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As I listen to the builders pounding and stapling on a roof behind the house I had been residing in for the last 8 or 9 years, I realize life is just a process of building and becoming. It is a beautiful property nestled in one of the many canyons within Laguna Beach. I could complain about the noise or just relax and let life unfold as it should be. As the sun lightly touches my face, I feel the warmth of life and I am reminded to release the fears of life.
When I first moved here, my brother had just died of ALS, after two years of supporting his transition. I was tired, in fear and I wanted the process to come to an end. I learned it is not over until it is over. Acceptance on Life’s Term. Go With the Flow. Ride the Wave. I survived and now it is time to thrive.
I feel it is time to build a new personal and political life. I want to feel the wings of change and I have been asking for since the 1960’s. I historically have asked for that change either in one of these two forms, prayer and protest. Both forms are asking for the same manifestation of change in human behavior and thoughts. The cultural revolution of the 1960’s called for religious, sexual, political, economical, cultural and racial transformation. Everyone was calling for a home, a place of belonging within our society for everyone to live in unity and equality.
I feel my brother is in a better place and so am I emotionally, spiritually, and physically. My brother’s death, in the long run, provided an opportunity to change aspects in my life that had been left unfinished. I learned from the transition process, death is just part of life. The death of one thing is an opportunity for the birth of another and again I began to rise again as a stronger more aware human being.
I think of the builders of the home behind me are securing a safe and sealed roof to keep the house protected from the elements of nature. I think of the protection it will provide for the people, the family, animals, and possessions living inside of that home. We need that in our America. We need an opening door of change, a new key to freedom outside of fear.
I feel our country is at a point of transformation, aligning with itself to enable it to walk through the portal door of change. When we examine the progress of the country comparing the 1960’s till now, very little has changed. The behaviors of the people of our society have evolved somewhat, but the problems have remained in place because of habits of living a life of self-gratification. We need to be willing to accept the evolution and the death of old ideas.
The timeline of social change is opening new doors and new opportunities to be more today than we were yesterday. It is time to finish what we had started in the past. Let’s go back in time and then bring it to the present.
“In Chicago, in 1968, activists descended on Chicago to protest the Vietnam War and were met with a heavy police presence that included the National Guard.” – Elvia Malagon, Los Angeles Times
Fifty years later, some of the protestors returned to honor the efforts of the historical protests. The protestors wanted to honor their efforts of years past. The demonstration brought attention to the Vietnam War and they learned the process of protest which not only supported protesting the war, but helped established techniques to gain abortion rights and lessons of opposition used by the Black Panthers. They were only trying to build something solid for the future. They had dreams of change. But it seems change gets hard to maintain and we begin to let go of the dreams we had claimed.
The fear of change has frozen our evolution of progress. We wanted a future filled with peace and love. Yet, we are living in the midst of division, racial hate, religious bigotry, me too movement and sexual orientation issues on the battlefield. The Chicago activists had no problem marching for change.
With our backs against the wall, politically and socially, we cannot go backwards because the room is too crowded with people wanting and needing change. Because we are aware we have to move forward. We have to change the state of our society or die trying.
Our society is calling for change and we have to rise out of the ashes, just like the phoenix. We have to water the fertile soil waiting at our feet. It is time to collect those wings of freedom we were promised. Time to take the freedom back and we will do it with clarity and love. It is the time to rise up and suit up to go to work and not be afraid of getting our hands dirty. Time to roll up your sleeves. Time to rebuild the house, tend the garden and feed ourselves and our animals. Charity starts at home as well as leading a disciplined life of soul rituals of support. Start with yourself and then reach out to another. Begin to build slowing, but continue to move forward.
Out of the ashes of fear rising a bird of paradise, an opportunity to be more than you were yesterday. Today is the beginning of your new life, your new birthing of being love in action.
We have nothing to fear, but everything to gain. Let’s build a future from the ashes of fear.
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Photo by Pawan Sharma on Unsplash