A forum for artists, photographers and writers. Anyone is welcome to join.
THE SEEDS WE SOW
Thomas Jefferson once said that "A nation as a society forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society" and he was right! The problems within a society do not just come from a few as leaders often proclaim, rather from the whole. Its like the Theory of Relativity, for each and every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Yet when it comes to human beings, that is a complex concept, for each will react in a different manner according to the experiences during their lifetime. Some become great evils where another may become good Samaritans, despite similar seeds planted in their minds by life’s events.
I will use myself as an example since so many get upset when criticized. Most of my mental disorders come from being sexually assaulted at a very young age. It caused me many times many problems in life and frankly it is a miracle that I became a halfway decent person rather than a BTK killer or a Timothy McVeigh. Believe me, I deal with thoughts of evil that would terrify most people if they were able to read my mind. I had lots of problems growing up and to this day the world is as confusing a place as it makes sense to me.
I often hear others such as the BTK killer trying to justify their evil because of the evils done to them. They must not of had the good influences/examples in life that I thankfully had. People that took the time and effort to help me understand, that showed in both word & deed that I could trust them, these were the seeds that made a difference in what I grew into. Many over the years have claimed they were there to help but their actions and words did not match up. The Mental Health system in America was one such, for leaders like President Reagan thought it more important to produce spectacular results in cutting the budget than his claims of compassion. For how is it compassionate to abandon those who have been deeply wounded and make it so they can only truly get help after they become a danger to society or themselves?
Becoming physically disabled on top of all that has been a real struggle. Believe me, the temptation to cheat to get ahead, to steal or take advantage of others becomes stronger than ever. For me the motivation is simple, I want to be like those who made a real difference and truly helped me. I don’t worship the sports heroes, movie stars & other entertainers, as SO MANY DO! I admire some of them for the job they do, enjoy their performances but I care little about fame. The Real Heroes are not like Superman, with Mighty Powers, they are the ones that do the right thing, Even when it is the Hardest to do it. As an artist so much of what I see in the art world is about fame and I want nothing of it. I often fear that will hurt me in selling my art even more than not being able to afford entry fees for exhibitions or having prints made to show in galleries ever will. Like most people I just want to have a life too someday, instead of a living hell.
One of the things that really disturbs me growing up in the Christian community is the lack of real love within so many of our churches. What a pastor did to me when I was young was horrible enough. To be turned away when asked for help so many times I cannot even count, did as much harm as what he did to me. In the modern day it is hard enough just to get a food box, many make it an embarrassing barrage of questions forcing me to humiliate myself revealing every little detail of what life is like for me just to get a little food. I hear so many of our Leaders proclaim their faith, use God’s name left & right and proclaim their compassion; yet their actions are not to truly fix the problems, not to make sure programs are properly funded, staffed and operated. Their words are the right ones but their works are dried up shriveled fruit laying spoiled on the ground. Time and again I have written them, hoping they were sincere, yet like the priests walking around the victim in the road, they ignore mine and MANY others letters and leave us in the road. They do not practice what Christ taught and so wounds become infected, fester and some never recover because no one made the difference in their lives.
In America, most of us have placed our hands over our hearts and pledged ourselves to the flag and to the principles for which it stands. Yet in day to day life it becomes forgotten, for so many do not conduct themselves in a manner that is fair to all. They betray these principle to gain prosperity, fame, fortune & power, often leaving others to endure the repercussions & hardships. There will never be Liberty & Justice for All under such circumstances. Some of the nastiest weeds start as the tiniest of seeds. What are the seeds that you sow?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank you to the founders & member of eloquent Insanity for the friendship, encouragement and a place to post such thoughts. I wish I got to take part more often in things here.
I will use myself as an example since so many get upset when criticized. Most of my mental disorders come from being sexually assaulted at a very young age. It caused me many times many problems in life and frankly it is a miracle that I became a halfway decent person rather than a BTK killer or a Timothy McVeigh. Believe me, I deal with thoughts of evil that would terrify most people if they were able to read my mind. I had lots of problems growing up and to this day the world is as confusing a place as it makes sense to me.
I often hear others such as the BTK killer trying to justify their evil because of the evils done to them. They must not of had the good influences/examples in life that I thankfully had. People that took the time and effort to help me understand, that showed in both word & deed that I could trust them, these were the seeds that made a difference in what I grew into. Many over the years have claimed they were there to help but their actions and words did not match up. The Mental Health system in America was one such, for leaders like President Reagan thought it more important to produce spectacular results in cutting the budget than his claims of compassion. For how is it compassionate to abandon those who have been deeply wounded and make it so they can only truly get help after they become a danger to society or themselves?
Becoming physically disabled on top of all that has been a real struggle. Believe me, the temptation to cheat to get ahead, to steal or take advantage of others becomes stronger than ever. For me the motivation is simple, I want to be like those who made a real difference and truly helped me. I don’t worship the sports heroes, movie stars & other entertainers, as SO MANY DO! I admire some of them for the job they do, enjoy their performances but I care little about fame. The Real Heroes are not like Superman, with Mighty Powers, they are the ones that do the right thing, Even when it is the Hardest to do it. As an artist so much of what I see in the art world is about fame and I want nothing of it. I often fear that will hurt me in selling my art even more than not being able to afford entry fees for exhibitions or having prints made to show in galleries ever will. Like most people I just want to have a life too someday, instead of a living hell.
One of the things that really disturbs me growing up in the Christian community is the lack of real love within so many of our churches. What a pastor did to me when I was young was horrible enough. To be turned away when asked for help so many times I cannot even count, did as much harm as what he did to me. In the modern day it is hard enough just to get a food box, many make it an embarrassing barrage of questions forcing me to humiliate myself revealing every little detail of what life is like for me just to get a little food. I hear so many of our Leaders proclaim their faith, use God’s name left & right and proclaim their compassion; yet their actions are not to truly fix the problems, not to make sure programs are properly funded, staffed and operated. Their words are the right ones but their works are dried up shriveled fruit laying spoiled on the ground. Time and again I have written them, hoping they were sincere, yet like the priests walking around the victim in the road, they ignore mine and MANY others letters and leave us in the road. They do not practice what Christ taught and so wounds become infected, fester and some never recover because no one made the difference in their lives.
In America, most of us have placed our hands over our hearts and pledged ourselves to the flag and to the principles for which it stands. Yet in day to day life it becomes forgotten, for so many do not conduct themselves in a manner that is fair to all. They betray these principle to gain prosperity, fame, fortune & power, often leaving others to endure the repercussions & hardships. There will never be Liberty & Justice for All under such circumstances. Some of the nastiest weeds start as the tiniest of seeds. What are the seeds that you sow?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank you to the founders & member of eloquent Insanity for the friendship, encouragement and a place to post such thoughts. I wish I got to take part more often in things here.
Comment
About
Badge
© 2009 Created by S.I. Sheehan on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of Eloquent_Insanity to add comments!
Join this Ning Network