It Is How You Think
You Feel and Act How You Think
Otis Redding Memorial Madison Wisconsin
The Day That Soul Cried
The day that soul cried, a chilly mist hung over Madison, Wisconsin. Fans of Rhythm and Blues anticipated a thrilling visitor that Sunday night. Singer Otis Redding was scheduled for two shows at the Factory. Three days earlier, Otis had finished recording “Dock of the Bay,” a moody song that would later be his only No. 1 hit on the pop charts.
Otis was accompanied by the Bar-Kays, fresh-faced high school graduates from Memphis. Otis (The Big O) had performed the night before in Cleveland. He, the Bar-Kays, his valet and pilot were flying to Madison in his private twin-engine Beechcraft. They were scheduled to perform at 6:30 and 9 p.m. But they never made it. The plane fell three miles short of the runway and crashed at 3:28 p.m. in the near-freezing waters of Lake Monona. The sole survivor, trumpet-player Ben Cauley, was pulled from the water 17 minutes after stunned witnesses along the eastern shore of Squaw Bay telephoned for help.
On November 8, 1987 members of the Otis Redding Memorial Fund, a Madison, Wisconsin nonprofit corporation, culminated their fund-raising drive with the dedication of a memorial to Otis Redding on the shore of Lake Monona. The memorial consists of three semicircle marble benches, custom carved in Portugal with the initials, O.R. incorporated in the legs, Georgia gray granite marker and a bronze plague. The memorial was temporarily moved to storage to make way for the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Monona Terrace Convention Center. A re-dedication ceremony was held August 15, 1997 on the Roof Garden of the Convention Center, where the memorial is now located.
James R. Yarbrough
President and Founding Member
Otis Redding Memorial Group
Peace
The Gospel Truth
Watch the video and see what I think.
Why Let How You Look Cause You Pain
Your Achilles Heel
(Everyone has one.)
There is no one who doesn’t have that one thing that causes insecurity about his or her appearance. It has as much to do with what you think others think about you as what you think of yourself. It could be your nose, your hair, breast or just about anything that has been deemed not to be how it should be. When you think this way, you will never be at ease and comfortable with yourself, the real you. You cannot be happy, no matter the circumstance or your status in life, until you resolve the issue you have with what you think you see when you look at you. Reflections do not always tell the truth.
The images you see in the magazines, on TV shows and throughout the media are not the prototype of the human. It is mostly an illusion, a fantasy created to sale an image of perfection. The perfect dazzling white teeth, long flowing hair and a curvaceous body with all of the accompanying accouterments. And as one would expect, those who this bothers the most will try to change things about themselves, even things that cannot or should not be changed. They spend loads of time and money on how they look, how they dress and right down to how they walk and talk.
Time and money surely are important, but not as important as your health. And some of the things are putting the people who do them at risk. It is no wonder when you look at how some are criticized and joked about for this one physical feature that is looked upon as a flaw and not the will of nature and how you were born to be. All the while they are using this ridicule as a defense mechanism to fight off their own insecurities.
The jokes and harsh words can be personal and quite nasty. Those who are adept at it can be creative with their techniques, while others show no mercy. The focus is always on those aspects of your person that are easy to attack. It is just superficial; yes, but it hurts nonetheless. Making these critical remarks with hurtful intent has become acceptable—it is “everywhere.” In casual conversations, in movies that we see, in magazines and even in some of the books that we read: There it is. It is no wonder that anxiety, low self-esteem and insecurity are at an all-time high.
You cannot hide, for long, what is inside about how you think about your outside. So, you think you are different, that there is no one who has your perceived shortcoming, your “defect.” In reality there is no one who doesn’t have a defect of birth of some type, some cover it up and others have procedures to change what many times are just normal abnormalities. Nothing that millions of others all over the world don’t have as well. Try telling that to yourself. For if you see you when you listen to these words, it is time to hear it and learn from it. It is not easy, at first, to accept that which you have lived with as you would an unwelcome guest, but this you can and must do. There are some things you cannot change; you have to change how you think about them.
We have men, women, girls, boys and even young children—more so today than ever—who have become entrapped by the marketing of major businesses and a brain-washed society. The very people who should know better are caught up with the rest in the swirl of the marketing monster. We are now looking for the ideal when it is not to be found for it is always moving and changing. And there is no better way to separate you from your money than creating “false” insecurity and a sense of need. Know what is being sold before you buy. Money will not buy self-esteem. You have to earn it by changing how you see yourself.
If all of the people of the world were in one place, you would see much and much of what you would see would be no different than what you have seen; just “everyday people.” Everyone is beautiful at some place to someone whereas using the so called standard of beauty very few would be. Let me put it this way: There is no perfect person, physically, mentally or otherwise and few who meet the marketing criteria for beauty. On one of your typical days out and about, how many “beautiful” people do you see, few if any who have the looks of the gorgeous magazine models and the assortment of celebrities. It is all a make believe world full of illusion, makeup trickery and manipulation. It is not reality; it is not what you think you see.
We all have physical differences from height, weight, ears, eyes and all of the other variations that come with being a living organism, a creation of nature. Even the appearance of the genitals causes much anxiety and personal and social discomfort. And the public buys into it. There are billions spent annually on Labiaplasty, vaginal rejuvenation, penis enlargement and other body modifications by men, women and even teens.
First thing in the morning before your feet even touch the floor you are thinking about one thing that is never far from your mind. You have tried to not think about it and that is why you do. If you cannot change it, you have to change how you think about it. You wish to hide it from the mirror but what’s the use, it will still be there when you look. You do not have to be perfect to be perfect in the things that you do.
Nothing is hard to do, you just do not know how to do it yet.
DISORDERED THINKING A FRUSTRATING MESS
DISORDERED MIND IT IS HOW YOU THINK
Do not listen to a disordered mind and let it tell you what to do. It matters not if it is your mind and your way of thinking or that of someone else. If what is said or done to you and what you tell yourself makes you uncomfortable and ill at ease, you and your mind are where you should not be. One important thing to keep in mind is that no one can make you feel any way other than how you wish. That is unless you have given them permission to do so. And this is clear to them by how you treat yourself. They “see” you. You do not. And this is a true example of “they see you coming before you get there.” Your reputation (how you act) has indeed preceded you.
How you think is how you will act and when how you think is disordered, something is not right with the thoughts you have to think. You are insecure about who you are, or should I say who you think you are. You are better than you think. When you think the way you do, you will see yourself build your life and the things you care about up just to tear them down. You will repeat this behavior and thinking throughout your life until you change how you think. You will do this without fail. But, of course, you know all is not well. It is a pattern that does not change. That is until you change. All wrong things come with a price. It is so even when you will not allow yourself to acknowledge the cost. Disordered Thinking is what it is.
DISORDERED THINKING: A FRUSTRATING MESS
When your thinking is disordered, it can and often does cause hypersensitivity. No one—even those relatives and friends who care about you—wants to stand close to the “flame.” Few of them will say they do not want to be scorched, but it is what most of them are thinking. But some who would rather come near will not for fear of being upset. When you change how you think, how others treat you will change as well. You know the pain of living with how you think. And how hard it is to deal with what is going on in your head, and much too often, your body.
When how you think is disordered, how you act is known well before “we see you” as you move through your life, and you are not soon to realize it. When things are not right, we first look at all the other places for an answer. Though one thing is for sure, we will not harm ourselves with full knowledge of what we are doing. It goes against the first law of nature. That is growth and survival. And to grow, you must be strong. You have to believe it to see it. What do you believe?
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE
For each one of us, there are things that we should never do. If what you do cause a problem, then the problem starts with you. You can do most of the things you choose to do—it depends on how you do them. Never do anything in a way that will bring harm to yourself or others. You may not see it, for harm has many faces. It will hold you back when you could be going forward and have you rushing in when still, is what you should be. To change your mind, you have to change how you think. Disordered Thinking is what it is.
When how you think is disordered, how you act will be an inevitable extension of this way of thinking that hinders progress and leaves a trail of regret and disappointment. Something you know—though—in many ways, you feel helpless to change. So when things are not right, you first look at all the other places for an answer. For sure, though, no one would harm themselves with full knowledge of what they are doing. It goes against the first law of nature. That is growth and survival. And to grow, you must be strong.
Once you know better, you will do better. Have you ever heard someone say, “they know better than that.” No matter what we may think, when a person knows better, they will do better. You and I may think they should know, but that does not mean they do. You cannot do wrong when you know better. It is not possible, just as you cannot think of two things at the same time. Which is on par with no two objects can occupy the same space.
You have to believe it to see it, and when you see it, you will know. What do you believe?
Why When What— Will Or Will Not
The Reason Why
Why and when are more significant than what, and why is the reason. To know your own why is to know the only why you can ever know for certain. You know what others tell you, but how can you know for sure if the why they tell you is their why or just a lie. It could be their why, or it could not. There is no way to know if what they are telling you is true. Often it is what you want to believe and has as much to do with your feelings for or about the “teller” as it does with what is being told.
It takes knowledge and understanding of your Self to know your own why. And depending on how you think at any given time, you may have doubts about your own why. For sure, you should never act until there are no doubts in your mind: Not one. When you do not know why it is because of how you think and how you think is disordered and does not serve you well.
IT IS HOW YOU THINK
Take the time you need to think before you act. Regret should not be the outcome of what you do. You must always know what moved you to act. It would not be possible to justify what you do if you—yourself—do not know why. You should know all that you need to know to understand why you think as you do.
When you say, what you say is more important than what you say. You have to say what you want to say at the time that is right to say it. The right thing said at the wrong time and place will not have the desired effect, and in fact, could be quite damaging to you and your relationship with others. Do not say a word until it is time. As in most things that we do, timing is the key. You must know this before you act or speak. That is unless you are talking to yourself to know what to say to someone else.
The right thing said at the wrong time is worse than not saying anything at all. Words are to convey our thoughts, as we want them to be understood. And what is hard to argue with is that you say and do what you mean. It is not so true when your thinking is disordered.
Knowledge is not good or bad. It is what you do with it that decides what it is worth. And to learn, you have to listen, and you have to listen until you know what is said and, even more so, what it means. You have to listen to learn and learn to listen. When it is your time to talk, you have to listen to yourself to know when you have said enough. You have to know when to hold back. You can and will lose much when you do not know when to stop talking.
Nothing is hard to do. You just do not know how to do it yet.
Will OR Will Not
You should try to say what you will do, not what you will not. This includes saying what you will not do now. You should only say—if you feel you must—what you do not want to do. What you will try your best not to do. Will not is a negative way to think. It comes from a thought of which you cannot be sure. With this way of thinking, you must put forth an effort to hold back. It requires a measure of self-control, which will, inevitably, give way and let you down. It will be when you feel you need it most. And one time is one time too many. When you think your Self needs to be controlled, you are where you should not be doing what you should not be doing. It is not natural nor normal.
The only thing for sure you will not do is a thing that you cannot do. No one knows the future. Minds change people change.
Will is a great word: the word after I, which comes when thinking a positive thought. The third word gives it meaning. I will do, I will not do are examples of what I mean. Will do, is a will to act. It is a kind of freedom that can take you places. I will not, stops you in your tracks. If you do what you say you will do, you have kept a promise, if only to yourself. If you do not, you have broken a promise. And it shows a lack of commitment and fail to follow through. There are very few reasons, if any at all, to break a promise. And the most important promise is to yourself. You must always be true to who you are. Otherwise, how would others know you? You say and do one thing today, and it is a different story tomorrow.
If I do not tell myself the truth, I cannot tell it to you. Not a thing can exist for long without it. The truth is what we depend on to know what we do is right. Even so, the truth can be “smothered,” though, not extinguished , by a blanket of lies. You cheat yourself when you do not keep your promise and tell the truth. Each time that you do, you take one more step away from who you are. Never do a thing to take away from your Self. The Self is our core, the essence of each one of us. It is where we go to be ourselves. A place you would never leave on your own, but your mind will.
Your power and strength come from your core, the Self. If the ways of life have kept your mind away, you are the one to get it back. No one can do this for you. It is not an easy thing to do. Your mind should be where you are. And when it has left where it naturally belongs, it will be hard to find its way back. It happens to you when there has been major trauma in your life. And no, you have not lost your mind. You cannot lose it. It can take leave.
To Do Better Is A Choice
To be and remain weak is a choice, as well. It is what you have when you have not learned to be strong. Strength is what keeps us in one piece and from coming apart. Without it, you will not stand firm: you will not speak out, so no one will hear you when you talk only to yourself. It is the way of nature. And if you do not feel you can do these things, your thinking is disordered. You are not the person you are telling yourself you are. God created you to be you.
Weakness does not have the strength to be strong. It is a sign that not all is well. When that which is weak is joined with that which is strong, the weak is not made stronger. The strong is made weaker. Be it cream to coffee, ice to tea, or anything that keeps you from just being you. What was once strong has now been diluted. The strength or weakness of the mind is how you think your thoughts. It is not how good or bad you are. It is a state of mind. To feel or act offended is to be weak. To feel an offense and not act offended is a show of strength. The greatest strength is that which comes from within. Inner strength gives us what we need, to do what we need to do.
Weakness comes from not having the chance in childhood to become strong. You are left to do the best you can on your own, which does not bode well for survival. We are to follow a growth and development process—not designed by us—to grow and be strong enough to tackle the challenges of life—for they will come. When that does not happen, you are unable to stand on your own. You must have the nurturing and care that you need to flourish and be strong. It is a thing that is difficult for anyone to overcome when they have never been properly cared for when they needed it most. It stunts growth in all areas of development. Finally, though, overcome it you can—when you know what made you weak. And there is no age limit to do better.
It is beyond difficult to be strong when you are struggling to survive. You will put your best foot forward and do good. Just to turn around and take one step back to from where you came. Of course, this you know. The voice in your head says, you can do this. Then the reality created not by you but for you would not allow you to be you. All the time, your mind will not leave you alone. You would be afraid to step up to the line and compete against others. But a standout on your own.
Too weak to win and not strong enough to lose. Have the will but not know the way. You cannot learn this on your own—someone has to teach you how to walk. And you must use your mind to practice how to think. Nothing is as hard as it seems. You just do not know how to do it yet.
You cannot do more than you are capable of, though, you can become more capable.
Learn to listen listen to learn thinking for life
Our brains have the same makeup but different—as we are—in what they can do for us. Our thoughts are one of them. There is no restriction on the thoughts that we think. There is a limit to the thoughts that we have. It is not the same for any of us. It depends on what you have in your world to think. You will not have a thought about anything you do not know a thing about—not possible. There are no equal rights of thought. But we do have the sole privilege to think the thoughts that we have. And that is with no known limit. Now, of course, we are not all Einstein. But you must learn to listen.
And listen to learn
The world we live in is what determines our thoughts. Our thoughts come to life based on how we perceive what we see, hear, and feel. We are taught how to think no matter the genes we may have been gifted. We do not teach ourselves. From early childhood, we learn from the many teachers in our life. It includes parents, family members, caregivers, and others in our environment who make an impression on us. Unfortunately, some of them are not good thinkers and are just passing on what they were taught. This way of thinking flows from one generation to the next. It is much a part of what some, unfortunately, have to live with and is the root cause of most, if not all, disordered thinking.
You must learn to listen
Whether we choose peace or war, love or hate, empathy or indifference, it is how we think. And whatever is taught to us, we then try it on our own. As we grow and develop, we decide what to think. Even so, what we think will be influenced by what we were taught in our formative years. The way you wish not to think is not easily undone.
If you want different thoughts to think, you must open your world to more things. You have to meet more or different people, go to places you have not been and do things you have not tried. If you hold back, you will continue to think what you have always thought and do what you have always done. Even our imagination has its roots in what we know. It cannot run away with you on its own. The dreams that we have are no different; though, you may find it difficult to believe with the dreams that you have.
AND LISTEN TO LEARN
There are many things that someone can do for you, but thinking is not one of them. Though people we know, some we just met and even a few we have not, will try. For them to do so, they would first have to know your thoughts. There are some things that we have, which belong to no one but us. They are our thoughts. And we cannot have a thought about things we do not know to exist. We think based on knowing. There is no limit, but not all thinking is the same.
THOUGHT AND THINKING
When I say to think a thought, what I mean is, thought and thinking are not always the same. A thought is just a thought until you think it. Think of a thought as being inert, not doing a thing from when you have it until you think of what you want to do with it. The time between the two is so short there is no way to measure. Another thing, when someone says, I know what is on your mind, well, of course, they do not.
We are yet to know when someone has a thought or what they are thinking. And there is a good reason we do not. We know others by what they say and do. The Creator did not give us the ability to read minds. If you are wondering why not, just think if you knew what is on the minds of the people you know and see, and lack wise, they could read your thoughts. The things we would do to each other are unimaginable. It cannot be possible if we are to continue to exist as we are or at all. You must learn to listen.
Thought is not only what you had. It is also what you have. You thought, and you have a thought. You cannot force a thought. To try to do so is called thinking. Once we have a thought, we think it, or it moves to our memory. You will not undo it. It is the same as it is with life. The life we have lived cannot be changed or altered. What exists to us is all we know. And we decide what we are going to do with it. Think about this.
Say you (White Girl/Woman) are walking down a city sidewalk (at night), and you see that you and I (Black Male) are approaching each other and within seconds will be at each other’s side. You will have a thought based on your perception of me or people who look like me. It is the first thing that will happen. You will then think about us. If you are at ease with what you think, you will continue on your way, most likely unbothered. However, if you do not feel safe for some reason—that can only be known by you—you will go in another direction or proceed with caution: tension building each step of the way. Or you may not have strong feelings either way. No matter how you feel, your emotions will be based on what you think. And you will act according to how you feel.
We perceive, have a thought, we think, we feel we act: That is the order of the thinking process. So, you must be listen to learn and learn to listen.
time: how much do you need
Time is like the wind you cannot see; you only see what it does. Do we really know what time it is.
What is it that makes time so important? Why do we speak about it like no other. There are times what we say about time should come with an explanation. It is time, your time, my time, what time is it, now is the time. And let’s not forget, I don’t have time for this.
You will not know when it is time to do a thing until after you have done it. It is one of those things in life you cannot know for sure. How many times have you said it is time and it was not? If it has become a reality, then it was the time. One thing is for sure; we live for no less or more than the time we have to live. Without it, there would be no space for things to go. For time is space. And all things that exist occupies space. Space was here when we arrived. We are the occupiers. We do not touch space: only move around in it when the Creator chooses a time/space for us.
“First God made heaven & earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, one day.”
All things that come into time and space with life will depart—when there is no more of this life to live. It will be a new day, a new place, and another time. There is space for all to fit. To yonder, we will go.
Time, as we know it, is a concept of “man.” And many cut theirs short by how they live their life: the things they say and do. And they do this not realizing how little time they have. They do this, of course, because of how they think and how they think when they think this way is disordered. When you act in ways that hurt you, you are hurting inside, and there is where it hurts the most. And each time that hurt is acted out, it takes from the time you have to be yourself.
TIME IS WHAT SPACE IS
No matter what time it is, it does not change. However, what happens in the space of time does. It is not changing—we are. For you and me, it is personal. It starts for each of us when our parents create us and is not shared. You cannot lend, nor can you borrow it. And your yours is the only time you will have. More will not be given when you have no more. Time—though—is not as important as what you do with it.
When you think of your time, you should first think about what you will do with it. What is just as important is how you feel while you are doing it. To get the most from you have, you must understand what it is and how to use it wisely. The longer it takes to know what to do with it, the less time you have to do it. Because for sure, you will not get it back.
What Clock Do You Watch To Know What Time It Is
There are two kinds of time in my way of thinking. It is what God gave us—that would be our life time—and universal time/space, which is the greatest of all. It does not change nor does it expire. What I am saying may be clearer if it is thought of in terms of the world, as we understand it to be. The world has 24 (?) time zones. The United States uses six standard zones. Therefore, the question is, when is the right time? With every area of the world having its own zones, how can you know what time it is? Neither of them is correct when next to the other. Time that can change is invented by man. It is never the same and is not valid. The time for all there is will always be as long as there is space.
The clock on the wall has less to do with the outcome than the actions we take and what we do. Time will be the same no matter the clock on the wall. It is whole, as it is with space. We will not divide it. There is but one time, and it is the same all the time. The concept of our view of time was imposed on us by us. All things live by the rhythm of nature. However, we are the ones who live by the clock. We do—though—need the means to measure what we do and when we do it to keep our lives in order. To know why we are where we are at all times.
On the whole, a clock or any instrument to measure time is a way to know when or not. A means to measure the times of our lives is one of the things a society must have to maintain order. Otherwise, it would be utter chaos. So, you cannot build a society without it.
If we had the power over the nature of time, what would we do with it, where would we put it? Would we add a little here, take a little there? For sure, it would be the “final step” to the end. Wars would be fought over it. It would be stolen, and some would lie, cheat and steal to get more of it. Those with no power would get none.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IT
- CAN YOU EAT it
- CAN YOU RIDE it
- CAN YOU MAKE LOVE TO it
- YOU CANNOT LEND NOR CAN YOU BORROW it
- SAVE, LOOSE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH IT
- YOU MUST RESPECT IT
You should not make your decisions based on time. It will not accomplish a thing on its own. Decide what you want to do, then make good of your time to do it; this should be the order of how you decide. No matter how much you have, if you do not know what you are going to do with it, you will not know how much you need. What matters is how you are going to fill the space. If you bake a cake for the required time but use the wrong ingredients, you will not get the cake you want. Then, you would have a cake you cannot eat, and time you no longer have. This was your time.
Let us take a look at God’s time, which does not change. You add or remove items from a room. It makes no difference when you move these things, the space does not. No matter what you do or when you do it, the space remains the same other than its content.
WHERE ARE WE WHERE ARE WE HEADED
We may ask much of time, but it does not give. The question asked most is for more. Time will not answer. It is closed to and does not hear what we have to say. It stands still to infinity. We cannot stop it, slow it down or speed it up. Nor can we waste it. The thing that we can do with time is live what we have. When there is no more time, there is no more to live. We do not start it over. It goes on; our time on this planet does not. So, live it. You cannot get it back once it is gone.
WHEN WE GO WE DO NOT TAKE TIME WITH US
Time for all things was here before us and shall be when we are gone. It is the only thing out of all things that we can depend on. Remove all things that exist—what is left is the space. There is no void in space for it was created to be occupied: We are here, and so is the rest of all that exists. It has been complete from the start when God created it. In the beginning, there was space for all things. All we are aware of, which does not amount to much, and the much that we are unaware of and do not have the vision to see.
We are the master of the life we have. Each of us is blessed with one. All lives are one. They are individual. No two are the same. Not one breathes the same breath. When we can, we decide what to do with our lives. It tells the type of life we will have and the path we will follow. As straight as this may be, many do not understand this simple truth. They still try—but can never succeed—to live their lives for and through others. The only thing that you do when you do this is live your time away. Live it, do not live it away. Ours is the only time we have. Do not say I cannot do it for me. I will let someone else do it. No one can do for you what only you can do for yourself.
We never know how much time we have to use what we have. So, you should always use your time wisely. When you do not know what to do next, do what you know now. Never rush or force your next step. We can never breathe the next breath. It is not for us to know it all. It is for us to understand what we need to know. The time of man is not precise. You can never know, with confidence, what will happen next. All we can do is plan. The future is not ours to know. It can be over just when we think we do.
God created it not to be changed; it cannot be changed. The existence of life is one of them. If this is not so, who would turn off the lights after we know how to do it our way, and there is no more to see. It is not within our reach. We will not change the nature and makeup of life. It is not for us to do. Humans did not assign the roles for our species, and we cannot reassign them. But we can destroy what we have that until now was more than enough. You are not God.
MAN and WOMAN
We are still learning how to think
We will be learning about how we think and the workings of the brain as long as there is the power of thought. There can be no end. Just as it is with life, there will always be much left to learn. It would be a lofty goal to want to know why there is life. To think we can know this reveals a great deal about how we think. And it is a road with no end, as well. We are yet to discover why one would take a life. To indicate how far we are from these incredible feats, researchers who study the brain are still trying to figure out why we sleep. Sleep: a thing that seems so basic, and they do not know. We have dreams, and no one knows why.
Time is what we need, and we know we have that. What we do not and will not know is how much. Even if you try being God and ending it yourself.
How Much Time Do You Have Left to Give
Time is like the wind you cannot see; you only see what it does. Do we really know what time it is.
What is it that makes time so important? Why do we speak about it like no other. There are times what we say about time should come with an explanation. It is time, your time, my time, what time is it, now is the time. And let’s not forget, I don’t have time for this.
You will not know when it is time to do a thing until after you have done it. Time is one of those things in life you cannot know for sure. How many times have you said it is time and it was not? If it has become a reality, then it was the time. One thing is for sure; we live for no less or more than the time we have to live. Without time, there would be no space for things to go. For time is space. And all things that exist do so in space. Space was here when we arrived. We are the occupiers. We do not touch space. We only move around in it. We live when the Creator chooses a time/space for us.
“First God made heaven & earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, one day.”
All things that come into time and space with life will depart—when it is time—without the life we have. It will be a new day, a new place, and a new time. There is space for all to fit.
Time, as we know it, is a concept of “man.” And many cut their time short, and they do this not realizing how little time they have. You would certainly think so when you look at some of the things that people do. They do this, of course, because of how they think and how they think when they think this way is disordered. When you act in ways that hurt you, you are hurting inside, and there is where it hurts the most. And each time that hurt is acted out, it takes from the time you have to be yourself.
Time Is What Space Is
No matter what time it is, time does not change. However, what happens in the space of time does. Time is not changing—we are. For you and me, it is personal. It starts for each of us when our parents create us and is not shared. You cannot lend, nor can you borrow time. And your time is the only time you will have. More time will not be given when you have no more to live. Time—though—is not as important as what you do with it.
When you think of your time, you should first think about what you will do with it. What is just as important is how you feel while you are doing it. To get the most from the time you have, you must understand what it is and how to use it wisely. The longer it takes to know what to do with your time, the less time you have to do it. Because for sure, you will not get your time back.
What Clock Do You Watch To Know What Time It Is
The clock on the wall has less to do with the outcome than what we do. Time will be the same no matter the clock on the wall. It is whole, as it is with space. We will not divide it. There is but one time, and it is the same all the time. The concept of our view of time was imposed on us by us. All things live by the rhythm of nature. However, we are the ones who live by the clock. We do—though—need the means to measure what we do and when we do it to keep our lives in order. To know why we are where we are at all times.
On the whole, a clock or any instrument to measure time is a way to monitor and control how and when things should or should not be done. A means to measure the times of our lives is one of the things a society must have to maintain order. Otherwise, it would be utter chaos. A society could never be built without it.
There are two kinds of time in my way of thinking. It is the time that God gave us—our own time—and universal time/space, which is the greatest of all. It does not change. It does not expire. What I am saying may be clearer if it is thought of in terms of the world, as we understand it to be. There are seven world time zones. The United States uses nine standard zones. Therefore, the question is, what time is the right time? With every area of the world having its own time zones, how can you know what time it is? Neither of them is correct when next to the other. Time that can change is invented by man. It is never the same and is not valid. The time for all there is will always be as long as there is space.
If we had the power over the nature of time, what would we do with it, where would we put it? Would we add a little here, take a little there? For sure, it would be the “final step” to the end. Wars would be fought over time, it would be stolen, and some would lie, cheat and steal to get more of it. Those with no power would get none.
You should not make your decisions based on time. Time will not accomplish a thing on its own. Decide what you want to do, then make good of your time to do it; this should be the order of how you decide. No matter how much time you have, if you do not know what you are going to do with it, you will not know how much you need. What matters is how you are going to fill the space. If you bake a cake for the required time but use the wrong ingredients, you will not get the cake you want. Then, you would have a cake you cannot eat, and time you no longer have. This time was your time.
Let us take a look at God’s time: the time that does not change. In a room there are things—they come and go. Some things are added some are removed. It makes no difference when these things are moved or changed; the space does not. Time is space.
We may ask much of time, but time does not give. The question asked most is for more. Time will not answer. It is closed to and does not hear what we have to say. It stands still to infinity. We cannot stop it, slow it down or speed it up. Nor can we waste it. The thing that we can do with time is live the time we have. When there is no more time, there is no more to live. We do not start it over: Not this time. Time goes on; our time on this planet does not. So, live your time. You cannot get it back once it is gone.
Time for all things was here before us and shall be when we are gone. It is the only thing out of all things that we can depend on. Remove all things that exist—what is left is the space of time. There is never a void in time and space. We are here, and so is the rest of all that exists. It has been complete from the start when God created it. In the beginning, there was space for all things. All we are aware of, which does not amount to much, and the much that we are unaware of and do not have the vision to see.
We are the master of the time we have. Each of us is blessed with a lifetime. All lives are one. No two are the same. Not one breathes the same breath. When we can, we decide what to do with our lives. It tells the type of life we will have and the path we will follow. As straight as this may be, many do not understand this simple truth. They still try—but can never succeed—to live their lives for and through others. The only thing that you do when you do this is live your time away. Live it, do not live it away. Our time is the only time we have. Do not say I cannot do it for me. I will let someone else do it. No one can do for you what only you can do for yourself.
We never know how much time we have to use the time we have. So, you should always use your time wisely. When you do not know what to do next, do what you know now. Your next step should never be rushed or forced. We can never breathe the next breath. It is not for us to know it all. It is for us to understand what we need to know. The time of man is not precise. You can never know, with confidence, what will happen next. All we can do is plan. The future is not ours to know. It can be over just when we think we do.
Not a thing that was created not to be changed can be changed. The existence of life is one of them. If this is not so, who would turn off the lights after we know how, and there is no more to see. It is not within our reach. We will not change the nature and makeup of life. It is not for us to do. We did not assign the roles for us humans, and we cannot reassign them. We are still learning how to think.
We will be learning about how we think and the workings of the brain as long as there is the power of thought. There can be no end. Just as it is with life, there will always be much left to learn. It would be a lofty goal to want to know why there is life. To think we can know this reveals a great deal about how we think. And it is a road with no end, as well. We are yet to discover why one would take a life. To indicate how far we are from these incredible feats, researchers who study the brain are still trying to figure out why we sleep. Sleep: a thing that seems so basic, and they do not know. We have dreams, and no one knows why. Time is what we need, and we know we have that. What we do not and will not know is how much.
temptation: it is all around you
CREATED TO DO RIGHT AND WRONG
Temptation — is it going to get you
Yield is just one sign. There are more—than I wish to count—laws, rules, and regulations to keep us from doing the wrong thing. Now think about that if you will. So it would seem that we are not that much different from nonhuman animals. We are not as civilized as we would like to think we are. Other animals are put in cages, and so are some of us. There are thousands of laws throughout the world with the sole purpose of keeping humans in line. Why would this be? Are we not supposed to be the higher-level thinkers of the animal world. If this is so, why do we need the police, the military, and other means of enforcement to keep us in check. Some among us break the law all the time, even when they know there could be punishment to follow.
Are we just wild by nature with an inclination to do the wrong thing?
Now, of course, there are no laws to regulate our relationship with each other: How we treat one another. You are my wife, but I am having sex with your “best friend,” is that right. You tell your husband that you are out with the girls when you are at the motel getting it on. I say to you that I love you when I know it is a lie. You act as if you are really feeling it when at the same time, you can hardly wait for him to roll off to his side of the bed. Your husband’s buddy cannot keep his eyes off your body parts. He does this every time your husband looks away. You enjoy his attention to the details of your assets. What are you going to do about it? Will you yield to temptation.
IS IT MORE THAN IMPULSE
On your last trip to your friend’s house, you made sure to brush up against her husband, did that satisfy you enough, or do you need more. Did he say you are excused, or did he push back in silence, letting you know that he was thrilled by the touch. A casual acquaintance you had “noticed” tells you that she wants to be with you that her loins ache for you. And you are married, will you yield to temptation. Your boyfriend you care about in so many ways and want to be with cannot satisfy you in bed. Will you yield to temptation and be with someone else just for sex. You are out with the boys, and they want to go to the strip joint; you promised your wife you would not do this. Will you yield to temptation and go instead.
You will be tempted to do things you know are wrong by moral standards but feel right by your own. Do you yield to temptation, or do you deny yourself the pleasure of being who you are. The Creator put pain and pleasure of life here for us to decide. Some believe there should be no pleasure or there should be some type of on and off switch. No such control was included when we were created, for pain and pleasure are part of who we are. And pleasure is what we seek because it feels better than pain. That is why it is so difficult, and not natural, not to yield to certain temptations. The Creator chose desire to make sure that the life of his creation would continue to be. It could not happen with pain. Pain’s purpose is to tell us that not all is well.
We are animals, yes, you heard what I said, and we are human.
When we deny ourselves the pleasures of life, all that is left is pain. Now I ask you, will you yield to temptation?
DESIRE MY SOUL IS ON FIRE
Even the feelings of love and hate struggle against the seduction of desire. You can “feel” love for one and desire another just as you can feel hate for one that you desire. If you have thought it, you know it. If not yet, you will. A true sign is when the heart race and the pulse quickens with just the thought of the object of your desire. And when in the presence of the one, the body is triggered, feelings swell and pulsate to the rhythm playing in your mind. And at that moment, no one knows but you.
We did not make it the way that it is. It is in us. The great taboo is no taboo at all. The Creator created us—that when stimulated—to have strong feelings and to be desirous of each other. The hands of nature hold the switch. You can turn your back on desire. Though, each time it will turn you back around. It is not a sin. It would not be as strong if it were wrong. We cannot erase it. However, you must maintain control of your feelings and how you think them. There should never be a time when you do not.
Of course, as with all things in life, there is a time and place if it is to be a time and place. You do not have to act on desire, but to pretend will not change how you feel. There is no human power or words that can change this. So let no one tell you that you should not feel what you do, for they desire as well. It matters not their role or title that they hold. Do not, though, confuse temptation with desire: They are not the same.
Desire Is Not A Dirty Word this is true
DESIRE IS FOR YOU
The Strongest Human Emotion
Even the feelings of love and hate struggle against the seduction of desire. You can “feel” love for one and desire another just as you can feel hate for one that you desire. If you have thought it, you know it. If not yet, you will. A true sign is when the heart race and the pulse quickens with just the thought of the object of your desire. And when in the presence of the one, the body is triggered, feelings swell and pulsate to the rhythm playing in your mind. And at that moment, no one knows but you.
We did not make it the way that it is. It is in us. The great taboo is no taboo at all. The Creator created us—that when stimulated—to have strong feelings and to be desirous of each other. The hands of nature hold the switch. You can turn your back on desire. Though, each time it will turn you back around. It is not a sin. It would not be as strong if it were wrong. We cannot erase it. However, you must maintain control of your feelings and how you think them. There should never be a time when you do not.
Of course, as with all things in life, there is a time and place if it is to be a time and place. You do not have to act on desire, but to pretend will not change how you feel. There is no human power or words that can change this. So let no one tell you that you should not feel what you do, for they desire as well. It matters not their role or title that they hold. Do not, though, confuse temptation with desire: They are not the same.
TEMPTATION IS NOT DESIRE
Pain and Pleasure
We will be tempted to do things we know are wrong by moral standards but feel right by our own. Do you yield to temptation, or do you deny yourself the pleasure of being who you are. The Creator put pain and pleasure of life here for us to decide. Some believe there should be no pleasure or there should be some type of on and off switch. No such control was included when we were created, for pain and pleasure are part of who we are. And pleasure is what we seek because it feels better than pain. That is why it is so difficult, and not natural, not to yield to certain temptations. The Creator chose desire to make sure that the life of his creation would continue to be. It could not happen with pain. Pain’s purpose is to tell us that not all is well. We are animals, yes, you heard what I said, and we are human. When we deny ourselves the pleasures of life, all that is left is pain. Now I ask you, will you yield to temptation?
born to be free you are the master of your destiny
To Love And to Cherish
Born to be free, but then comes marriage. And marriage comes with a contract—vows—that is as unnatural as marriage itself. This may sound shocking, and to some of you, I am sure it does. But read on and listen to what I have to say. Then you may understand my position and how I think about freedom. To honor and obey, who does that now, or ever has. To bind two people together goes against the natural order of life. It is an unnatural coupling—other than for sex and reproduction—between two people who are different in a major way.
But, of course, man and woman must come together for it is our duty and responsibility, passed on to us by the Creator to assure that human life would endure. Furthermore, to this end and also in God’s plan is that what we do in the furtherance of life be enjoyable. It is built in us to want to feel good and we do this best when we share what we feel with others. Man, woman, and child: We learn to appreciate this instinctively at a very early age. All the time recognizing that timing matters.
above all
Marriage, and its vows, is the greatest agreement that never was.
There is but one true relationship, and that is through our bloodline. Though not always close, and you may not get along, kinship is forever. It is the relationship built to last. All others that are, or that may come to be, are unnatural and difficult to maintain, at best.
The institution of Marriage was founded on the prospect of longevity and closeness: One of the most personal relationships. But it has come to be accepted by most, it seems, as the hardest to hold together. You will often hear that it takes ongoing and never ending work to hold it together. All kinds of “glue” are used to keep it from coming apart—though—none of it stands a chance against the mighty power of infidelity. It is high on the list and the most serious and damaging to the minds of those involved when that driving, unrelenting emotion known as desire takes control.
It could be part of the problem (knowing there is a way out) or the solution. Either way, marriage comes with its own remedy if the relationship cannot go the distance. And that is by way of a divorce, which is born from the beginning. Long Before the ceremonial, I do. It is not love when one or the other or both are living a lie.
Too close for comfort
And coming in second as a place where feelings can sour, even though not as personal as marriage and family, is on the job. Where at times you must try to be someone you are not for eight to twelve hours. It could be any place where you feel you almost have no choice but to be there, which causes you to think in ways you would rather not (see above). For whatever the reason why, you think you must. If there were a list of places and circumstances, it would be limitless. But there is a good reason why a society needs us to be in these “up close” relationships and places.
And if I have not been direct enough before, here it is: Born to be free, we are; though, it all comes down to a need for control and a good measure of stability. An orderly society is born from dependence, a level of control, power when and where needed, and expectation. You cannot avoid much of it as much as you might try. And to be a contributing member to the world community, you should not.
Some situations new to us can be quite uncomfortable to later be environments we look forward to being in and an active participant.
SHE WANTS SOME AND HE SLEEPS
Most humans and other animals need their space and do not take kindly to attempts to control them. It is the wild, if it could be called that, which is in all of us. We are born to be free. It is a vital part of self that makes us who we are. It is the core of how we came to be. We had to be different, just as we had to come in contact with each other and closer than some wanted to be. Does husband and wife in separate beds come to mind here? Going without sex even though you are married, oh my goodness, what is that all about? There are few, very few, acceptable answers to that question.
Being close is more than just a factor in relationships, and it is not natural not to be close/intimate when one or the other desires to be and there seems to be no apparent reason why not. As previously stated, long periods of time together—when there is a main ingredient missing—is ripe for getting on each other’s nerves. If you feel you don’t want to be there and feel you must, you will compensate. We know where this can/will lead. Some of the worst outcomes are born from the alienation of affection.
Many of the ills of societies today and the past are because we have to be near each other when we would rather not. You want it your way, and I want it mine. And the times are few when we want the same. I do it, you do it, and nations do it. One could wonder, if one were so inclined, why is it this way? Why can we not all get along? We may never know why, but we do have to work with what is, if longevity is one of our goals. It is a problem with major and significant consequences.
We are not doing a good job living among each other when the origin of racism, sexism, ageism, religious differences, and a host of other hurtful and hateful feelings and emotions are in us. Those who think they know the answer to the question planted the seed. Is it born in us or is it born from us: questions worth asking. Now, this is what I do. I look to nature. There is one other thing that is central, and at its core, someone has to be in charge.
Born to Lead or Born to Follow
There must be leaders, followers, and all that is in between for society and our lives to function as they should. As it is, we have one who owns the means of production, and the other is the worker. Just look at nature for proof. What can and does cause a problem and disorder is when you have followers wanting to be leaders when they are not, and leaders—in name only— who do not know how to lead. One is there by order of their birth, it was handed down to them, or by some other means without merit. A lack of will, skills, or knowledge is the likely reason others toil away in jobs that have no meaning to them other than a paycheck. Whatever the outcome, it is how both think the thoughts that they do.
There is another group, those who are where they are by force or the weakness of their mind. I will call this group the ones who let others—wives, husbands, boy/girlfriends, and a host of other folks—tell them what to do. All of this causes an unnatural balance that goes against nature. Of course, some who follow begin to lead and work their way up. They had it in them all along. They were where they were only because of circumstance. Nothing is so small that it is not big enough to grow. The main ingredient is in you.
You must be strong, and there are points of care necessary to be so: First, there must be a healthy seed (you), next; that seed must be planted (parents) in fertile soil; then once it sprouts into the world, the creation, which would be you and I (humans), will need weeding to keep the intruders at a distance, and water from the heavens or the hands. God provides the sunshine as well.
CREATED AND BORN WHAT GOD WANTED US TO BE
MALE/FEMALE
There are some who say nothing ever changes — the way it is, is the way it has always been. I say nothing is the way that it has always been. Not a thing made to change has remained the same. One thing that does not change—however—is the roles of nature. The Creator gave the male and the female their roles for life. He handed his greatest gift, which is life, to us with trust. If we even think about going against the will of God, life will be no more for humankind. It is so no matter what God is to you if anything at all. Where we are in our lives can change if change is what we want. The changes may be so small that it seems that there are no changes at all, but when you reach milestones, you will know.
One thing we all should remember, with freedom comes responsibility. The freedom to speak comes with knowing when to do so or not. The freedom to choose comes with “knowing” the choices. And the freedom to be you comes with knowing who you are.
FREEDOM TO CHOOSE
Everyone wants the freedom to do whatever they want, but few know the right thing to do with it when they get it. Some suffer from role confusion when society’s conventions no longer bind them. They want the role reserved by nature for the other one and turn their backs on their own. Some things can change; the core of our existence will not change to the extent that roles will reverse. If so, where would life go? God, The Creator, created us with specific attributes, both male and female alike. It is the way he wanted it to be. And this is the way it shall be, or not a thing will be. None is as blind as the one who refuses to see.
When you go against nature, you go against your best interest. You can only get to where you want to go from where you are. We have been cast in our role; what we do now is act it out.
BORN TO BE YOU NOT ME
I say, be the best person that you can be, is the only person that you can. You remember the person, the real you. Let no one tell you who you should be because ultimately, you answer to no one but you. No one can know you the way you know you. So do not let them think they do.
attractions or distractions you be the judge
“What Distracts You The Most Is Your Mind”
Attractions or distractions, you be the judge. There are reasons why you let things distract you, even when you do not know why. When you are distracted, it can be good, or not good at all. It depends on your thoughts and how you are thinking them. If a thing distracts you when you have good thoughts, it likely is not good. If you are distracted when your thoughts are not good, the distraction could be welcomed and a relief. It is the thinking that you do afterward that makes the difference in what you do next. So, it is not all about distraction. There should be more in our lives that we are attracted to than not. And there are several cautions that will be in your best interest to remember.
When you find a person, place, or even a “thing” attractive to you, it opens a “one-way” channel for your feelings. It is not a distraction—it is an attraction. It is by way of a preference we all have for that which “pulls” us in. We are attracted to people, places, and things that are attractive to us. But what turns me on may not do a thing for you. It is not by us; it is in us.
Attractions lead to desire, and it is from this point where how you feel, and act will decide the outcome. Here is where a misinterpretation of the circumstance is likely to occur. Is it real, or is it the imagination with a heavy dose of fantasy? An image created to take your mind for a ride.
the road leads back to you
Since the advent of modern-day marketing, lines are blurred, and it is difficult for many to know what they are attracted to or not. Is it unfettered attraction, or have you been led to think—by suggestion—what you find attractive. What you think you feel may be the hype and manipulation of the marketing machine. Just as in relationships, what you think you see may not be that at all. When you peel away the veneer, you realize it was just an illusion, a trick to gain your attention. There is truly little that is what it seems to be; do you really know what is in that? You can “read the label” and still not know.
It has all come down to us against them. As has been put forth by the cautionary rule, “Let the buyer beware.” Is this person, place, or thing just another someone or something made up to draw you in to seal the deal? And then it is a wrap. These objects of attraction are like magnets; they draw you in when the wise thing would be to maintain your distance. Some will forgo all the signs to the contrary and plunge headfirst into the swirl of promotions, sales gimmicks, and marketing gadgets. The techniques are not exclusive to business concerns. There are men and women of all levels of society just as adept.
sex appeal
Though we can be attracted to many things, the intense feelings you can have for the opposite sex tugs at your emotions and can play havoc with your mind. You must decide, for no one can do it for you if the feeling is actionable. Or just the result of your life circumstance; loneliness, for example. The answer comes, and you must know it when it does, for it is not always so apparent. And there are those times when the intent is to deceive. Another word for that is a setup. One should know the difference, for it could be a life saver. You should take the first step in only after an invitation to do so.
You are the gatekeeper of your mind, so you must know what to allow in your head.
When you are attracted to the object of your desire, the mind tends to go on a flight of fantasy. And before you know it, if you are not grounded in reality, you will take off into the unknown. As is often the case, it may turn out to be something/someone you should walk away from rather than to venture closer. Much of this you may already know from firsthand knowledge; if so, treat this as just a reminder.
We base our preferences on how we view our wants and desires. They are subject to change as our mind goes from one thought to another. It depends on what is there to think about and what this does to how you feel. So, this is a consideration that you must give before losing yourself in the excitement of this most powerful force of attraction. It draws you in rather than pushes you away. Far too many, to their detriment, are distracted by their attractions.
What distracts some the most is when they think about what they believe others think about them. And, of course, it is how you think. So, then they try a never-ending effort to change things about themselves that cannot or should not be changed. They change how they dress, how they speak, and yes, even their face. In their effort to cover up what they think is a not so nicely shaped nose, cheekbones, eyes, skin tone, or other believed to be flaws, some apply cosmetics of all kinds to the point where those who know them feel forced to lie and say they look natural and so becoming. It is not a nice thing to do to your friends and loved ones.
MAKEUP IS FINE FOR THE RIGHT REASON
Do it because you want to not because you think you have to.
on your way out
Remember this, a change in makeup will not change who you are. The Self is your makeup. It is the soul of a person, it is who you are, and it does not change. New makeup is not what you need. An overhaul of how you think is what you need and will take care of any feelings of inadequacy, if there are any. It will change how you feel, which will change how you act and view the world around you. Let how you act be the face that you show the world. You should not depend on your looks to speak for you. Your outer person is only there to compliment who you are and not to be the complete representation of you.
Makeup and a getup (outfit) will not keep you up, forever: How you think can. When how you look does not match your inner Self, it creates pressure. You then must try to act the way you look. The real you can only come out when the outside is inside. How you feel, then, depends on how you look, and with time the looks will change right before your eyes. Try as hard as you might—your looks will not remain the same. They will lose a step to age. No one can march against time. The hands on the “clock” can standstill; the hands of time will not. And the struggle with who you see in the mirror is just as futile.
You fool no one when you try to hide, and there is no cover-up to make up for the difference. It is how you think and how you think leads the way to what you do next. To change how you feel about yourself, you have to change how you think about yourself. You have done too much, though, when what you do have you looking like who you are not—even worse—to act the same. We can see you and so can you when you look.
A race against yourself can never be won
dependent thinking has no place to go
Dependent state of mind. It is talking to you. Should you listen? To understand what comes next, you must become a part of what you hear when you read. But you do have to listen to what you hear. They are not the same. You must put forward the effort to listen, hearing you do not. It has to sink in and be what you want to do, not what you are told to do.
“It is what got me here and would not let me leave until it carried me away.”
If you want to listen to what I have to say, then say what you have to say. Nothing but the truth is the only way we can understand who we are and how we feel. Now is the time. Fill in the blanks, if only in your mind.
My name is __________and I live in___________. I am__________. My______________. I now realize that_________. And it is because____________. When I was growing up my_______. I got_________. Why________. There are times when________. I have tried_________. No one________. I need________. If_________. Then________. They__________. It_________. I am open to__________. I just feel________ I think_________.
Dependent or not, much of what I say may not be clear to you on first reading. But it will all be clear to you once you understand. It may take more than just a glance; we do not always understand the “new” when we first look. And this is change. What we think we know is not all there is. What you read here, and if so inclined, listen to, is just another way to look at life. If you are dependent on anyone, or you have been, you will see yourself and understand. It is not a story. What you see is the truth. There are two characters: You and I. There is a reason why our lives are the way they are. No matter how you live, a dependent state of mind only grows until you think it away.
It keeps me from sinking, but it doesn’t allow me to swim.
You can only tread water for so long. You have to swim, or you will sink. And you must know how to swim. Someone must teach you: few of us learn on our own. When you refuse to give in to defeat, you do your best at learning from what you think about what you see. And what we see may not always be what we think it is. But until you know, say so.
Dependent with no one to depend on
It all begins with a walk through the mind. At some point, many will become dependent on others. They are not soon to realize the gravity of this burden until they are bowed by its weight. You are now where you need help to help yourself. What is this, you will say to yourself and find it depressing even to have to ask? I never knew that I thought this way, you will think. One thing you will know without delay, it is a sign of weakness. Looking back over your life, you realize it is nothing new. It is your background and upbringing that was a breeding ground for this type of behavior. And what was set in motion then still gets in your way today.
Once the dependent mindset comes to life in the mind, it will tug on you for many years to come. It will hold you back and become a way of life. And many of your choices are made with this way of thinking. You reach for the quick and easy. You will do that when you are willing to settle for less than your best. And you pay for it by letting go of what dignity you have left. And you know, the independent things you did when you were growing up could not help you overcome the weakness in you. It was all deep down inside. It held on and would not let go. No doubt you have had accomplishments and did not have the mind to hold on to them. Employment, marriage, leadership, and positions of respect all of it, you have let or is letting slip away.
Do not do it; not a day longer.
Nothing has seemed to change your dependent way of thinking. It could be you who win just to lose on purpose, unaware or refusing to be aware. I don’t know, just a thought. It is a thought worth thinking that no one would put forth the effort to win and then lose on purpose. Your mind—yet again—telling you what to do. When you should have been the one doing the talking and telling your mind who’s the boss. You did not do the best for yourself, and it was all caused by your insecure feelings and low self-esteem, which had always been there. It—in turn—caused you to think in ways that made no sense. You did not have the space to learn to love yourself. You do not hurt that which you love. And hurt is what you were doing.
Hurting is the reason for it all. You need to feel loved to give love.
When your roots are planted in loose soil, it will cause you to feel uncertain about who you are. All you can do is search for something to hold on to, to keep from blowing in the wind. Only a drive to survive is what you own. And one day, you open your eyes. It is then that you realize you have become dependent on those around you. It got the best of you and drove you to the wall.
When you live your life this way, you always have to keep the edge—stay in control—which you cannot do. When you let go of your grip and try to be yourself, your advantage will give way, and so will your hold. You have to be yourself first because that is who you are, and in doing so there is no need for control. When we are not being who we are, it will not be us, they know. If you have not had this experience, think about what it would be like for those who have. The hunter is now the game. Do not think your “Self” into the grip of dependency. Though there are aspects of life that must be as we expect them to be. We depend on this as we do life itself. It is nature’s way, as intended.
now you do as i say
Now you see it, now you don’t. It was an illusion.
To depend on is a way of life. The way it is meant to be. To be dependent on a person, place, or thing is just a way to say I quit. It shows a lack of “Self” awareness.
You should never think you cannot accomplish on your own. That you need the help of someone else just to be whole. It is not how anyone should live. Never think you have no choice. In a relationship, on the job, or any other time or place, you have to feel free to be you. We have the right to be who we are. Our role in life depends on it. We can be no one else. You only do this when you find it hard for whatever reason to be yourself. No one can know who you are when you do not know yourself. How can they? Though they will try, with your help, to tell you who you are. If ever we stray from our SELF, we must find our way back. There is no other way to look at it.
We can search, but we will not find a thing more important to us than being aware of the Self. If not, we cannot have reliable expectations of what life has in store for us.
You are the only one who can say who you are
Our world has to be made ready for us before we arrive. We are born for others to take care of us. It is to be that way—that is—until we can take care of ourselves. To do so, we have to be made ready. These are the things that we get from those who are responsible for our care. If we do not, our life can be a difficult road to travel. And no one will be eager to help if they think you should already know what you do not. Many will see this as your fault—the person who this lack of care and guidance has hurt. That is unless they have a reason to care. Not at all, though, if they feel they have no choice but to do so.
You cannot lift yourself up when your mind is holding you down. To be dependent when you should not be is not a good thing to be. But, it is what you do when you do not have confidence in yourself. It will not let you grow. You can be in a relationship where you are being held back by how you think your thoughts, not knowing what would cross the line that you know is there, if you could muster the strength to be you. All along, you are feeling your status is in doubt. And of course how could you think otherwise.
Depend not on a source when you do not know what you give for what you get. Simply put, this means when someone is helping you, and you do not understand why. For that which you are not sure, not a thing about it can be for sure. There is not much we can be sure of when we are not sure of Self.
When you are dependent, you do not know if your feelings are true, or you are just trying to survive. You do what you think you must do while all the time painfully bound by your status. You don’t know if you should draw a breath when you are unsure if you should breathe. In times such as this, your thinking will be disordered. It caused you to think yourself into this. It would be another step like the other steps that got you here. You do not want to leave, but you cannot stay. You, at last, hear your Self calling. And you must listen to what you hear. It was the only way to be you. There is no room for you there.
dependent thinking has no place to go
where there is a need there is a way
We do have to depend on life for what we need. It is one of the rules of nature. It is how we survive. To depend and to be dependent on are not the same. One we must and the other we should try with all our might not to be.
THE MESSENGER
James R. Yarbrough
Thought
Snapshot In Time
Community
THE BEAT GOES ON
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
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