Our Stained Souls
By Bernadette A. Moyer

Our shared humanity and yet so many of us have a stained soul, I read posts on social media and my head just spins. I see and hear things on the news about “the enemy” that took a pilot and put him in a cage and lit him on fire to watch him burn?

The person they claimed is the “mastermind” behind the attacks in France is on video and states that “dragging humans” behind his vehicle is more fun than the feeling of skiing or driving snow? And I can’t begin to imagine the female who is seconds away from self-exploding and calls out “help me help me” so she can take other innocent people with her.

These people are without a soul …

Then I read social media posts that state you can’t be a Christian and a Republican at the same time? Or that we should take or shouldn’t take Syrian refugees … the argument as to why we should and why we shouldn’t? Yet I see homeless people here in our country and veterans who served our country who don’t have a job, or a place to live or food to eat?

We want “blood” we want people to pay for their crimes in an almost inhuman way … that somehow a “prison sentence” will make all of Jared Fogle’s victims new again? It won’t, it won’t take their pain away it won’t restore them. I have zero sympathy for what he did and know all too well the many ills and the numerous challenges that the sexually abused will suffer. He is sick and needs treatment.

What happens to the cities that become flooded with illegal immigrants? Who will house them, feed them and employ them? Who will pay for them to be here? We have numerous soup kitchens in our city that literally have lines of people; men women and children waiting to receive their only hot meal of the day. They come needing food and needing clothes and needing care.

I watched “Black Lives Matter” and it would never have occurred to me otherwise? Except that I know for a fact that the large majority of the homicides currently taking place in Baltimore city are black people killing other black people?

And I am sorry but this college thing … if you are paying for a school you pick one that is in keeping with your values? We vote with our dollar, don’t we decide where to send our kids and where we will go for an education?

So when I see Towson University “sign a pledge” that came from the black student population, I think weren’t you already including all people? Was there discrimination going on there?

Our President went to other countries and bad mouthed almost half of the population here in the United States? Doesn’t he realize how bad that makes him look? He is the leader of this country and takes a crack at the opposing party of the country where he presides while on foreign ground?

There is so much anger in the world today, people are frustrated and dismissive and so quick to take a side? We are fighting mad but unsure what to do with our frustrations and anger?

There is a large sect of people that want “free” healthcare and “free” education, we ALL know it is NOT “free” who is supposed to pay? Pick up the tab? Even the insurance providers can’t make it work and they are the most motivated because it is their business, and yes people health care is a business.

Where is our value system? Do we hold the same value for what was given to us compared to what we ourselves worked for? When I was a kid the 10-speed bicycle that was given to me at Christmas was stolen while I was playing tennis with a friend. I threw it down and never locked it up when I returned for it, it was gone. The next bike my parents made me save for it and pay for it myself, it wasn’t near as nice but I took much better care of it because I was the one who paid for it.

Today’s young person seems foreign to me; they have demands and expectations that don’t jive with real life? They want FREE everything and even “safe zones” and to govern words that can’t be used because they are hurt by them?

I can only share what I learned in my lifetime, to the youth of today with your never ending “list of demands” toughen up! Life is not easy, you will be challenged, you will see and hear things that you don’t like or approve of … that’s life.

Get a soul, your strength comes from within you and not outside your body, getting along with other people means that you just may see things and hear things that aren’t “safe” and words only hurt you if you allow them to hurt you!

When your soul knows who you are and what you are all about … and when you are developed and matured you will easily brush off words that you don’t like and you will create your own “safe zone” in life. You can’t expect other people to give you everything without your willingness to work hard. The things you work for you will appreciate more.

If you want “free” work hard so you are in a position to be the giving one … I’ve known many successful people and I know them all to be generous and to be givers. And most don’t need to be asked or told to be generous.

If you are unhappy in the ways of the world, rather than “demand” change, how about being the change that you wish to see in this world? It starts with you. It starts with a soul, a soul that refuses to become stained by those that wish to breed more hatred; violence and discrimination … become the soul that you want to see in others …

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

Effective leaders know that you model the behaviors that you wish you see in others … it always starts from within … change your thinking and change the world.

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer

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