Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Call to Action -- Awareness of Domestic Violence -- Yes, Here in Winthrop
I am a survivor of domestic violence. I have turned all the bottled up hatred that I should have towards those who caused harm (negative), but instead, I know I am better, and that I am able to take all that has happened to me, my family and friends ... and make something good (positive) from it and turn it to a positive action towards helping others. It is my hope through my "call to action," I will be able to help a community acknowledge the horror of domestic violence and its hidden presence within this beautiful community, Winthrop. Yes, it does exist and over the years has increased. There are many stressors and reasons that domestic violence acts rear their ugly head. It is not something to dismiss; it is not something to deny; it is not something to believe that it will go away on its own --- it won't !!; it is not something to ignore. DV has to be acknowledged and once DV is acknowledge, can then there be help. That goes for the victim, the survivor -- on an individual level as well as on a higher "community" level. It is my hopes to speak to not only the executive and legislative bodies of Winthrop but students within our school systems. I would like to team with the police department to assist as a spokes person whom can share my story but show the success and determination I have gained to be a great, loving, and caring person. That no one can steal who I am; I am me and mine to have and share. I am a survivor -- my mission is to have Winthrop be a survivor too !!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Leadership Video -- Perfect for Our Community - BHCC
This visually shows leadership, community and empowerment !! Enjoy!
http://talkwinthrop.blogspot.com/2010/03/leadership.html
http://talkwinthrop.blogspot.com/2010/03/leadership.html
The Declaration of Independence of the Survivor ......
I hold these truths to be self-evident; that I am created equal; I am endowed by my creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights I am instituted among other Survivors, deriving our just power from the consent of ourselves; that whenever any form of abusive or powerful actions which becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the Survivor to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new positive and empowering actions, laying it's foundation on such principles and organizing it's power in such form, as to these actions shall seem most likely to effect our safety and happiness.
~. michele
Town of Winthrop --- Social Networking !!!
Town of Winthrop, MA now staying Connected ......
http://twitter.com/townhal
Winthrop Massachusetts on facebook
Talk Winthrop Blog
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thank you.....
What a great discussion tonite....Religion
Thank you help me understand myself better....by learning more about everyone's religion, beliefs ... I learn more about myself ... how I am like so many others .... yet different ...
good vs. bad; up vs. down; ying-n-yang; God vs. Devil; the same but different.........
we are all made up of many parts, many experiences, many events ... that have taught us, guided us.... who is to say what is "right" or "wrong"
what we should or should not believe in
how we should or should not follow .... be guided through their teachings .....
One thing all humans have in common is that we all set out on a journey of life .... throughout our lives we encounter challenges that make our question ourselves, our beliefs, or being .... and at some point we find acceptance, comfort, knowledge ... a sense of belonging ... and it is this I know with myself a sense that comes from the universe, the Earth, my community, my family, my friends, the surroundings I live in, live through, live with, with everyone I met and encounter every second of every day .... and how I choose to do with it - GOOD !!!
Blessed Be!
Thank you help me understand myself better....by learning more about everyone's religion, beliefs ... I learn more about myself ... how I am like so many others .... yet different ...
good vs. bad; up vs. down; ying-n-yang; God vs. Devil; the same but different.........
we are all made up of many parts, many experiences, many events ... that have taught us, guided us.... who is to say what is "right" or "wrong"
what we should or should not believe in
how we should or should not follow .... be guided through their teachings .....
One thing all humans have in common is that we all set out on a journey of life .... throughout our lives we encounter challenges that make our question ourselves, our beliefs, or being .... and at some point we find acceptance, comfort, knowledge ... a sense of belonging ... and it is this I know with myself a sense that comes from the universe, the Earth, my community, my family, my friends, the surroundings I live in, live through, live with, with everyone I met and encounter every second of every day .... and how I choose to do with it - GOOD !!!
Blessed Be!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Our Energies on Wednesdays..
Just as the phases of the Moon and the seasons have their own magical energies, so too do the days of the week (Wicca).
~ Study,
~ Communication,
~ Writing,
~ Improving the Mind,
~ Inspiration, &
~ Mental Healing.
Wednesday
(the days we hold class and discussion)
- Mercury is the planet influencing our day (Wednesday).
- Yellow is our magical color.
- This day is most beneficial for:
~ Study,
~ Communication,
~ Writing,
~ Improving the Mind,
~ Inspiration, &
~ Mental Healing.
Ra - God of the Sun (sun represents light, warmth & growth)
Man is not Evil..........
From: Billy Graham's digital exhibit - Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God (1949) / Jonathan Edwards' 1739 Sermon
"Sin is the Ruin and Misery of the Soul; it is destructive in its Nature; and if God should leave it without Restraint, there would need nothing else to make the Soul perfectly miserable."
During the time I was listening to the digital exhibit of the rendition of Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God by Billy Graham, I had recalled memories of my childhood. Ones that did not come with happy memories. I did not like going to church. I always felt degraded, put down, never measuring up to their standards, their beliefs. I felt outcasted. I felt that I could never belong. I longed for that sense of belonging, being accepted. That never came. I was yelled at, pulled around, and made to say prayer over and over....for my sins.
Why was I a sinner, a mere babe. What could I have done not to be loved at such a tender age? Was it because I was born? Was it because who I was born to; the life I was born into? How did they know me? I did not even know me...yet.
I was baptized, then received first holy communion, then confirmed.....Catholic
Later on in life, I married in an Episcopal Church....
The Catholic church did not want to marry us....or at least in my eyes made it difficult for us to get married in a Catholic church....
Father Don on the other hand, welcomed us in -- he knew what it was like to be married .. to have children .. to have stresses of life, taking care of a family, etc. The Catholic priests did not... how could they guide me through my marriage, be supportive and tell me how to be ... when they can not practice what they preach.
I always felt pressure from the Catholic church.... and if I did not attend on Sunday... I was again on the "naughty list."
Father Don knew what it was like to be human, to need to take care of others and that things pop up and things have to be attended to... thats life. He understood life.
Although my marriage did not last long...my friendship with Father Don still endures these 17 years later.... and when I see him in the street, he always has a hug to acknowledge his love for me as a caring and loving person.
I feel that religion today should not be viewed so rigidly. I feel that the internal uniqueness of that person: their actions, their energy, their life, their love, their caring ways, their openness, their ability to listen, their belief, in others, in the Earth and the world everyone lives in ... is what gives that person their "Spirit." That "Spirit" is then given to others in hopes that they too can give their fullest to others and the world.
I feel "sin" is a negative action -- "negativity" is the destructor which causes ruin and misery -- pain and sadness -- depression and isolation -- truly destructive in its Nature.
Being positive, loving, caring and living in harmony as one is the "spiritual" actions of humans or at least we should all strive to be that way.... that philosophy should be carried out through our actions, our praise and writings - our Legacy .... then the world (Earth) will not be a place for Evil (anger, destruction, hate).
Evil should not survive ... it should not live simultaneously with Good!!
I feel the world today should be mindfully positive as a community-oriented faith and with that notion, all will encounter growth, safety, and well-being for all beings as a goal.
Blessed Be!
"Sin is the Ruin and Misery of the Soul; it is destructive in its Nature; and if God should leave it without Restraint, there would need nothing else to make the Soul perfectly miserable."
During the time I was listening to the digital exhibit of the rendition of Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God by Billy Graham, I had recalled memories of my childhood. Ones that did not come with happy memories. I did not like going to church. I always felt degraded, put down, never measuring up to their standards, their beliefs. I felt outcasted. I felt that I could never belong. I longed for that sense of belonging, being accepted. That never came. I was yelled at, pulled around, and made to say prayer over and over....for my sins.
Why was I a sinner, a mere babe. What could I have done not to be loved at such a tender age? Was it because I was born? Was it because who I was born to; the life I was born into? How did they know me? I did not even know me...yet.
I was baptized, then received first holy communion, then confirmed.....Catholic
Later on in life, I married in an Episcopal Church....
The Catholic church did not want to marry us....or at least in my eyes made it difficult for us to get married in a Catholic church....
Father Don on the other hand, welcomed us in -- he knew what it was like to be married .. to have children .. to have stresses of life, taking care of a family, etc. The Catholic priests did not... how could they guide me through my marriage, be supportive and tell me how to be ... when they can not practice what they preach.
I always felt pressure from the Catholic church.... and if I did not attend on Sunday... I was again on the "naughty list."
Father Don knew what it was like to be human, to need to take care of others and that things pop up and things have to be attended to... thats life. He understood life.
Although my marriage did not last long...my friendship with Father Don still endures these 17 years later.... and when I see him in the street, he always has a hug to acknowledge his love for me as a caring and loving person.
I feel that religion today should not be viewed so rigidly. I feel that the internal uniqueness of that person: their actions, their energy, their life, their love, their caring ways, their openness, their ability to listen, their belief, in others, in the Earth and the world everyone lives in ... is what gives that person their "Spirit." That "Spirit" is then given to others in hopes that they too can give their fullest to others and the world.
I feel "sin" is a negative action -- "negativity" is the destructor which causes ruin and misery -- pain and sadness -- depression and isolation -- truly destructive in its Nature.
Being positive, loving, caring and living in harmony as one is the "spiritual" actions of humans or at least we should all strive to be that way.... that philosophy should be carried out through our actions, our praise and writings - our Legacy .... then the world (Earth) will not be a place for Evil (anger, destruction, hate).
Evil should not survive ... it should not live simultaneously with Good!!
I feel the world today should be mindfully positive as a community-oriented faith and with that notion, all will encounter growth, safety, and well-being for all beings as a goal.
Blessed Be!
Blessed Be.........
"Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God." Diana Robinson
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Too Young, Too Many......this WAR has gone on for TOO LONG....
Here is the website I talked about tonight in class.....
Click here to go to website
Click here to go to website
American casualties in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond
Remember --- when you hover over the small blue squares; one (1) square equals one (1) death..... See their faces, say their names, see where they lived, at what age they died, where they were stationed........too young.........too many............this war has gone on for too long........
Make sure to click on each tab: There is an IRAQ tab and an AFGHANISTAN tab......
Make sure to click on each tab: There is an IRAQ tab and an AFGHANISTAN tab......
This sites lines up with Blake's comparison of the video shown in class where the man was upset that his son's name was displayed.....with the website that was also shown the faces of men & women of war.....
Peace,
~M
Desire......
"If we desire peace, it must be known that we are at all times, ready for war."
President George Washington
Monday, March 1, 2010
Living With War by Neil Young
LIVING WITH WAR
I'm living with war everyday
I'm living with war in my heart every day
I'm living with war right now
I'm living with war in my heart every day
I'm living with war right now
And when the dawn breaks I see my fellow man
And on the flat-screen we kill and we're killed again
And when the night falls, I pray for peace
Try to remember peace (visualize)
And on the flat-screen we kill and we're killed again
And when the night falls, I pray for peace
Try to remember peace (visualize)
I join the multitudes
I raise my hand in peace
I never bow to the laws of the thought police
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
To never kill again
I raise my hand in peace
I never bow to the laws of the thought police
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
To never kill again
I'm living with war in my heart
I'm living with war in my heart in my mind
I'm living with war right now
I'm living with war in my heart in my mind
I'm living with war right now
Don't take no tidal wave
Don't take no mass grave
Don't take no smokin' gun
To show how the west was won
But when the curtain falls, I pray for peace
Try to remember peace (visualize)
Don't take no mass grave
Don't take no smokin' gun
To show how the west was won
But when the curtain falls, I pray for peace
Try to remember peace (visualize)
In the crowded streets
In the big hotels
In the mosques and the doors of the old museum
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
Try to remember peace
In the big hotels
In the mosques and the doors of the old museum
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
Try to remember peace
The rocket's red glare
Bombs bursting in air
Give proof through the night,
That our flag is still there
Bombs bursting in air
Give proof through the night,
That our flag is still there
I'm living with war everyday
I'm living with war in my heart every day
I'm living with wat right now
I'm living with war in my heart every day
I'm living with wat right now
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
