I love a rebel. Few things make me smile like someone standing up for their beliefs and questioning the current social norms. Great changes in our world begin with the courageous soul that demands change and speaks out against injustice. From Galileo to Ghandi, our cumulative cultures grow and evolve by the force of conviction instigated by the brave among us.
Changes are sweeping across the globe. Social outrage and the demand for financial responsibility has shaken the foundation of our world, causing many to choose sides and cling to antiquated ideas of the status quo. This isn’t about political agendas or stereotyping people that we don’t agree with. This is about acknowledging the need for change and embracing the good in a message that may alter our worldview forever.
Galileo became the father of modern science, earning a date with the Inquisition and losing his freedom in the name of heresy. Jesus stood against the prevailing religious practices of his day by upsetting the money changers and calling out for peace. Ghandi fought against the oppression of his people with quiet perseverance. Rosa Parks was a hard-working woman who just wanted a quiet ride home, but became a hero that transformed the face of a nation.
Each brought about change in a powerful way. Each remained standing under the deluge of criticism; their resolute spirits set tremors to rumble across the landscape of time. Each standing against the fear evoked by the promise of metamorphosis.
Even today many criticize and condemn those among us who dare to ask the question, “What if.” As thousands act upon their desire for a just world, thousands more shower them with ridicule rather than work to understand the “why”. It’s easier to point and condemn. Easier to dismiss the rebel as an overzealous youth or a dilatory simpleton wishing for handouts, harder to listen to the message with an understanding ear.
Having lived my life walking the line between acceptable and questionable, I understand how effortless it would be to cave in to the demands of society and blend in. I know that keeping quiet is the most direct path to universal acceptance, ensuring popularity and earning a place among the majority. But I simply don’t have it in me to capitulate and dance within the lines. It is a flaw I vehemently refuse to cure.
I may not agree with every rebel that stands on the corner and shouts out against some vague injustice. I may not agree with the rebels’ methods, but I cannot help but stand in admiration for their boldness. I am unable to withhold my support or suppress a smile as they proudly march against the evils as they perceive them.
I am unable to deny that they are my heroes, and I will endeavor to live up to their example of courage every chance I get.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Love Runs
Imagine a storm so violent that the thunder shakes the foundations of a house like a quake through a sandcastle. Imagine the rain pelting the windows with such force that the glass screams out in shrill protest. Now imagine peering out and seeing a figure in the distance shrouded in mist and shivering from the onslaught of icy rain and the relentless wind.
Imagine if that sad figure was someone you dearly loved.
What would you do?
Would you open the door a little, risk the intrusion of wind and rain to call out to them? Would you venture out to the porch, clutching your coat around you and bid them join you under shelter? Would you encourage them to follow your voice and flee the brutality of the squall?
Standing in the center of a cyclone we rarely see beyond the current storm. When our lives are filled with uncertainty and our world is drenched in gloom the sun is hidden from us. We are so focused on the clouds that nothing else matters. In the midst of chaos, we cannot hear the voice of our rescuers.
We hear nothing but the wind.
Love, honest love, doesn’t call out from a partially opened door. Love doesn’t stand on the porch protected from the brutal storm. Love doesn’t just sit and wait.
Love runs.
Love doesn’t care about its own comfort. Instead, it throws open the door and sprints out into the bruising rain. It wraps its arms around its beloved and risks the chaos hand-in-hand. Love knows no fear; it understands not the idea of cowardice. Love is brave, and strong. Love is loyal and determined.
Life is messy, and in the worst of times it can overwhelm and oppress us. The oft repeated scripture says that though we walk through the valley of death, we will not fear evil or the unknown because our God is with us...and our God runs to us.
Regardless of your faith, you will not travel through life’s many valleys alone because those that love you, really and truly love you, will be there for you in the midst of it all. You will know your true friends by how quickly they rush to your side. Regardless of the time spent in the valley, or how chaotic the storm, you’ve got back up.
If you find yourself in the middle of a particularly brutal downpour and need some support, call me. When I say that I love you, it means that I will stand with you, even in the messiest of times. I’ll even bring an umbrella...and probably a thermos of coffee. You just never know how long these storms are going to last, and it never hurts to be prepared.
Imagine if that sad figure was someone you dearly loved.
What would you do?
Would you open the door a little, risk the intrusion of wind and rain to call out to them? Would you venture out to the porch, clutching your coat around you and bid them join you under shelter? Would you encourage them to follow your voice and flee the brutality of the squall?
Standing in the center of a cyclone we rarely see beyond the current storm. When our lives are filled with uncertainty and our world is drenched in gloom the sun is hidden from us. We are so focused on the clouds that nothing else matters. In the midst of chaos, we cannot hear the voice of our rescuers.
We hear nothing but the wind.
Love, honest love, doesn’t call out from a partially opened door. Love doesn’t stand on the porch protected from the brutal storm. Love doesn’t just sit and wait.
Love runs.
Love doesn’t care about its own comfort. Instead, it throws open the door and sprints out into the bruising rain. It wraps its arms around its beloved and risks the chaos hand-in-hand. Love knows no fear; it understands not the idea of cowardice. Love is brave, and strong. Love is loyal and determined.
Life is messy, and in the worst of times it can overwhelm and oppress us. The oft repeated scripture says that though we walk through the valley of death, we will not fear evil or the unknown because our God is with us...and our God runs to us.
Regardless of your faith, you will not travel through life’s many valleys alone because those that love you, really and truly love you, will be there for you in the midst of it all. You will know your true friends by how quickly they rush to your side. Regardless of the time spent in the valley, or how chaotic the storm, you’ve got back up.
If you find yourself in the middle of a particularly brutal downpour and need some support, call me. When I say that I love you, it means that I will stand with you, even in the messiest of times. I’ll even bring an umbrella...and probably a thermos of coffee. You just never know how long these storms are going to last, and it never hurts to be prepared.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)