(wsfa) peace, love and understanding.

never criticize a man until you walk a mile in his moccasins

i have felt judged lately. a lot. i've been criticized. and i know i have judged (and criticized) as well. something i've noticed in this process of relating with others is that the less you know someone, the less sympathy you have for them. the one thing about a good pair of shoes is that they are worn into and molded to fit your foot, they know your foot. they follow the curves and arches just perfectly. and they fit your unique foot well, so well it's like... putting on an old shoe. it's true, this old proverbial wisdom. to be sympathetic is to have a close understanding with someone's feelings. empathy is to recognize someone's emotions or state of mind.

please walk a mile first. walk a mile.

when prophesies cease,

i read something the other day that was one of the best definitions of love i have seen in a long time. love: a selfless expression of good. when i hold back love, it is usually in selfishness. fears, self preservation, pride. you know, the main motivators that keep so many of us inhibited. love protects... it means protection at the cost of my pride, at the cost of lookin' good. love trusts.... letting go of preserving me. love hopes.... taking risks to let go of fear. love perseveres... keeps on keepin' on, even (especially) when it's not about me. it will not/does not look like what my mind conceives it to be (man, i am so glad of that); in fact my conception of it is completely absurd and imperfect. this one thing i know-- love never fails. the author of love tells me so.

St. Frances De Sales said, "You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves."

and now, to love.

on politics and pansies

august 26, 1920, united states. the 19th amendment. it was 1920 before women had the right to vote, before women had a voice in politics thanks to the ratification by tennessee (i love those volunteers); much suffering by the advocates; and the dedication of elizabeth cady stanton and susan b. anthony, alice paul, and many others. i have a desire to not take this right for granted. i cannot tell you what these women went through in order to get their voices heard, in order for their future generations to have a voice as well; and it wasn't even 100 years ago.

i don't know who i am going to vote for yet though my thoughts are already leaning one way. if i had my way i might vote for michelle obama and cindy mccain. they're pretty incredible women. i actually have sympathies with both parties/ all parties.

i don't like mud slinging. i don't like when others criticize beyond logic and use manipulatively flowery or overly scathing language (something the candidates do as well and HAVE been doing since Andrew Jackson and before). i just want the facts. i don't want to be manipulated. i want to make a clear choice based on personal convictions as i weigh each candidate's party and platform.

i like that i get to choose. i like that WE ALL get to choose. i like that i have the right to choose. i like that many have differing opinions. life would be boring without it. free-thought.... what a wonderful thing. please celebrate it today and use your mind.

miracles in stride

january 2008 i got sick with an unknown, confusing illness, and by february i couldn't walk 1/2 a mile without intense pain. in fact, one day it took me 30-45 minutes to walk that 1/2 mile. by march, i walked a mile, BUT i was slower than a turtle tripping through jello with snow shoes on. really. i mean, really. for someone who used to dream of being a race-walker and had a fast paced one mile walk going, this was devastating. in the spring, i couldn't even walk through a grocery store or a mall without someone commenting on the "speed" of my stride.

but yesterday, yesterday i walked a 5-freakin-K. in an hour. i. walked. a 5.K.

you can credit diagnosis, celebrex, doctors, modern medicine, support and love, faith. i think it's a mixture of all of them. but mostly i think it's a miracle. i'm in pain today, but ohhhh, how i am thankful. my God still moves today.

the doctor told me in may i should not run anymore..... we'll see about that one. in his time.

"those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength."