As We Stand
On day 16 of this “year of firsts,” I will challenge you to spend some quality time in your secret place having a quiet talk with our Father as you ponder the possibilities of what our galvanized generation of great people can achieve with God’s help once each of us stops repeating the self-defeating cycle of our own self-destructive behavior. It still works for me. As always, don’t take my word for it. Challenge yourself to start each day talking to God before getting up and showing up as you keep walking in peace and working together with the rest of us who still have great things and big dreams to achieve. Doing so during such troubling times as these will keep you from losing hope when things go wrong.
Before and after the civil unrest that torched South Central Los Angeles in 1992, I loved mentoring young children, creating artistic photographic images to change the way “invisible people” saw themselves, and writing many of the inspirational poetic essays you’re reading this week to inspire great people like you to “keep risin’ after every fall and steppin’ out the darkness.” Many of this week’s poetic words were inspired by what I observed while walking together in peace with a great group of godly men as we worked together for good to take back the neighborhood “pusherman” tried to destroy with the debilitating street drugs flowing into the veins of L.A.’s inner city via boats, planes, and trains pusherman didn’t own.
When a generation of critically thinking women and men asked the billion dollar question that demanded an answer about who grew all the toxic plants needed to produce crack cocaine, transported the dirty money that financed the wars Uncle Sam fought, or flew all the illegal street drugs pusherman pumped into the life support system of this great nation, the answers we sought never came. The double standards, hypocrisy, and bigotry I experienced while living in L. A. inspired me to design, create, and publish the 1994 calendar, LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE, “Begin Within So You Won’t have To Do Without.”
Before taking another step towards your destiny, ask yourself what self-defeating self-destructive behavior do you keep repeating year after year because you refuse to face your biggest fears about what always follows seasons of Change? Are you still smoking too much, drinking too much, or eating too much? Why? Most of us already know that a clear sign of “temporary insanity” is doing the same thing this year we did last year while expecting a different result. As Dr. Phillip C. McGraw of the Dr. Phil Show would say, “How’s that working for you? Quick question. Who or what is hindering your God-given ability to face your biggests fears and embrace Change? If you think you don’t know, check out some of Dr. Phil’s probing, thought-provoking books from the Book List found at the top of this site’s Home page.
Innocuous is the word of the day. By now, you already know what to do next. Until we meet again, may the peace of God be with you on day 16 of 2007.
AS WE STAND
The skyline is black, kissed only by the light of the moon. Pusherman has just awakened so he’ll be comin’ ’round soon. Lord, why must another great person die before this problem can come to an end? Why must another afflicted and addicted friend lose the capacity for their brain to comprehend?
As we stand watchin’ from our windows, it’s so hard to understand how pusherman can incorporate addictive drugs into a deadly business plan. Is it really a question of survival or is it just pusherman’s selfish greed? Can it be that pusherman is helpin’ Momma with hungry mouths to feed?
As we stand listenin’ to the gunshots, we kneel on bended knee. Lord, we pray that you are listenin’. Please hear our desperate plea. Lord, grant us the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding we need to figure out a better way for pusherman to survive. Please lead us to what we need so our generation can end the violence before all the street gangs arrive.
As we stand, big tear drops flow from tired and weary eyes. Drug addiction and colours aren’t the reasons why our unsung heroes and sheroes sacrificed their lives. What happened Lord? Dr. King’s big dream musn’t end this way. Please don’t let us fall as we stand atop the strong shoulders of all who died before birthing their dreams of a better day.
©Copyright 1990-2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Add comment January 16th, 2007
