for a few minutes. It won’t break him.

When you first get home from the hospital with your new bundle of joy, it’s OK to tell people not to come visit. You will be tired, very tired. Sleep when the baby sleeps, nap when you can, and let the housework move a little lower down the list of priorities. Your main focus is that baby and rest, it’s OK if the dishes pile up a little or you wear the same sweatshirt as yesterday. If people want to visit, tell them they have to bring a dish of food or they will need to do a load of laundry or wash some dishes to help out if they want to see the baby. Seriously! If they don’t understand, then they probably don’t need to be in your life anyway.

To my son, if you have time at home (vacation) after the baby is born, do as much as possible to help Mom. Get up with her when she feeds in the middle of the night. Even if she breast feeds and all you can do is let her lean on you, do it. Be there for her. Build that bond early with your son. You won’t regret it.

It’s OK if you want the baby to sleep with you. People who say not to are going to quote crib manufacturers who say it isn’t safe. Our daughter still sleeps with us and will for as long as she likes to. I can’t believe I made my kids “cry it out” now that I’ve experienced this side. Think about that one, for centuries families have slept together in caves, tee-pees, cabins on the prairie, and then the industrial revolution kicks in and all of a sudden it’s not OK for your kids to sleep with you anymore. In a world that breeds separation and segregation, your home should be a place of gathering and love. Ultimately it’s your choice how you want to raise your child, don’t let people tell you “the best way” when they have no experience in anything else. Use your own judgement and follow your heart. DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT. It’s your home, your rules, and you never have to apologize for it. Attachment parenting has been a gift to me, and I would love to teach you more about it if you’re interested.

Ask for help. You will be so overwhelmed with everything going on, there will be things that you think you will be able to do that keep getting put aside because the baby requires more attention than you planned for. Let friends and family run errands for you if they are willing. If someone asks if they can help, put their ass to work. If they offer a second time, you will know they are truly your friend.

Breast feeding is hard. How do I know this being a Dad? Because I got up every time my wife did when she breastfed my baby. Every time. I’m proud of that. There were times when I would feed Katie breast milk through a tiny tube taped to my pinky finger while my wife pumped because her nipples were just too sore to do it again at 3am. My wife would cry the entire time she was nursing sometimes because it hurt so bad. But she never gave up, and as long as she was willing to put in that amount of effort, I was going to be by her side supporting her. My wife is extremely grateful she stuck with it. So am I. It gets better, but it’s not easy like everyone makes you think. The benefits are well worth the effort though. Breast milk truly is the best way to go, but again, that is a decision you get to make. Not the world.

Learn to meditate. Seriously. If you can spend just 20 minutes a day re-centering yourself with meditation, it will make this entire process so much easier. Meditation brings clarity, peace and stability within yourself. It keeps you calm when you want to explode. 

It also helps you to learn to be in the moment. That in itself is one of the greatest tools you could ever possess. Being in the moment allows you to see the baby, and everything around you, for what it is. A true miracle. When he is screaming his head off and nothing you can do makes him stop, if you can be in the moment it will really help you to tune into what that baby needs from you. Sometimes it’s just to calm yourself. They can feel your energy, whether you believe in that stuff or not, it’s real. Staying calm and in the moment will help you figure out and appreciate everything more.

Here’s a big one. You will get frustrated, scared, annoyed, grumpy, sometimes angry and you will always worry. What you need to remember in those times is that it’s OK to feel what you feel. It’s never OK to project what you feel onto that baby. If you need to put him down for 5 minutes so you can go punch a pillow, or scream into it to vent some frustration, then do it. Don’t let that stuff bottle up inside you. It’s poison. Don’t forget that you’re human and that you have emotions too. Get back to your center so you can be the best parent in that moment that you can.

Recognize when you are that way, and be honest with each other. If you are on edge, carrying on a conversation with each other probably isn’t the best idea. Just be there for each other and shift your focus back onto that little miracle you have. It’s OK to be upset and angry, understand that lashing out at each other isn’t going to help. Let each other know when you’re there and give each other some space. You will come back to each other when the mood passes.

Remember that your baby’s only form of communication is crying at first. They cry when they are uncomfortable, when they are dirty, hungry, scared, etc. They have no vocabulary yet. I know this sounds obvious, but wait until he’s crying and you can’t figure out why. You will rack your brain trying to figure it out, you’ll go down the list of things in your head and check them off, only to have him still crying. It’s OK. Maybe he doesn’t like how you “feel” to him at the moment. Maybe the crying has caused a little more frustration or anxiety than you thought. Your baby can feel that. Your baby was inside of you for 9 months, you guys are tuned into each other. This is where meditating and being in the moment really pay off. You become aware of your feelings, and are able to shift out of being so anxious and just being there. There have been numerous times when our baby has calmed down simply because we’ve decided that she just wants to be angry and we accept it, letting it happen, and by not trying to add our own anxiety to the mix, we diffuse the entire situation.

Buy from second hand stores and garage sales. Don’t be too proud to save a dime now so you can get something later. Your kid will outgrow most of the newborn clothes they get as gifts before they even wear them. Don’t spend $40 on an outfit they will wear once when you can get the same thing for 50 cents at a thrift store. 

I could have basically summed all of this up by telling you one thing: You will feel so lost, you won’t have a clue if you are doing anything right, and everyone around you will have answers or a better way. Ultimately you will need to use what resonates with you, and let everything else go. You have a tiny miracle in your life now that changes the entire game. It doesn’t “end your life” by taking away freedom, it gives you memories and experiences that you never would have been able to have without him. It’s all about perspective. How do you choose to see this? 

I want you to know that if your parents tell you to call them at 3am (and I’m telling you both this now), it’s because they would rather be woken up by you crying at your wits end, then to have you feel like you have to suffer through the difficult times alone. You have help available, please be brave enough to ask for it.

For my son, I want to tell you something that I learned the hard way. It likely doesn’t apply to you, because you are a far better man than I was at your age, but it was one of my greatest lessons and I need to share it.

That baby comes through you, not for you. It is a privilege to be a parent, not a right. Never take your children for granted. Never look at them as any less than a small human being with the same rights you have. They are completely dependent on you. They need nurturing and compassion, not time alone to toughen up. Hold them, cradle them, tell them you love them. Don’t let your ego, your image or your friends ever dictate what type of person you are to that child. The military won’t always be there, hopefully that child will. Invest in your child emotionally. Let them know you make mistakes and that you are learning together. Say “I love you” often, and mean it when you say it. Don’t say it just because it’s a catchy phrase, it’s one of the most important phrases on the planet. And when you say it with conviction, it carries a completely different meaning than it does when you say it in passing because it was a conditioned response. Forget about what you look like in front of your friends, going out after work for a beer or 18 holes of golf isn’t more important than being there for your wife and child. Don’t let anything ever become more important than them.

I know you will make wonderful parents. You both are so carefree and loving. You’re in a good place. Trust in yourselves and the people around you. Know you will make mistakes, but babies are bendy and it’s OK.

I want you to know that I am very proud of you both, I always have been. You will make amazing parents and you have resources available. Please use them. Especially at 3am when all you can do is cry.

I love you both. I’m so excited to watch you take this journey. Thank you for this opportunity to be a Grandfather. I’ve been lucky enough to have a couple of generations of good examples to follow there, so I think I’ll be OK. I think the best part about being a Grandparent so far is being able be there for you. It’s nice having you talk to me, share with me, and I will be forever grateful you’ve allowed me to go on this journey with you.

Continue to be the best version of you that you can be, and everything will work out just fine. I promise.

Creating a better world

When the power of love is greater than the love of power, the world will know peace. ~ Attributed to Bob Marley.

 

Is this even possible? I think it is. I have no idea how to do it peacefully. It would require the people currently in power to be not in power anymore. How do you topple a government peacefully? Not to mention that this needs to happen everywhere in the world.

These are the dilemmas that keep me awake at night. This furrows my brow more than any issue I currently have in my life right now. I know how to make my immediate life better. I’ve been doing it for about 6 months now, and it continues to improve on a daily basis. But to change the world… Now there is a challenge.

I think it has to start within each of us. We have to be willing to change on an individual basis. We change the world one person at a time. It’s really a war of attrition. Sooner or later, people who are tired of violence, hatred, labels and segregation will be the majority and there will be a tipping point.

How do we get there? I can only tell you about my journey, I can’t tell you how to make yourself happy. That’s the part people just don’t understand. You are the one responsible for your happiness. Not me, not your significant other… You and you alone are the one that has the power to make you smile.

It starts with a belief that there is more to this life than just getting up at 4am to go to a mundane job that you feel like you have to do in order to survive. It’s feeling a tug on your soul when you think of playing guitar, wanting to pick one up and learn to play it because the sound brings you joy. It’s listening to Wayne Dyer tell you that the power of the entire universe is inside you, and actually starting to believe it. It’s acting on your dreams because you were meant to be more than a slave to others.

The world today will do everything it can to bring you down. The media is made up of horrific image after image. They want you to watch and carry on that vibration. Fear is powerful. If we fear what is happening in the world, when we are confronted with it, we will exhibit more fear. Terrorists are scary. Bombings are scary. We poison our bodies with GMOs and processed food. There are heavy metals in vaccines that are supposed to protect us from disease, but cause autism and allergies in its place. We turn into this corporate byproduct that resembles Jabba the Hut, then wonder why we feel so sluggish and run down.

The only way a revolution is going to happen is if we start taking back control of our lives. We need to start growing our own food. We need to start meditating. We need to start realizing that we are so much more than the world tells us we are.

Right now, we as a society are our worst enemy. We spew hate. We shame people for the way they look. We denounce war and violence in one breath, and send our children off to fight it in the next. We label each other based on what society deems “normal” and ridicule those who don’t flow with the mainstream. We preach acceptance on Sunday, then say we have no room for refugees in the church parking lot, totally forgetting that Jesus was a refugee Himself!

If you want to clean up the world, I challenge you to first look within. Be the example of what you want to see. Clean up your own yard before talking about the leaves piling up in your neighbors. Stop looking for ways to hate each other and start looking for the good in everyone.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. ~ Wayne Dyer

What do you believe?

Do people understand that their beliefs shape the world around them? Most don’t, I think. If you are from India, and you believe that the cow is a sacred animal, would you not be appalled at the cattle farms that treat cows inhumanely and slaughter them for food? Does that not shape your feelings toward the owner of the farm? Is it possible that the owner of the farm doesn’t look at a cow as a living creature with a soul? In his mind he isn’t doing anything wrong, it is just a cow to after all.

We often place so much judgement on others for the things that they do, but we fail to understand that everyone is just a product of their belief system. The true tragedy is when we are unbending in that belief system and unwilling to see things from another perspective.

At one point in my life I believed that God was a bearded man who sat in the clouds and cast judgement down on those of us who were not worthy. We are all sinners and not worthy of God’s love. If I didn’t believe that God sent His son to Earth to die for our sins, I would be cast into a lake of fire for all of eternity. That sounds like a loving God to me and not a way to control and convert people into a more pliable state. Yes, that is sarcasm.

Now I believe that God is everything. I call Him Source now. I believe that we are first spiritual beings and this body is just a temporary shell we inhabit to experience this human life. We cannot truly die, the soul – your higher self – lives on. When we “die” we actually transition back to Source. It’s where we all came from, to it we all return. We transition, we cannot – ever – die.

Knowing that to be true for me, I now look at everything differently. Instead of seeing hatred and danger around every corner, I now see the beauty in everything. I am in awe of the way that flowers bloom because the same force opening those petals is the same force that makes my heart beat or causes me to take a breath. 

I believe that we are all connected, we are all from the same Source, you see. Instead of being frustrated in traffic during my 500 mile weekly commute, I now imagine myself expanding out and touching the people in other cars. I am calmer and I try to project that calm to other people.

Does me believing that there is no man in the sky also mean that people who believe in Allah or Shiva or those who worship nature are all freaks who have it all wrong? No. I see them for what they are. A product of their belief system.

I’ve often been told by Christians that it’s not required for me to believe in God for Him to be real. I now will ask you to listen to your own wisdom. I don’t expect people to read my blog and instantly convert to my way of thinking. That would be horrible! What would you have to build on as a foundation? We need experience to make us change.

7000 people meditating together on love can change the crime rate in the city they are meditating in by very drastic proportions. Scientists have measured the effect of mass meditations around the world and discovered it on a global scale. 

If we could learn to focus our attention on love, peace and helping each other, there would be no need for days like today. There would be no more need for war. There would be no more hunger or people living in the street. We have the resources to feed, clothe and house every single human on this planet. Why then do we allow the suffering?

Because we believe the people “in charge” have it right. Because it’s “just the way of the world” or “it’s just how the system works.”

The system is broken, the people in charge are wrong, and as long as we allow the status quo to remain the same, nothing will change.

Luckily, there is a shift happening in humanity. People are starting to wake up. There is far more spirituality and love in the world than we are allowing ourselves to notice, because we have been trained to focus on the distractions like football, all the hate and violence on the news, etc. Look at your Facebook feed. Is it full of recipes, media crap and complaining about things? What do you read about when you open the paper? How many feel good stories do you hear about from the media anymore? They are distractions causing you to focus on negative or meaningless things.

Today I challenge you to open your eyes to the world around you. I challenge you to move on to something that makes you feel good when you come across a negative post on Facebook. Don’t give it energy. Is it any wonder that they call it a "news feed?" They are feeding you the fuel to keep the ball rolling. When you start to pay attention to what is fed to you, it starts to leave a bitter taste in your mouth. What most of us fail to realize is that the system is an illusion. The only thing keeping you down is yourself.

Look at the things that are introduced to you. Choose to either acknowledge it or don’t. But understand that the choice is yours. 

Happy Veteran’s Day everyone. My wish is that every Veteran, past or present, finds peace this day and that we no longer have a need to honor our Veterans. I may not see it in my lifetime, but I hope to. A world that comes together in peace to elevate each other will have no need for war, thus, no need for the Veteran.

Namaste.

Semper Fi, Marines!

240 years ago in a small tavern in Philadelphia, a couple of guys got together and established 2 battalions of Marines. Before the Declaration of Independence was written, Marines were there. Before our original 13 colonies were even The United States, the Marines were there.

There is an interesting thing about Marines that a lot of people don’t understand. We share the traditions of every Marine. We carry the legacy of Chesty Puller, Dan Daly, John Basilone, Douglas Zembiec. We share the victories and losses of our brothers and sisters still fighting. We are one.

Now more than ever I despise politics and all its corruption. Now I can see it for what it really is. I have no respect for the people governing this nation who send our children to war for political or economic gains. These men and women leading our nation exploit the blood of our youth for their own purposes. Countless lives have been lost – and for what? So we can bring democracy to a country that has been at war for over 1400 years that just happens to be one of the richest oil nations in the region. 

This is the job of the Marine in most people’s eyes. We were conditioned from the very beginning to believe that the Marines were the best. Who didn’t grow up with movies like Iwo Jima? 

Marine loyalty, dedication, tradition and camaraderie do not come from carrying out the orders of politicians. Marines are mighty because they are selfless. This may come as a shock to some of you, but follow along with me here. 

Dakota Meyer willingly went into almost certain death to extract 12 of his comrades in Afghanistan. John Basilone fought against 3000 Japanese soldiers until, at the end, only he and two other Marines were left standing. Chesty Puller led Marines in WW2 and Korea and did so in a way that immortalized him among us. He led from the front, without fear of death, and he loved every single one of the Marines under his care.

Story after story is told of courage under fire, modern day stories of Marines helping their community, being the example.

One thing I will always be grateful for is that they were the first to teach me about being a part of something bigger than myself. I learned to accept death in my 20’s. There is a freedom that comes with that like you cannot imagine. 

You may think that Marines are arrogant, short fused, egotistical and reckless. They are. It serves a purpose. We boast not only our own accomplishments, but those of the Marines that came before us. We share a legacy with heroes. I served with heroes. I walked among men who served their time in the Marine Corps, then got out to continue that service to the public by being police officers, paramedics, scientists, teachers. Most of the time they do it with more passion and COMpassion than their civilian counterparts. Marines know what it feels like to be beat down and miserable, you see.

The Marines make you realize that your life is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, while at the same time placing you on a pedestal so high that you become invincible. Marines are the epitome of living in the moment. Give them a task, a hill to take, or a person to protect, and they will literally give their lives to see it completed.

They teach us to not take things seriously. Some of the funniest memories I have were in the grimmest of circumstances. The night before we went into Kuwait our Company Commander got us all together and said, “Look to your left. Now look to your right. One of those two Marines won’t be there tomorrow.” I immediately turned to my friend Ricky and said, “It sucks to be you!”

We cheat death, we prevail, we win. We lead, we love hard and fight harder. And we would do it all at the cost of our own life if it meant that another could have the chance to walk out of it alive. That doesn't end when our oath of enlistment is over. It's part of us.

Today I hope I have brought a new perspective to this anomaly called Marine, and I challenge you to look past the arrogance and to thank that Marine for volunteering to serve. Tell a Marine “Happy Birthday” and watch his chest swell up with pride. Watch his eyes as his thoughts go back to harder days and see them brighten. 

We don’t do what we do because we want to, we win because we are more afraid of letting our brothers down than we are of dying. That makes us mighty. 

Mighty selfless.

Semper Fi, Marines. I hope today finds you at peace.