Lil Danny

 

                                                                                                                        

 

 Danny

Danny always was decked out in the most colorful outfit a feller could get, reds, browns, oranges, whites, blacks, yellow. He strutted his stuff, making a big deal of himself. He was the leader of his gang, keeping everyone in check, making sure of order and peace. Danny wasn’t very big, kind of a small guy, with that small guy attitude. He articulated very well his desires, his wants, and his orders.

A few times I had run-ins with Danny, he always thought that he could make me a part of his gang, but I wouldn’t have a part of it. We had words and exchanged a few blows two or three times. There were a couple times that we went round and round, as soon as I would turn my back, here he would come again. I finally knocked him into the cow pen. In the end, I won the battle. He respected me, and I respected him.

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One day, early in the summer, we had a newcomer that came to town, his name was Dominic. Dominic was one of those big laid back guy, younger, learning the ropes, but not necessarily out to cause any trouble. He was introduced to all of us, and seemed excited to be there, but not trying to encroach in anyone’s space. Dominic liked pinstripes and dots, always wearing the same patterns, but not too loud.

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When Danny and Dominic first met, Danny decided to shame him and to push him around, to let him know that this was his territory. At first Dominic moved away, willing to try to get along, but it was just too much for him. Finally, by the end of the day, Dominic had had it. Danny and Dominic got into it, throwing blows back and forth, first a right, then a left, dropping low to get the advantage, jumping at each other trying to knock each other down. Over and over, panting and gasping for air, until one final blow knocked Danny down and sent him tumbling.

It was over for Danny, he was defeated. He hung his head low, and stumbled away, humiliated that he had lost this fight. Life was never the same for Danny, his gang never looked at him the same, although they did hang out with him still.

Defeated, almost broken, he was an outcast in the society that had given him his glory, perched on his roost alone.

071817

I Challenge you

Grudge - Forgiveness - Love. 
12 month challenge

When you continue to harbor bad feelings and hold grudges, resentment, bitterness, anger, and even hate, these can consume you. We all have a past and we all have let the childhood memories that you formed as a child, unhappy memories growing up, late teens, early 20's, memories that control and guide you in your emotions, letting events that have happened in times past, control you, direct you in unhealthy ways.  Live today in the now

When you have a grudge, resentments, bitterness, angers, it can blind you to good genuine feelings, it can and will hold you back from  your potential.
  
This challenge is to let go a grudge/ resentment/ bitterness/ anger causing, unhappy time or memory, everyday of the month, repeating I am letting this go. Then forgive it and move on to the next month. Face it, let it go. 

I each month the next 12 months. 

So here we are , the years are trudging by, and we have become caught in the drag of life, the low points we have experienced and seen, rather than feeling and living in and knowing the beauty of this life, and feeling joy and peace.

In this journey we need to stop and take a good look around us. I mean a really good look, at those around us, their emotions and feelings, how they navigate through life, and look at our own selves.

Sometimes, maybe a lot more than sometimes, we find ourselves caught up in  the faults that others have, looks, clothing,  the way they speak, the way they move, how they deal with anything, etc, and then we are quick to judge, say some smart-ass remark, be a little sarcastic in a mean way that can be very hurtful, and then to finish it off we then act on and feel that OUR opinions are the truth of how life should be lived. 

We couldn't be farther from the truth and be headed on the wrong road, destroying confidence, esteem, valueing ourselves in such a way that we look down on others. Not so good. Not such a great way of life. This in itself can create anger, digust, condescending feelings, a feeling that the other person is not so smart for the ways of their living, being, trying, coping.

Have you ever looked at your past? Have you then thought about, really considered the simple fact that EVERYONE HAS A PAST  that they have/are working through, that EVERYONE HAS A PAST that they could be facing. 

All..Of..Us

Have you ever considered the life events that we all HAVE/ ARE/ or WILL be facing are trigger points in how we react rather than pro-acting to those events? And that we can make a choice to let these memories, events, be a part of our life, or we can let them be a part in controlling our lives.

All..Of..Us

Remember that the girl at the counter that rung you in wrong, or the guy that got your order wrong, the saleslady that seemed a little rude or cold, maybe, just maybe, her mother is dying, he failed his final at the university, or maybe that lady was just told by her husband that he is leaving her for someone younger. See, we don't know what is happening behind that face, we don't, because we are all good at putting on a front.

All.. Of.. Us..

So, we feel sorry for ourselves, wanting to jump on the pity bus, hoping and waiting for someone to say ooo, you poor thing, how could this be happening to you, when you should be saying and or thinking how you can take the situation and make something better come out of it, get over the frustrations and bad feelings and let the good be known.

All.. Of.. Us..

Instead of taking these feelings and using them to hurt someone else, we should realize that maybe when they were thinking they did the best they could, they were, but in our eyes it wasn't enough. Hurting through words or actions, or even hanging on with a false bravado stating that you don't care or are over it, when in reality you continue to harbor those feelings, maybe we should try to understand that they have a past that has shaped them just as much as us. But we can break a pattern that seems to continue with everyone, and make a change that will be comforting instead of disrupting.

All..Of..Us

I don't think that we will ever be able to let go of everything, but we can start new healthy habits to confront and then use different actions/words/thought processes to help us get through each and everyday. We can remember to accept the fact that we all continue to deal with the ghosts in our closets, and we have to continuously clean that closet, dust the spider webs out, sweep out the dirt on the  floor that collects, maybe rearrange it to function a little better. And that we are not the only one dealing with these ghosts, therefore, we can become more compassionate.

We can let go of these unhealthy habits and fill them with compassion, forgiveness, understanding, gentleness, kindness, love.

I was told once that love does not make the world go around, money does. I have never believed that. Love is so much more, SO much more powerful than any material item available. Love is everything. Everywhere. All the time. It is there.

Much love to you all, happy hunting on a journey that will find you if you allow it.

1 Corinthians 13