So as many of us know, Facebook has begun showing TikTok reels in clips. I enjoy scrolling through them. I particularly go for cake decorating, tumbling, home decor, and fitness clips. Well, don't forget about those, "America's Funniest Home Video Nut Shots" that come across every so often. But I digress.
Recently, I was watching a reel which showed an anchor team sitting at the big desk on camera for something I can only imagine is a news show, but clearly do not watch. On the list of anchors, there is one African American male on the right hand side. The two on the left side are white males. There are two more in between that I believe were a woman and another white male, but I didn't get a good look. The camera focused on just the first three back and forth. The male on the far left states that African American rappers are using the n-word here and there, but he as a white man cannot. When the camera panned to the African American gentleman he had his head in his hand as he massaged the bridge of his nose, clearly unhappy about the conversation. When the first person stops talking, the African American says, "So say it!" The response made to the African American coworker is, "I can't say that." It is repeated. "So say it. Go ahead. Say it." The second white guy joins in now, "You know we can't say that..." It almost felt like he was ready to say, "on air," and left off that bit. It was really upsetting for me to see that video. The words they chose were "I can't." There should not be a discussion of can't. The word they needed to use was WON'T. Think about what the difference in those words imply. I can't - There is something prohibiting me from saying this word. I won't - I respect you and your community too much to say that word. It is offensive and I would never think of doing that. I don't know what show that was. I don't know who they were. But I can honestly say that I have no respect for men that would choose the word "can't" over "won't." You could say I'm playing semantics, but I simply see the reality. They felt they couldn't say the word because someone would be upset, not they wouldn't say that word because it would upset. There is a huge difference. Color me, disgusted.
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I'm an odd onion of layers to peel back. In my deepest core, I've always been a hopeless romantic. I suppose being jaded and and years of hurt have led me to be more cautious, but that hope still comes alive. And through it all, many people look at me and think that I'm a pessimist. I don't say so. I say I'm a realist. I take things for what they are. But the hope I've had created a way for me to find the silver lining. I've noticed that when I show people the silver lining, they are very confused by me. They give me a pat on the back and condescendingly tell me how proud of me they are.
On-ion. Seeing a silver lining is easy for me. It's the hopeless romantic in me that believes something better is right around the corner. Recently I had a very difficult meeting. Truly difficult. What was supposed to be a professional meeting, turned into someone telling intimate details about their life that did not have anything to do with the meeting. Despite me trying to steer conversation in the right direction, I was brought back into one sided conversations of things unnecessary and inappropriate. I left the meeting frustrated, My brain was frazzled and I was left both speechless and ready to word vomit my frustration. So, what did I take away? A brilliant book idea. Don't worry it isn't about the meeting or the person. The concept began to form from all the thinking that I was forced to do. I could rant and rave. I could be frustrated. Or I can take a bad situation and make it good. We're only given one shot at life. Your choices determine your situation. Sure, we can be dealt some bad hands, but it's how we choose to play the cards that determine if we come out winners or loser. Go play the game. Live life. I promised a fluff piece, and here it is for your reading pleasure.
Almost every single morning, I take my puppy for a walk. Depending on the day we will go as little as a mile, or as much as three miles. Factors including weather, her behavior, my health, time limits, and such. Still, it is a nice way to start the day, by moving with a cute puppy through the neighborhood. We've had our Jersey girl for almost a year a now. She's 50 pounds of muscle. Lean, fast, and friendly as can be. She wants nothing more than to race around and say hello to as many people, dogs, cats, birds, lizards, or insects as possible. We can't let her make friends with everyone, though, so I keep her on a short leash. Literally. Jersey has four feet of freedom from my side. And sometimes that is harder than it looks. We often pass by other people, dogs, and cats. I don't mind walking past the dogs in fences lately. My pup has become more aware that she must not pull or tug to sniff the buddy on the other side of the vinyl. Quite often she simply walks by, even when she whines to her furry friends, "If Mama wasn't walking with me!" I usually try to tell her, "They're just jealous you get to walk around the neighborhood while their stuck in their yard." You know, because she totally understands what I'm saying. Recently, we were walking and passed multiple cats. Ugh, my hands and shoulders are not fans. Still, it made me think. There's a cat that is found outside all the time. People know who the cat belongs to. The owners claim him. They tell us he's allowed to venture into the unknown and that he finds his way back (with cat dementia no less). I can't help but think how careless that is. I mean, I believe animals can get by on their own. They have for thousands of years. Our domestication of them has hindered their abilities more than anything, but if left to their own, they can survive. But then, what's the point? We see the cats roaming the hood and think of their freedom. Does my dog get jealous that cats wander about without leash? Do they seek the same autonomy? Possibly. I think my dog's main concerns are water, food, and snuggles. But I'm sure she'd like a chance to wander alone. That's why she escapes from the house whenever she can and runs in a full out sprint through neighboring yards. And every time, I get upset with her. These animals are showing me a picture of God's love for us. There are people that are left in their yards and that is their only outside time. They don't experience what's in the world. I see this as a problem. Just like dogs need space to exercise and stretch their legs, Christians need to be in the world (not of it) in order to spread God's love and build the kingdom. But still, we cannot simply wander the neighborhoods like the cats. We claim we have a home that we go back to for food, but often the neighbors feed them or give them attention. We cannot look to the world to feed us spiritually, it will mess up the diet plan that will keep us healthy. I walk my dog through the neighborhood on a leash. I can't trust her, yet, to walk beside me without the leash. She'll chase anything that grabs her attention. But I hope one day to be able to have her well trained enough to walk with me and be satisfied with walking by my side. She knows where her food and water dishes are. She knows I'll show her love and affection. But she is still immature and wants to find out what the world has to offer her. I keep her on the leash so she doesn't get hit by a car, or get in a fight with another dog. God, too, allows us a leash, if you will. But he doesn't put it on us. We must. We must agree to harness ourselves and let him hold the leash so that when we get distracted by the things of the world he can gently pull us in the direction we need to go. Hopefully, eventually, we do not need the leash. Hopefully, we are willingly walking alongside him despite what is going on. Hopefully, we can be an example of how to walk and how to live for those that see us. My dog does not have a choice in whether or not she has a leash. Not yet, anyway. But we do. We can tether ourselves to a God who does not fail, is just, is on time, is faithful and steady, or we can wander from fence to fence looking for the next thing to occupy us. It is our choice. |
AuthorI have a lot to say about a lot of things. Archives
May 2023
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