Jenntality

I have a love/hate relationship with my mind. It tends to wander off into some sort of playground where it toys with things going on in my life, or around me, and evolves into a “Deep Thoughts” by Jack Handy type scenario. Albeit, with a little less humor attached. Thus, here we are…

I admit that when I was younger, pre-Mom years, I was quick to judge and fast to react. Over time, I gained a new perspective because it was beginning to dawn on me that my judgements and reactions didn’t always end up being the right ones. Yes, there was humility involved. I wasn’t ashamed, per say, but I was definitely awakened.

I slowly began to take my time in thinking things through and look at it from every angle imaginable.  Not everything in life can be figured out by thinking it through, but it surely offers an insight that you can’t get by reading a book…or a blog. Life experience is everything; wisdom if you will.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I have acquired all the wisdom I’ll ever need. No, in fact, there is so much more that I have yet to learn. However, the difference in me now versus who I was ten years ago and who I am today…significant.

I opened my mind, I stopped being so judgemental, and I began to take the time to think things through. Maybe it was the near death experience, maybe it was becoming a Mom or maybe…it was just the infinite wisdom we are all suppose to garner over our lifetimes. Perhaps, it was all of the above.

There are people who learn this lesson early in life…and there are some who never do.

You’ll see people working to better themselves on a physical level, but they rarely take the time to work out their brains. For some reason, the physical body has become more important than the mind, heart and soul. There are those who don’t bother working on either. They just stay stagnant over time and never really work to improve either.

Life is always evolving. Things happen in our lives that change who were, forever. Sometimes we notice the change and then there are the times that it creeps up on us before we even know what hits us.

Each person has gone through something that defines who they become. Yet, we are so quick to judge and tell people how wrong they are for thinking a certain way without knowing what has happened to make them feel this way. Take politics, for example. I learn more liberal, but I have some conservative values about me as well. Yes, it’s possible. Allow me to elaborate…

Democrats go up in arms when I say I’m pro 2nd Amendment. Why am I? Because there are men and women who died fighting for that right. Why did they fight? Obviously they wanted the freedom to do so. It’s American. Does it mean that I think just anyone should have that right? No, I don’t…and that’s where the fine line comes into play. Unfortunately there are no easy answers.

Republicans freak out when I say I’m pro-health care. Why am I? Because there are men and women dying everyday because they can’t afford insurance. Insurance companies who used to put a lifetime cap on our policies. Get cancer? Hope & pray your chemo works in a allocated amount of time (or money) or you’ll end up losing your insurance and the property (home or land) you were able to purchase, as an American, just trying to cover the bills that insurance no longer will. How is that opportunity? That’s just one example of why I’m pro healthcare. Does it mean that I’m in agreement with the entire policy? No, I’m not (I would have preferred single payer, but this was originally a conservative bill so we compromised — now they’re mad about it — oh, the irony). Unfortunately there are no easy answers to this either.

But both were allowed to offer opportunity to be free, to live and to prosper. THAT is American.

Listen, life is not about me. I’m not here alone. I “have” (I use that word lightly) to share this world with people of different backgrounds, religions, races, cultures, beliefs, etc. I enjoy that about America. My ancestors (I study my family history) came from different countries so it offers me opportunity to learn more…right here in my home country.

Which brings me to immigration. All this upheaval about those kids who walked into America from Mexico is just mind boggling. To those who are screaming, “Send them back”, “Get them out of here” — seriously? This is your solution? They’re kids! Where are you going to send them back to? And why you would send them back into a country ridden with drug cartels and murder? Would you do that to your own children?

If so, stop reading this post right now. We’re not going to see eye-to-eye on any level.

Is there not a better solution? There are families who are wanting to adopt children, badly. Can’t we see if they’re interested in adopting them? As far as I’m concerned, their parents violated their parental rights and freedom to decide what happens to their children when they sent them over the border. So let’s offer the children opportunity. After all, isn’t that what America is all about?

Isn’t that the same opportunity that our ancestors were offered? What makes them so different?

Yes, I fully believe in legal immigration, but not everything is as black & white as everyone likes to make it appear. We’re in a conundrum right now on what to do. It’s understandable. We don’t want it to appear that they can keep doing this and making it OUR problem, but we also just can’t slap a “Return to Sender” on these children and hope for the best. It’s morally unjustified.

This world, this country is not solely about you. It’s about us – together, as a whole. Human compassion and logic go a long way.

No amount of fighting amongst ourselves is ever going to change anything – it’s just not. Compromise is a beautiful thing and yet, we seem to be severely lacking it. Everyone is worried about “being right” and nobody is worried about “making it right”. Stop trying to make everything about your beliefs, your wants, your desires, etc. — it’s not about you.

I admit it, I tire of the general lack of human compassion. I tire of the blatant ignorance that people have no problem displaying and using God or country as an excuse for their behavior. That’s all it is…an excuse.

You can’t call yourself Christian and treat people so harsh because they don’t live up to your American values or simply because they aren’t American (reminder: neither were your ancestors). You just can’t.

I have Native American Indian in my bloodline, but I am not 100% Native American Indian — you’d be hard-pressed to find someday today who is.  Further, God isn’t American. He’s God. He says to treat people with compassion, understanding and love. Yet everyday people use his name to do the polar opposite. So why are you using him as an excuse to do so?

Not to go off on some religious tangent, but seriously — just think about that. Stop using his name to fight your personal agenda(s). Stop claiming Christianity to inflict emotional pain on others. And, for all that is holy, stop wondering why Christianity gets a bad name. THIS is why.

Open your heart, open your mind, BE CHRISTIAN and let’s find compromise. It’s not about you and no matter how much you try and make it seem that way, it never was. That’s where humility comes into play. Humble yourselves.

If you’re going to claim Christianity, don’t utilize it to further your personal agenda. You’re either Christian or you’re not. You don’t just get to claim it where you see fit. Well, you can, but if you’re Christian you’re well aware that you’ll have to answer to him someday.

Good luck with that…