An amazing friend of mine gave me a shout-out on LinkedIn today on her 15 Minutes for Kindness audio room and encouraged people to check out my work. That became self-reflection time for me.
You see, with everything that’s going on in America, my mission of sharing the healing energy of Love, Light & Hope seems really mixed with a lot of “awareness” messages. Sounds better than “gloom & doom, doesn’t it? It’s been impossible to turn a blind eye for me.
Where do you stand?
The two sides are necessary, especially when we head down a road that will hold regrets for the suffering they cause. A “head’s up” will give people a chance to reflect on where they stand on a variety of personal values and beliefs. Not about a President, or a Dictator – that seems to be easy. But rather about the people – the ones that are affected, our neighbors, our friends, and our families. Those in our nursing homes, those hard-working families who fall off the cliff of rental prices, and those who need mental health care.
Will you turn a blind eye or be stirred enough to pick up a cause and fight for it? Do you share a message of care for others? We have issues that if we think about them through the lens of compassion, we can come up with some viable ideas, especially when we work together.
Working together …
An example I shared when the Black Lives Matter focus was on the forefront. It became a pick a side issue – Blacks or Police. That did nothing but divide. I support both – and that’s where the solutions lie, at the community level on up.
To the Police – you have foot patrol that know the people of the neighborhoods. You know some Black men and women that have earned the respect of the community. They are the leaders you need. To the Black community – you have Officers the neighborhood also respects, at least one would hope that is true. They are the leaders from the other side you need. Put them together as a task force of creating policies that work for the benefit of all. Integrity matters and much can be accomplished with it.
Every single issue we have has the people with lived experience that can come to the table and share ideas and value. You matter isn’t just a hashtag – you really do. That’s where the hope lies – that’s where the healing energy comes from, and love and light will prevail in that.
What’s your approach?
It’s all in the approach. Is it filled with integrity, or anger and anguish? You miss the insights when all you see is gloom and doom. The hard stuff needs to be seen and reflected on. That’s how we move forward for the betterment of all rather than the power of the few.
You really want to know what DEI is all about? Ask someone with lived experience. I can tell you firsthand. It’s something special, not shameful. It’s about recognizing the strength in those otherwise overlooked.
So, if you see something I share of “awareness” that tugs at your sense of injustice – reflect on it and see if you can use your lived experience to think outside-the-box with integrity for solutions. You just might matter more than you know, and you may yourself become that Beacon of Love, Light & Hope for others.
Written by Melody Belliveau
The Social-Commentary.Com 