Ferguson

      Earlier this evening, it was announced that the police officer who shot Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, will not face charges (read article and more here).

      No matter your opinions on the issue, it cannot be denied that Ferguson is about to face huge amounts of turmoil. My friends who live near Ferguson cannot go home for the holiday(s) because their lives will be in danger the minute they step foot in a place they once called a safe haven: home. People are rioting in the streets. Police officers are doing everything they can do to keep the violence down, meanwhile a city goes up in smoke.

      As people of faith, people of spirituality, people of the human race, it is our duty to approach every situation, especially one with so much weight, with love and understanding. However hard that might be. I know this situation hits home for a lot of people in a lot of different ways, but fighting and rioting only adds to this great flame already happening.

      How can you help?

      To be totally honest, I have been asking the same thing to many of my mentors, fellow Christians, and fellow lovers of life. However, there are a few things you can do.

1) Pray.
      Not a praying person? You can send good energy, love, good vibes, thoughts to those in Ferguson and those being affected. Pray that a resolution is found. And may we remember the civil rights movement of the 1960s. What we have come to understand from it. That the peaceful leaders are the ones who inspire peaceful generations, and the hearts that break in the wake of violence.

2) VOTE!
      I know, seems weird. But as I scroll through Facebook and all of the many, many souls reaching out to Ferguson through the social media, I read one of my greatest instructors commenting on every status he says "Vote!" At first, I didn't get what that had to do with any of it. Until I read one of his rebuttals to an arguing commentator. He states that a vote can be a great act of love with some of the greatest power and weight we have as U.S. citizens.

3) Silent/Peaceful Potests
      This is slippery, especially for those in Ferguson, however taking part and being active with your voice against the rioting and violence and injustice in Ferguson can be hugely powerful. However, be very, very careful and do your research as to who is leading the protest. I say, once again, fighting violence with violence solves nothing. If you fight violence with violence, you become part of the issue. Be extremely careful and cautious. If you are easily angry, I'd say this may not be the thing for you.

      Know that I have no proper authority to give any of this advice, I only know the things that are going through my head right now as I try to figure this huge thing out. This will surely have the great potential to be a great stepping stone toward a more fair, respectful, just United States if we allow it to be.

Now, (again, not authority), I would like to end in a prayer.



Lord,
We come as confused, scared, angry people. I ask that you may shed your light and spread your arms over Ferguson. I pray that the Brown family remains safe as they continue to mourn the passing of Michael. I pray for the officer who made the decision to shoot and his family, for though we see his action as unjust, you taught us to love our enemies. I pray for all of our police men and women as they prepare for the coming tide. Further, I pray that your love and peace may find its way into all affected. I pray that a resolution quickly comes to surface. I do not know how to handle this, and I ask for clarity. I ask that all those traveling to and from Ferguson go in peace and safely. I pray for those celebrating their holidays alone or in fear because of the hysteria surrounding Ferguson at this time. Lastly, Lord, I want to thank you. For with your ever-growing love, we may find a resolution of peace with Ferguson. I pray for all other place in the world that suffer from this fear and confusion regularly. This insight is hugely important and I pray that we quickly see this through and help those other countries suffering through similar turmoil however we are able.

Amen.


Stay safe, love wholly, and continue in peace and understanding.

Love always,
Mary Taylor

Love Overpowers

      There are tons of religions out there. Like tons. You've got the basics: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Then you've got Atheism, Agnostic, Scientology, Methodist, Atheist Buddhist, Orthodox Judaism, Wicca, the list goes on. There tons of shades o grey. Some would say 50 or more. Today, my father and I were discussing relationships and God being a part of them. He went on to say that "God is everywhere, whether people admit it or not..." which stuck me as a very interesting statement. "whether people admit it or not."

      We, as humans, try to shape things so that we understand them as best we can. It's one thing I love about humans, that we all hear one thing and each take something totally different away from the story. Cool, right? However, one thing I'd say about my father's interesting and totally valid statement is that maybe people don't need to "admit" God is in their lives. See, no matter what you believe, whether it be Christianity, or "Science vs. Religion," or Atheist, or "Spiritual, not religious," or Wicca, no matter what it is, there is this firm belief and trust that what you do believe is truth. Sure, you maybe open to others' opinions and hear what a person says, and maybe you do shape what you believe depending on how other people share their beliefs with you, but you have your beliefs and found a way to make it matter to you.

      The beautiful thing about anything someone might believe is that it leads us to try to be the best person we can possibly be. Sure, some people label it as "God" or "Buddha" or "Energy" or "Earth" or "Science," we all believe that we are trying to live the best life we can. That, no matter what, we try to love each other,  treat others as we would want to be treated, be good people. Love, laugh, learn, ask, respect, trust, so on. We try to handle tragedies the best we can and mourn the best we can and love the best we can and accept the best we can.

      Some of that looks like the Dalai Lama, some of it looks like Jesus, or Martin Luther King Jr., or even your neighborhood librarian, or those Christians trying to save you from Hell and damnation from the street corner, or you classmate, or you parents, or your enemy. All trying to understand what they believe and trying to love and trying to respect.

      What I would say about people "admitting God is in their lives" is that I believe they understand that, no matter what the belief, they are one, singular part. One, singular part who has the capability of making huge changes. Whether that be in the world, or just to make a person smile. Sure, there are people out there that don't understand "love" or "understanding," at least not the way you do. Sure, there are people who don't always think about their beliefs, but there is this inherent thing in all of us to try to be the best we know how to be. That's what we're trying to do. Does it always work out? No. Not nearly enough as we'd like (but, of course, is there ever enough?). But we reach for it. We try to hit it. We're still trying. We will go to our graves trying our hardest to understand, to love, to accept. No matter what, it takes a huge trust to believe something. Something that is likely to be a lifetime commitment. How beautiful that we hold that trust and try our utmost to share the beauty of love, understanding, trust (and so on) with the world!

Woo!
Mary Taylor

Christan protect Muslim protestors as they pray in Egypt. This image is very powerful to me and shows that there need not be barriers between religions. 

It's a Hi Bye

      You know, I've had to say "goodbye" to a lot of people in my life. Weather it is the greeter at WalMart wishing me a happy Saturday, a close friend going abroad, Psych when it ends the last season, Seniors at graduation, or even saying "goodbye" to my grandmother as she passes. It's never easy. Never. It always leaves this feeling in my mind and body like "oh, I forgot to tell them..." or "wait, I needed to..." so on and so on. I always want more. Especially living in this over-indulgent world that is able to beautifully give us more-than-we-need of everything. But that's one thing that is a constant. Sooner or later, you say "goodbye."

      But, in their own right, "goodbyes" are awesome things. They always seem to happen at just the right time, even if we don't realize until later. Like in Mary Poppins where Mary decides to leave, for the kids have fun with their father and the father sees how wonderfully spectacular his children are! Or like in Nanny McPhee where the children finally understand the significance of what is asked of them and starts to see the humanity in adults. In both of these movies, it is the children who feel the brunt of the "goodbye blues" at first (before they have a blast with their parents). See those movies as an adult, I'm always thinking "of course she's leaving now, because you guys finally get it! Woo!" But then I end up asking "why?" every time I have to say "goodbye" to someone. Of course, I'm sure they don't have the grand plan as Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee had, but a "goodbye" always affects me. I am always left with my thoughts and in that, and the days following, I grow as a person.

      Truly, I believe that every single person we come into contact with impacts our life, even if it's only a tiny bit. And those people in our lives everyday, well, we need to say "goodbye" to them, even if it's only for a few hours, months, days, years, forever. For only when they are away from you will you feel the impact they have made. It's true. That "you never know what you have until it's gone." It's true. But there's no use looking at it through those sad eyes. Think of how blessed you were having them in your life. If you went on seeing them every single day, all day, you would take it for granted and not see the true beauty of what you have with that person.

      Jesus said His goodbyes before His crucifixion and warned his disciples more than once of what is to come. However, the disciples, being human (and Jesus also being human) didn't fully believe it. Think about it. If a close friend/ally/mentor said to you "soon, I will die." Part of you thinks "nah, can't be." Another part of you thinks "I must spend as much time with this person as possible and soak up all of their amazing intelligence." And, just as you would do when you know a "goodbye" is coming, when the time came, it was, alas, too soon. Lovely news is that Jesus rose again three days later. Thing is, he left us on a cliff-hanger. But that's a later post!

      See, though the disciples were immensely distraught (for they have seen things The Bible doesn't mention, is my belief) they took what He taught them and let it affect their lives and, in turn, affect the World.

      I believe we have that capability. When we say "goodbye," we are allowing that person to leave an impression on us. And, whether good or bad, we allow it to change how we see the world, how we act, how we say "goodbye" next time. It's allowing you to grow into the person you will be tomorrow.

      So, really, you never, really, totally say "goodbye" to that person. Whether you believe in an afterlife or not, you carry upon you what that person left with you. No matter what it might be. Isn't that beautiful and something to, truly, be celebrated. I think so. Although "goodbyes" are rough and never, ever easy, they're important and crucial and, sooner or later, beautiful.

My Obsession with Drag Queens Runs Deep

      Freshman year of college, I found it especially difficult to transition from a familiar world where I knew tons of people, to this strange world where I knew virtually no one. Sure, the university is only about two hours away from home and, actually, a lot of the students from my high school go there. However, I was on my own to make my own friends and do stuff on my own. It left a weird taste in my mouth.

      Clearly, I didn't want to give a bad first impression. I remember at home, my father and brother being pretty big advocates for self-deprecating humor and being totally humble and modest. So, in that sort of spirit, I made sure I did good work, but made sure not to take credit for it. Even if I knew it was my best work I could do at the time and knew that, in fact, it was pretty good (if I do say so myself), I was to be totally embarrassed and say things like "oh, you're too kind" or "no, that wasn't that good." Not to fish for compliments, but so that I appeared humble and modest. I don't want to seem arrogant, now do I?

      It wasn't too long until all of that knowing-I-was-doing-my-best-work-and-not-taking-credit-for-it took a toll on my self confidence. Turns out, when you tell yourself you're not good enough, you start to believe it. Strange, right? I know.

      But then, second semester of Freshman year, I discovered the best invention since sliced bread. RuPaul's Drag Race. RuPaul, being the most famous drag queen in the world, hosting a reality game show in which 14 drag queens from around the world (primarily U.S. and Puerto Rico) compete to win the title of America's Drag Superstar. And in the first few moments of this beautiful, shining, bright, wonderful world, I discovered the glory of drag queens.

      I was in awe. First, being a huge hair and makeup fan, was astounded by their ability to make the manliest of man look like a gorgeous woman. Then I noticed something. No matter the size, shape, talent, look, no matter what, they believed through and through that they were THE MOST AMAZING! Not so much arrogance, but just believing they were so fierce and amazing. Awesome, right? Like, even the bigger queens showed their curves and were proud to do so. They all pounded the runway and knew they were gorgeous.

      At the end of every episode, after sending a queen home, Ru would say "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell can you love someone else? Can I get an amen?" And like we were in a Baptist church in the deep south, everyone on stage (and I) would scream "AMEN!!!" Because it's true! Love starts with you. You have to know you're worth loving. You have to know you help make all of the good in your life. Sure, half of it is the people surrounding you, but the other half (and more) is you.

      Jesus was all-loving. He loved all. He loves all. He knows the importance of truth to self and loving yourself. Not just yourself. But using that love to love all of those around you. He was not arrogant, but he was truthful. He knew his importance, for through his love, we are loved. If Jesus was self-deprecating and was filled with false modesty, we'd be following a different guy. I guarantee it.

      So, if you do your best work and people tell you how awesome it is, take credit for it. Say "Thank you." Ask for ways to make it better if you're not totally happy with it. Don't bother filling yourself and the space around you with negativity saying things like "It's not all that great." It doesn't help the person commenting on it and doesn't help you whatsoever. Love yourself, love what you do, and love those around you. It's vital. For if you can't love yourself, how are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen?

Amen!
Mary Taylor

RuPaul is my spirit animal.

Lenten Sundays

I was conflicted this morning. As I grabbed a soda (the thing I gave up for Lent), I sat down and was wondering if I should do a blog post today, as it, too, is a Lenten promise. However, then I questioned why Sundays are not included in the Lenten season. According to this guy, it is because Jesus arose on a Sunday. It would be sending mixed messages if we mourn our sins and take the day to fast (as is the reason for the Lent Season). Which makes me excited! Here's why.

As all of you guys observing Lent knows, Lent is to represent Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, fasting, resisting temptation of the Devil. In that, we mourn our sins and contemplate them and repent of them through this season. However, on Sundays, we remember Jesus rose again and we celebrate that our sins are saved by Him. That said, we take Sunday to celebrate the work Jesus did (and is doing) through us. Not to say we're taking the Sunday "off," but we are, instead, celebrating that we no longer have to suffer, for He gave the ultimate sacrifice and suffered for our sins. In forgiveness and love. Isn't that amazing? To know that God loves all of us so much that He sent his true son to live among us, inspire us, teach us, and die for us. I think it's beautiful.

So, this Sunday, as I drink my one soda, I celebrate that Jesus loves me and that through Him, I am loved and forgiven. What a beautiful gift it is.

I love this picture because it depicts Jesus truly happy and joyful. Not that stoic kind of too-good-to-be-human-and-show-emotions Jesus we see in a lot of early art.

Happy first Sunday of Lent!

Woo!
Mary Taylor