Monday, May 3, 2010
Happy Monday everyone!
By now, I'm sure most of you have heard about the failed Times Square Bomb that police found in a smoking SUV on Saturday. As details of the potentially powerful bomb - that apparently began to detonate but did not explode - were revealed, my heart started pounding harder and faster. As a person who frequents Times Square, the news was unnerving...if not just downright scary. I received calls and text messages from family and friends asking if I was okay. My sister said I should move back to Philly because NYC was just too dangerous. All of these are normal responses to fear - and even among the most faithful of us, fear can be a defining aspect of the human condition.
Hearing about stuff like bombs, and earthquakes and plane crashes just sometimes makes you wanna stay home, not go anywhere, and live in fear. Fear is likely the source of most of our personal pain and the needless suffering in the world. Fear lies at the root of greed and aggression, racism, bigotry, trouble between neighborhoods, tribes and nations, and terrorism. We fear rejection and loneliness, commitment, failure...and even success. We fear we won't be able to measure up to others' expectations of us...or our own expectations for ourselves. We fear we may not be smart enough, tall enough, pretty enough, handsome enough, skinny enough, rich enough, or good enough.
We use fear as a buffer between us and the unpredictability of an ever-changing world, and it can be the very thing that defines us as a human being. But living in fear is not an option for me. As scary as the world can sometimes be, there's a better way of living.
God tells us "fear not" - He counsels us to "be not afraid" to alleviate our doubts. If we have no faith, from our fear of death comes all others. Fear shouldn't be used as a buffer between us and the world - faith should be. God impresses upon us that death is not final, so it need not be feared. He is always with us, walking with us, protecting us. Historically, the fear-preaching religions were the same that brought us the various religious crusades, jihads and holy wars. But where God is understood as LOVE, there can be no fear. Where God is One, there is no other.
I understand that just as pain has a purpose, fear also has its function. If we were totally indifferent to fear, it's likely that no one would have called the police to alert them of a smoking SUV in the middle of Times Square. If you see something, say something. Fear was the engine that drove that reaction, and would probably save lives. Fear is a double-edged sword that we have yet to get a handle on. While it has been useful to us in carving out the world we live in, it has also cut up the world, wounded it and cause it a great deal of pain. We haven't figured out yet how life really works and how we can establish peace within and among ourselves. While we walk around everyday convincing ourselves that we're strong and safe and secure, we're secretly fearful and nervous.
But there's a better way of living. There will be problems, challenges, even occasional catastrophes and tragedies. But if we look at the world through faith, we can deal with these things in a calm, still, peaceful center that we create within ourselves by looking to God. Perception is reality, and we can begin constructing the world we want to live in to guide us in our personal lives everyday. We have to believe it inwardly, and project it outward. We must have faith and believe it possible. Choosing faith over fear is a conscious decision to live in the present, with the understanding that no matter the circumstances, no matter what we are experiencing, the present is where God is.
-b
22 comments:
First Fuckers!
first bitcheS!
grrr!
What the funk is goin' on over there?
Gotta live life, can't live in fear.
If anything, it should serve as a reminder that life is short ... a gift ... live it to the fullest.
Annamaria done changed the "first" rules!
I agree with V - live life to the fullest, because tomorrow is not promised to you. It should truly be treasured as the gift that it is.
Damn, Ant - came up short again, huh?
SCRABBLE, fool! Break yo'self! BREAK YO'SELF!!!
Lmao!
Rameer - I really do hate you lol
Great blog B, couldn't have said it better myself.
Ant and Rameer got their own war goin on huh? :)
Yeah, Hov - a VERY competitive Scrabble war. Ant was sonning me in the beginning - but lately, the tables have turned...
@ Rameer's comment about Ant: THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID..LMAO (my fellow Office watchers will understand the joke here)
Yes this is a reminder to live life to the fullest. It doesn't have to be a terrorist tragedy that takes your life. It can simply be something simple. When your time is up it's up. BUT it definitely is a reminder to love those around you as much as possible every day of your life. Even if you are angry with your mate kiss & hug them & let them know you love them every day. For those of us with kids(nieces & nephews included) let them know you love them every day. Let them make a mess once in while & once in a blue let them stay up late to watch TV with you. Life is sooo precious and you never want to live with any regrets about not telling someone that you loved them.
The only thing about this whole terrorist thing is these mofo's are PATIENT. They wait for us dumb americans to start slacking & get comfy & then BOOM they attack. And they don't care if they die in the process. You can't fight someone that puts more value in their death than they do their life! WTF how can you beat that? That's what scares me!
Isn't it being reported that it ISN'T THOSE type of terrorists? If anything, it would be domestic terrorism?
Word is, the dude who brought the car there is a middle-aged, white American.
My first time commenting...
Thank you for today's post!
I stayed up waaaay late after the fight, watching the Times Square coverage and what really bugs me is when so-called "experts" or "correspondents" use terms like "international terrorist" or plain ole "terrorism" as buzzwords for MUSLIM! But one of the networks referred to the potential "domestic terrorist" as "some old kook." That really bugged me... as if a homegrown terrorist is just like the crazy uncle who lives in the attic and can't do much damage...which we know is not true. Look at McVeigh!?!
Awww - look at 'Landa's profile pic! Looking all golden & yummy and ish!
;-)
You're welcome Onaje, thank you for checking us out!
I agree Yolanda, that annoyed me too. The whole thing just shows you how vulnerable we all really are and how ANYONE is capable of causing a major tragedy.
Annamaria and Stef, you are so right. Tomorrow isn't promised to you, so tell the ones you love how much you care and SHOW them how much you love them everyday.
I gotta see what this FB Scrabble is all about :)
and see what a golden, yummy Yolanda looks like :)
Golden and yummy? Ya'll are crazy.
And whattup with the exploding manholes in Midtown? Ya'll better just stay in Brooklyn for awhile. Work from home or something.
Great blog! I agree with everyone. You can't live in fear. Even when a loved one goes before you and their time. You have to live on and prosper. God doesn't want to see His people like zombies. Already writing life off because we are scared. He wants us to be fruitful.
Travel, love, cherish your family and LIVE!
That is so true Serena, you have to just live and go forward! Loved this blog today!
Exploding manholes?? Where??
You have to step lightly in the NYC!
Exploding Manholes Rock New York Times Building, Midtown Manhattan
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/exploding-manholes-rock-n_n_561286.html
Living in fear is not an option. You will never do anything in NY. You'd be afraid of parades, Central park, manholes, subway grates, cabs, the little Arab guy that owns the corner store, the white guy mumbling to himself, the guy in the mask writing his sex blog on the subway...um..err...
yeah. Walk and pray. Live your life or the terrorist beat you easily.
Yeah, sex bloggers in masks make me VERY afraid :)
I hope you were writing my blog for TMI Tuesday on the subway! :)
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