I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

- de Tocqueville 1831































Saturday, September 25, 2010

MY DAUGHTER CAN WRITE CIRCLES AROUND ME, THATS A GOOD THING

I wish I could write like my daughter.  This is what I found on her blog today.


I Believe
There are times when we will feel like we are nothing.



Unimportant.


We don't matter.


I went through a phase recently, and I honestly felt like nobody cared. But don't believe it.


The lies that your mind concoct will never be true. You are important, you matter, and there's always somebody who cares. The undeniable truth is that each and every one of us is important.


Imperfect things that we are, we will hurt, and be the cause of hurt, and wonder why. But don’t doubt we’re here for a reason. We will learn, and we will change, and we will scream and hope and pray, but our circumstances are our circumstances. Sometimes they are as unmovable as a mountain, and at others as easy to move as throwing a tiny piece of rock.


This is where we all are, tangled in the delicate threads made by a master’s handed, breaking and being woven again, irreplaceable one-of-a-kind treasures haphazardly tossed in the half-hearted net called ‘existence’. Pain and joy, hope and fear, all mixed together in a gentle balance, falling apart with ease in the face of chaos, yet the chaos makes it stronger the next time.


Such is us, struggling on the path of life. Hardships throng around us, occasionally breaking through our carefully-built yet so easily broken defenses, but we build them up and are stronger. And our strength gives us new opportunities, new chances, maybe even a whole new life.


We will want to give into the current to sweep us away. We will want to leave the path completely, free ourselves of the pain. But what will happen? Tears will be shed, opportunities will be lost, and the suffering we were so desperate to leave will occur with those around us.


Believe. With all your heart, believe. Learning to love is the hardest thing, but loving gives the most chances. When you are hurting, remember that there are those hurting more than you. Do not take comfort from such a fact, but accept it, understand it, and then try to do something to change it. This is where the beauty in each one of us lies.


We are all so drastically different. Yet male or female, dark-skinned or light-skinned, we share much in common. We feel the same pain whether physically or emotionally, we breathe the same air, and we bleed the same blood. Why can’t we love, too?


I am far from perfect. I try so to remember all the good things I have, than completely forget them when I am angry or hurting. But if you have a roof over your head, family and friends, clothes, are you not lucky?


Are you not lucky enough with family and friends?


We each are important. We each matter. So try, try, try, and help me to try, to learn to love. We may never reach perfection, but we will have changed. Hopefully it will be for the better. Learn and grow, ebb and flow, such a cycle, a circle, a place to belong! But remember. Remember, always remember.


You are important, and I believe.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Hypocracy Exposed. Do I Feel a Static Build-Up?

The Daily Show exposes union hypocrasy.

 Further evidence that the poles have flipped.  Very entertaining clip.

John Stewart gets it right.