Nonviolence or Nonexistence

I would be remiss if I wrote a blog post today and did not mention one of the greatest men who ever lived. Therefore, I would like to begin this post with a rousing shout from the roof top, screaming “HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.!” Today, I salute his life and his legacy.

Dr. Martin Luther King, born Michael King, was not only a man with a changed name, he had a changed heart and he changed the world!.  His life influenced time and altered history.

Contrary to popular belief, his fight was not just for the freedom of the African American race.  His fight was for the Human race! He understood what seems to still evade us today and that is that we need each other to survive!  Pastor Hezekiah Walker penned a song with those same words.  “I need you, you need me.  We’re all a part of God’s body. Stand with me. Agree with me, I need you to survive!”  When I hear those words, I not only think about us needing each other for our own survival but that it should be my hearts‘ desire that you survive as well!

In light of all the news headlines about Ferguson, MO. and all of the racial injustice that plagues our land, I can only imagine that if Dr. King was still with us, his heart would be heavy.  In his historical “I Have A Dream “ speech, he said,”the world is all messed up, the nation is sick, trouble is in the land and confusion is all around.” But he goes on to say, “it is only when it is dark enough can you see the stars!”  Whether you know it or not, this is that time! It is dark in this world!

We often quote, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I’m free at last!”  But reality says that we are not free.  Until all of us are free, then none of us are free!  If you, as an individual, have not done your part to make sure we all enjoy this freedom, it’s not too late. Today is a good day and now is a good time to start.

So, how do we as a nation of human beings address this injustice and lack of freedom in our land?  

Well, it’s simple, love is the key!  We have to change our minds and change our hearts.  Some think that the only way to do this is through violence, I say that Dr. King gave us the formula long ago.  He said something else in his speech that is overlooked by blacks, whites and all humans at large.  He said, “we are at a time where our choice is not between violence and nonviolence but between nonviolence and nonexistence!”

If we don’t stop the violence and the hatred that plagues our nation and our world, then the world will cease to exist as we know it.  No matter what you think, as Dr. King said, “either we go up together or we go down together!”  Don’t let his death and the death of countless others be for naught. Take a STAND!

So what’s your stance?  What can you do to change your household, your block, your neighborhood, your city, your state, your world?  Today, as we honor a man who died for the freedom of all, take the stance of love, of freedom, of nonviolence, of equality, of survival for all mankind.  We will take the high road of nonviolence or we will find ourselves on the highway to nonexistence! You choose!

Your Christian Author,

Dr. Ollie Anderson, CPC, ELI-MP

Life or Death

As we start to settle our feet in the sands of 2015, I am sure we have all taken some time for a little self reflection.  We have looked back over the last year and taken stock of what we have done.  We have taken inventory of our lives to determine what we have left and what we need to gain.  We have given deep thought to our past decisions and assessed their effectiveness in our lives to this point.  We have done all of this to help us determine which path we will take moving forward.

How many of us have given thought to the fact that there is a grave difference between living and being alive? So, as we look back over not just 2014 but the years prior, I suspect not many of us have examined whether we are embracing life by loving the life we live or just existing by merely avoiding death!

I was sharing with a friend of mine whose family member was diagnosed with a terminal disease.  In our humanness, when we get news like this, we tend to go into survival mode.  We often forget to embrace life and all it has to offer and immediately go into the caution zone.  Here we become afraid to live, laugh and enjoy life as if it will offend death in someway.  Truth be told, someone with a terminal illness can out live someone who is “fit as a fiddle!”  So, why not embrace those moments of love and joy that can never be replaced.  The worst thing that can happen is if your loved one does pass away, you’ll have some wonderful memories to help you live on.

We usually make these decisions subconsciously.  We hardly ever give them a second thought.  We often pattern our response to certain events in our lives based on how others have responded or how we have responded in the past.  I see a lot of people who mourn as if they have no hope because that is how they have seen others respond.  Whether the response was from real life or the screen, we tend to live our lives reacting like we think others think we should.  Why shouldn’t we choose how we want to react based on which reaction will best serve us in life. This may sound strange to some but even in death, we can have joy.  Why not embrace and enjoy the moments before death takes its’ final bow?  Our mourning severely or wanting to hold on to a loved one is usually an act of selfishness.  Now, I am not judging, just taking a broader view.  Truth is, we tend to hold on even when our loved ones are ready to move on. That, in itself, is a form of selfishness!

There are some of us who have not been given a grave diagnosis yet we live our lives as if we are just avoiding death.  Even when we do things such as eating right or exercising, we don’t take the time to really enjoy the meal or the moment. We just want to get it over because it will supposedly help us live longer, healthier lives but we don’t like doing it. If you are eating healthy it doesn’t mean the food has to be awful. Try new recipes and savor every bite! Test yourself as you exercise.  Make a game of it.  Beat your last result or challenge a friend to a duel.

We tend to let the great moments pass by too quickly and linger far too long with the moments that are not so great.  

So, as you continue to walk through the sands of time, take the time to enjoy every God given moment that brings you joy and find a way to quickly dismiss the moments that don’t.

You get to choose!

There is a Coaching Principle that states, “Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.”  You get to choose how long you want to suffer through the pain the waves of life wash upon your shore.  Though some waves are higher and more severe than others, if you learn to ride the waves and stay afloat, there’s no wave you can not endure! Embrace the wave or risk drowning in the sea of life!

The next time you find yourself having to make a decision about how you are going to live your life, let one factor be whether the decision will help you embrace life or will it simply help you to avoid death!