Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t always have to be strong. You don’t have to be funny. You don’t always have to know the answer. You don’t always have to be stoic. These are only a few of the things that we pretend to be each and every day. That’s right, I said pretend.

For some reason, we believe that if we “playact” through this part of life it will somehow make it better or easier for us or for those around us. It won’t! Oh maybe we’ll get a way with it for a while, but sooner or later it will catch up with us. We have to be authentic in order to walk the path we were meant to walk and help the people we need to help.

Think of it this way, how would you like it if you found out your best friend, boss, husband or wife was lying to your face? (After all, isn’t being inauthentic the same as lying?) Most importantly, if we spend our days lying to others, there will come a day when we begin lying to ourselves. When that day comes, finding the truth in anything is like peering through the fog at midnight.

So what does it take to “stay the path” of authenticity? Two things, courage (That my friends is so much easier said than done!) and forgiveness.  We all know what courage is but we seem forget that, when it comes to forgiving ourselves, we aren’t very charitable. We’re not always going to succeed at this new project and understanding that will be a daily challenge but at the end of the day, we’ll be that much closer to being the kind of person we were meant to be.

Here’s what I know…

It’s ok to feel the way you feel even if it’s out of the norm.

Communicate! Tell others how you feel and why. They might be more accommodating that you think. The same goes for telling yourself the same.

Don’t be afraid! This applies across the board. Don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to succeed, to feel bad, to feel good, not to know, etc.

And oh yes, convince yourself to be authentic as munch as possible.

Remember, you don’t always have to be strong. You don’t have to be funny. You don’t always have to know the answer. You don’t always have to be stoic. Each day before you get going make a promise to yourself that you’ll do your best to be as authentic as possible. That’s all anyone could ask, including what you’d ask of yourself.

Peace

Gregg

Since the President’s announcement that he was declaring a National Emergency on our southern border, I’ve been thinking a lot about those two words. National Emergency.

I think this declaration was a political stunt. How did I come to that? Well a bit of common sense and talking with a couple of friends who live there plus several friends who work on the border. You might disagree and have your reasons. (FYI…just because we might disagree, that doesn’t mean I don’t like you or respect you.)

So, are there any other things that I would deem as National Emergencies? You bet! 

Here are just a few that come to mind…

•Ongoing Interference by State      actors like Russia/China/Iran/Saudi Arabia, etc…

•Gun Violence

•Drug Abuse

•Teacher Pay

•Gang Violence

•Parental involvement w/ family

•Cyber Security

•Election interference

•Voter Suppression

•Crumbling infrastructure 

•Homelessness 

•Climate Change

•Healthcare/Prescriptions

•College Cost

•Veteran Care/Reintroduction 

And if they don’t qualify as emergencies, there are most certainly epidemics of intolerance, bigotry, rationalization, hatred, close mindedness, insensitivity and active wars being waged against facts, fairness, common sense, Being an American above  Republican or Democrat and also a complete lack of respect for anyone who is different whether in skin color, sexual orientation, country of origin or even political party.

No, many of these aren’t new. That doesn’t make them any less worrisome.

I don’t know much. (There are many who will agree with that last statement.) But I do know a few things. Here are some of them…

•I’m worried about the United States of America

•As my Dad used to say “A fact is still a fact even if you wish it wasn’t

•We learn from those who are different from us

•I’ve seen too many of my friends pay the ultimate price, to watch some within this country accept the aid of other countries in order to influence our way of life.

•If a man is drowning, sitting on the bank telling him you’re sending him your “thoughts and prayers” is a good way to watch him die! There come a time when you have to reach out and pull them out of the water!

•Country over party!

   (Nuff said on that one…)

I also know this, we have it within us to be better, kinder, more loving, more empathetic and charitable, but only if we choose to do be, if for no other reason than we must! Yes, we must…

Peace

Gregg

Compassion is a wonderful thing but without action, compassion only stays in the wishing, hoping and praying stage. The ironic thing is, that all of those wishes and hopes and prayers are for someone to take some action!

Contact a friend or a loved one and challenge them to do a small act of compassion. Once they complete the challenge ask them to pass it along to one of their friends or loved ones. You might be the beginning of a movement that helps more people than you could ever imagine.

What could some of those acts of compassion I talked about be? Well they are limitless, but here are a few to maybe get you thinking…

~Drop a pizza or bag of burgers at your local Firehouse or Police Department

~Take flowers by the hospital and ask they they go to patients rooms that don’t have any

~Send money (A few bucks or a few hundred, depending what you can afford) to an elderly or disabled friend or family member

~Drop dinner by a caregiver’s house

~Send movie tickets to the family of Military member

~Become a “pen pal” for a service member (Soldier’s Angels is one that I use)

There are a few for you, now it’s up to you to do SOMETHING or NOTHING. 

I’ll leave you with this, my Dad once told me that the decision to help someone was up to me but he said “There will come a time when you’ll realize that doing nothing was a bad option. For most people son, by the time they realize that, it’s much too late.”

Peace

Gregg