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"RULE NO. 1 - NEVER LOVE SOMEONE
WHO DOESN'T LOVE YOU."I ripped this quote from a Facebook status that appeared in my newsfeed. I immediately commented with "Booo!" followed by a heart sign. I thought it incredulous that someone would resign themselves to a rule limiting LOVE.
After a bit of exchange, the author stated that she was only speaking about romantic love... not Agape Love.
There are different types of LOVE, I wondered? Maybe about as much difference as there is in water.
There is rainwater, saltwater, freshwater, hard water, et al. If you break down the elements of water, however, you find two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water may contain other elements but that doesn't change its property. Water is H2O. The same is true for LOVE. LOVE is an energy and the highest emotion (Energy-in-motion) we humans can share and experience. LOVE is what animates all things.
LOVE is the alchemist's secret ingredient when changing lead into gold. LOVE can even soften a hardened heart.
Unfortunately, the women on the post agreed that they would not invest their love in a man who they believe was undeserving.
Before I go any further, I understand exactly what they meant.
I, too, have been the receiving end of unrequited love. As a result, I have resisted investing my time, emotions, sharing my love and body to become vulnerable to a man I deemed 'not' worthy. When I think that way, however, it saddens me.
For who I am to judge if a man is not worthy. He was put in my path for a reason. Something in me attracted him to me. I was, obviously, attracted to him. It wasn't a mistake. Where the error may have occurred was how I perceived our relationship. I'm at the point in my life to realize that,
"No man is my friend, no man is my enemy but every man is my teacher"...Florence Scovel ShinnAnd it is the teacher's job to educate me on the truth of Selfless Love (Unconditional Love). Therefore, I would do well to learn my lesson, thank the teacher and move on.
I doubt, seriously, the lesson's application is to make up yet another rule limiting Love. We are already subjected to so many natural laws, therefore rules are unnecessary. Instead, I would rather accept Grace and submit to my Higher Power so that I AM may transform me. This way I may reach that place at the Love level where good vibrations exist; the place where THE INFINITE SPIRIT dwells.
As I mentioned LOVE is the highest emotion (energy-in-motion) we can experience. Energy can not be created nor destroyed it can transform. LOVE can change its form yet it is still LOVE. As long as we insist on compartmentalizing Love, however, it will yield the same results -a fraction of return on what we've invested.
For example, if it's Eros/Lust (romantic love) we are investing, we'll get a return on the lust which is a creative force. If it's Storge (love) we are bestowing, we'll receive the return on family love which is the ability to care for what we've created. If Phileo (love) is the offering, we will receive a return of affection from our friends in the community/village/neighborhood. Unfortunately these types of love offer no love for our enemies.
The overall yield for this investment of love, however, is self-preservation and education. For these 'types' of love are lower level courses we experience in an effort to learn how to truly express AGAPE LOVE aka GOD.
GOD -IS-LOVE, LOVE is not based on a pleasure principle of 'feelings' of lust, family and/or affection. LOVE IS who we are in spirit.
I imagine we can all invest LOVE in anyone no matter how we 'feel' about him or her. For the goal set for humanity is to LOVE and to return to the LOVE level.
Scientists are discovering (have discovered) when we vibrate at the LOVE level it changes our DNA causing us to interact differently in the world than those who operate at the fear (cautionary) level. Our DNA at the LOVE vibration attracts light photons causing us to become LIGHT in the world's darkness. Remember the movie "Cocoon"? Their life-force was LOVE.
Which brings me back to INVEST; the word used countless times by my sisters when referring to Love.
INVEST: To commit for a future return ; to endow with an authority or power... Invest is a powerful word - and is exactly what Jesus and avatars before and after Jesus have charged us with: To LOVE our Higher Power and LOVE one another. The return on LOVE is health, wealth, happiness, prosperity.I understand us choosing not to invest the greatest gift ever given to us in another human being but to make it a RULE - seems to be counterproductive and will inhibit our growth...
EVOLve in LOVE
(C) Copyright 2010 Mel Hopkins
BE STILL AND KNOW...
"When was the last time you "STOOD 'STILL' " and just waited for your faith to do its job?
Flight 453 to Boise was scheduled to land at 8:29 pm...it was already 8:40 and we had descended and climbed twice. Captain John prepared us for the moderate-to-severe turbulence over Boise before we left Denver. Still we didn't know we were going to need the proverbial "Wing and Prayer" to land. But there we were 110 passengers and 5 crew members flying the "not-so-friendly skies" on Saturday night.
Prior to Saturday night I didn't fully understand the meaning of being still, yet it was the second time I experienced it and on a plane no less. The pilots were working to get our plane down (in one piece) through 80+ mile per hour winds while dodging micro-burst winds that were covering the Boise airport. (Background: a micro-burst is strong winds that pop up and are known to take down planes)
A hush fell over the plane - as it did the last time I was flying through perilous weather conditions in the early 90s. I was strapped in my jumpseat but I could feel the passengers were frightened. In that situation instead of panicking, for that does not serve faith, they, we all became still ...
The pilots did their job -(yes I agree faith without works is dead when you look at it from that perspective,) but they knew what they were working with. They knew their job wasn't to calm the winds or battle the winds...
They were "STILL" to nature's working as they prepared to land the plane.
Maybe because I am trained to evacuate a plane in an emergency - I was STILL (my emotions were in check) and I let my faith to do its job. I mentally PREPARED to safely deplane my passenger through the jet bridge..
When we were landed (I just realized I wrote "WHEN WE WERE LANDED" ) it was as if we landed in a dust storm in Dorothy's Kansas . It was then I realized (again) that we had passengers on board the plane because my flying partner let out a loud "THANK GOD" and the passengers applauded! .
As we were taxiing -it was almost to the gate when I heard myself saying THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU almost near tears to 'holy ghost' type shouting - but I was poised with emotions in check (STILL) the whole time.
Like I wrote, I didn't know what BEING STILL (POISED) in adverse situations meant fully until Saturday night. "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD" however is what we 'train' for in our churches. It is that component of FAITH that we very rarely talk about. It is the part of FAITH where we learn, no matter what religion, (although for me it was Christianity so it was to Trust in Jesus Christ) to be POISED i.e., keeping our emotions in check while preparing for THE GOOD.
It is reported, we only have to two emotions, Fear and Love - all other emotions fall near those two... it is those two emotions that scientists are discovering alter our DNA resulting in how we respond to the world we see. In my job, I see and feel only LOVE. For I've prepared to serve and keep safe the passengers in my charge.
Fear has no place in the friendly skies.
Just as we flight attendants and pilots train to keep poised (STILL) with emotions in check in an effort to handle adverse situations in flying; we also train in our churches or in life how to be poised (STILL) during the adverse times so that faith can do its job.
We weren't on the rough seas Saturday night but we were certainly being tossed and blown about - but I can testify panicking does not work in those situations it only throws you into a ball of confusion... BUT PEACE BE STILL We on that flight knew who calmed the rough seas.
We landed safely. Although we had a lot of filled airsick bags and one passenger was taken to the hospital, whatever our other passengers were going through when they boarded Flight 453 to Boise, Idaho - it was as if they didn't have a care in the world when they deplaned..(c) Copyright 2010 Mel Hopkins
Do What You Love
There she was Laurie Metcalf, former co-star of the television show "Roseanne", asking me and anyone within earshot of the broadcast commercial to help save the children. Metcalf's plea was one of the most heartfelt request I've heard in a long time. Her pitch resonated with me so deeply, I had to stop writing and instead listen. Then I felt guilty.
Prior to Metcalf's commercial I was typing away about the epiphany I had earlier in the day.
The epiphany came with such clarity that I was sure I would be able to easily communicate how riches flow to those who are having fun while loving what they are doing in life.
That's right, prior to hearing Metcalf's voice crack under the weight of her sorrow, I envisioned myself sharing this blog with readers who would go away with a feeling of empowerment.
Money doesn't make us happy.
Doing what we love makes us happy. BeingHappy makes us money.
I was sure the readers heard the "do what you love" sage advice but I was going to add a tidbit of information that would make it easy for anyone to understand how the law of prosperity actually worked.
Love and happiness attracts all that is wonderful and good.
Wealth on earth is simply the physical manifestation of riches in Heaven.
Unfortunately after hearing the plight of those starving, helpless and hopeless children half way around the world, some even across the river, I began to lose faith in the words I wanted to share.
Doubt and fear began to set in, taking my divine spark, my epiphany down with it.
I began to question why there was a disconnect between "Manna from Heaven", "Our Daily Bread", "Trusting in the Lord to provide" AND hunger and poverty.
For the cynic or even those of us who are identified as "Ye of little faith" , this is where New Age's "Law of Attraction" and Old Age's "God will provide" collapses under the pressure of its own expectation.
But does it have to?
"No." I found to be the answer after going within and seeking counsel with my Higher Power.
At the risk of sounding like the President of The Full Stomach Syndrome club I believe the only thing separating us from all things good is simply having FAITH in GOOD.
Therefore, In effort to change my mind, I realized I had to practice something that may appear to be counter-intuitive and definitely controversial.
I decided to focus on SELF.
Not SELF as in self-centered but specifically focus on THE DIVINE within mySELF. By focusing on THE DIVINE I was able to return to the one small goal I set for the day.
I realized that if I didn't center mySELF in that moment and focus, I would have involved myself in a project I had no power to change. The only thing I could do in that instance was worry and wonder about the plight of the impoverished children. However,
It is much easier to lift someone up when you are standing than if you are lying down.
I was already standing. Ok barely, but I wasn't on the ground and in an effort for me to continue to stand it was important to turn over those negative images to my Higher Power. With a lighter load, if only in that moment, I was able get back to business of doing what I love which is writing without the burden of guilt or shame. Often times doing the job you love is all it takes for The Infinite Spirit to turn a negative situation into a positive one.
Which brings me back Laurie Metcalf and Plan USA . Once I was able to shift my paradigm, I realized that maybe my lesson could double as a blessing especially If someone sees this post who is NOT living paycheck to paycheck and is able to give freely and cheerfully.
Our giving is able to lift someone else up, make them happy and hopefully the cycle continues.
So as my youngest daughter Cheyenne advised me when she was only 8 years old "Do what you desire before your heart expires" because when you do what you love, the riches will come.
2010 (c) Mel Hopkins
12-31-99 BSN (Before Social Networking Sites) to 12-31-09
Before social networking sites I, like many of you, probably lived in a
vacuum. My thoughts were my own and if I wanted to know what other
people were thinking on any given topic, as a member of the CBS Network
affiliate "press corps" I would just ask. The answers came back in the form of what we in the media called MOS (Man on the street) and we, The Fourth Estate, as we were affectionately known thought the unscientific poll was the best way to share with the world what our neighbors were thinking and feeling.
And then came Y2K...At the time, we thought the Y2K bug was going to change life as we knew it. It was alleged that when the date rolled over to 01-01-00 computers everywhere wouldn't understand the date to be 2000 but rather 1900 and the computer's memory would be wiped out.
Remember how computer programmers worldwide worked feverishly to fix "the bug" in an effort to make sure all our data would remain safe.
We thought planes would drop out of the sky, trains would come to screeching halt and traffic lights would go haywire. Since many of us weren't born before 1900, shudder the thought, we all believed we would cease to exist.
Well 2-0-0-0-oops-out-of-time came and went and without a blip. It was safe to turn on the computer again. But was it really "Safe"? "Safe" was subjective at least if you were a member of mainstream media because when we did turn on our PCs, slowly but surely social message boards such as Corona Productions-Coming Attractions for movie geeks, BlackVoices.com for people of color, Xanga.com which seemed to be the meeting place for Asians became the gathering place to exchange ideals, long-held beliefs,, news and opinions.
The Y2K bug did indeed occur but it came in the form of a virus that caused epidemic levels of not what we originally feared which was loss of information but instead widespread awareness.
The world became smaller; segregated not by ethnic groups, age, religion or even language but rather ideology. Screen names and avatars replaced photos and with our new on-line persona we found people who believed in what we believed and we formed coalitions.
Instead of our knowledge base shrinking these early social networking sites allowed our knowledge base to expand. If we wanted to participate in these online social networks that were springing up, if we wanted "to be cool" in yet another world we were forced to evaluate our belief system.
You see we couldn't fake our long-held beliefs on-line because our only way of communicating was through our words. The way we structured our sentences told our story...The way our story read determined our "group". Harsh? Yes and No. On-line forums are open to everyone and it is possible to "Get in, where you fit in" and no one is relegated to any one group for long. As we've come to realize in the social networking world "our aptitude and attitude determines our altitude"
As a result of our inherent need to be accepted, for the second time in as many millennium we've learned again <i>the earth is not flat and the sun does not revolve around the earth.</i> It is shattering the ignorance and exploding myths that allows for us to emerge through the darkness and stand on equal footing.
Although Social Networking is still its infancy, and many of us are not quite sure what to do with this new found knowledge and transfer of thought...We no longer need the Fourth Estate to tell us what is going on in the world or even our own back yard. In this first decade of the new millennium, we have used Social Networking as a cyber "town hall"; we've used it to elect a President who promised us change. We have used Social Networking sites to mourn the loss of icons, heroes and even people we've never known until they passed in a tragic way.
At the dawn of a new decade 01-01-10, Social Networking can now take its rightful place as The Fifth Estate. No one speaks for us, we are now our own voice. Tonight, as I write this I just wonder - will anyone listen to us Tomorrow?
2009 (c) Mel Hopkins
LAZY BLACKS??
While waiting for crew scheduling to call this morning (My day-job is flight attendant), I took the opportunity to go through the blogs I've subscribed to in my Google Reader. Now since I don't do this often, I had more than 200+ blogs to scroll through. So as I was scanning I would pause at key phrases that caught my attention. one such blog "The Truth" stated that "Bloomberg says we need more immigrants because they work harder than poor blacks."Now I doubt that Bloomberg actually said that, but you know what - I'm going to go out on a limb and say I agree. We are the only ethnic group that goes into debt to attend college (when we go) so that we can get a job with a corporation. No one ever got rich working for someone else. Therefore why do we pay for the privilege to get educated to make someone else rich?
Does that make sense?
Back in the day we owned our own vegetable markets, we were butchers, we owned our own distribution systems including trucking. We used to do Sou-sou banking to fund our entrepreneurial dreams. Unfortunately overtime we let mainstream bankers scare us into believing we would get ripped off participating in the Sou-Sou...
Funny, I think the banking fees are a rip off.
But I digress, we are too lazy to take the chance and fund our own dreams.Now maybe I'm a little to passionate about the "good ole days" but I remember it as a time when Blacks were on sure-footing and controlled their own destiny. It was a time before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when segregation prevented Blacks from participating in mainstream activity so we made our "fortune" on the "Chitlin' Circuit".
If Bloomberg says Blacks are lazy, I agree but for different reasons. He probably is longing for the day when blacks would clean his home and care for his children not I. I agree we are lazy because we refuse to do the heavy lifting to work to become self-sufficient again.
What say you?
FOCUS AND DETERMINATION
I felt like Madea <---- over there after reading a man had given up on his dreams. He wrote ,"No matter how bad you want something if it isn't in God's plans it isn't going to happen." WAAAA I thought as I reached for the duct tape to wrap up my head to keep it from exploding. I don't know who your higher power is but it certainly isn't the God of Love". We don't play I AM cheap in my world. I AM promised we can do all things through Christ and I for one believe it...In fact I live it.
If your dreams aren't coming to fruition, please don't blame I AM by saying it isn't I AM's will for you to have what your heart desires. What parent wouldn't do anything and everything in his/her power to help a child's dream come true? None! (Ok maybe the deadbeat parents wouldn't, but that's for another post.)
However, I AM rejoices in our triumphs for we reflect I AM's greatness right here on earth even if it’s an infinitesimal amount.
I AM loves Its creation so very much that I AM has given us humans the greatest gift ever - Free Will combined with Grace...and with that generous gift we can achieve greatness.
"If this is true" you are probably thinking “then why aren’t my dreams coming true?” you ask.
It's simple; you've taken your focus off of your dream.
Often times we lose focus of our goal and replace it with a new one before we've even finished that task at hand. We don't do it intentionally but because we are created in the image of I AM we can conjure up all kinds of thoughts instead of focusing on one thing at a time. We start day dreaming and forget about our current mission...and all of sudden our goal moves out of our reach. It doesn't have to be that way. We can achieve our heart's desire. I AM left basic instructions to show us how we can accomplish our goals.
I'm often reminded of the creative process as it is illustrated in the scriptures. In Genesis, I AM said "Let there be Light"and then light pushed out the darkness (ok so I am paraphrasing - don't get so caught up in semantics - FOCUS!). I AM said "that is good." I AM then move to the next goal.
Do you see a pattern?
...I AM didn't say "oooh, I'll do this light thing and then it will be so bright that maybe I'll get a tan...and then I will…blah blah.
No!
There was thought, word, action followed by peace and contemplation between each goal.
So before you throw up your hands and say I AM doesn't want you to have your desire...Stop, look and see what you've attached to that singular goal.
Have you attached to the goal - all the money you are going to make; all the people who will be impressed; how much money you will be able to tithe when you accomplish this one goal. If that's the case, then you have taken your eye off the goal and you are wandering in the wilderness without direction.
Go back to the genesis of your idea, focus on it and be determined to achieve that one goal. You will succeed. How can you not? After all you have the best heavenly parent in the universe and just like your earthly parents not one wants you to fail.
WHO'S THAT LADY
President Barack Obama and Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean
Meet The Right Honourable, Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada.
Her Excellency, Michaelle Jean is Canada's first Black Governor General.
The Governor General of Canada is the vice-regal or viceroy representative in Canada of the Queen of Canada, who is the head of state. A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country in the name of and as representative of the monarch. Canada is one of sixteen British Commonwealth realms, all of which share the British monarch, Elizabeth II as their royal leader.
Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, is the sovereign and Head of State of Canada, and gives repository of executive power, judicial and legislative power; as expressed in Constitution of Canada:
The monarch appoints the Governor General on the advice of the Canadian Prime Minister, currently Stephen Harper, who is the Canadian Head of Government, after which the Governor General maintains direct contact with the British monarch. There is no specific term. Her Excellency Michelle Jean has been Governor General of Canada since September 27, 2005. From Wikipedia
Governor General Michaelle Jean and Prime Minister Stephen Harper
President Barack Obama and Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean chat during a meeting following his arrival in Ottawa, Canada, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009.
Parliament of CanadaPrior to this, Jean was a journalist and broadcaster on Radio-Canada and the CBC. As the current Governor General of Canada , she is entitled to be styled Her Excellency while in office, and The Right Honourable for life; given current practice, she will be sworn in to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada after her term as the Queen's representative has ended.
Jean fled Haiti with her family from dictator François Duvalier's regime in 1968. Her father, from whom she was estranged for many years, was a philosopher who was tortured under Duvalier's regime and separated from the family for 30 years. The Jean family settled at Thetford Mines , Quebec ..
As a student at the University of Montreal , Jean received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian and Hispanic languages and literature and, from 1984 until 1986, taught Italian studies while completing a Master of Arts degree in comparative literature. Jean attended the University of Florence , the University of Perugia , and the Catholic University of Milan to continue her studies in language and literature. Besides French and English, Jean is fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Haitian Creole and can read Portuguese.
Inspired by an E-mail forward -MH, Editor
HANCOCK: SUPERHEROES GET LONELY TOO. *SPOILERS*
Will Smith as HANCOCK
***SPOILER ALERT***
Despite Sony Pictures' attempt to produce and market an action comedy, "Hancock" has a hard time betraying its roots which is that of Egyptian mythology with tragic consequences.
In the first five minutes we learn that John Hancock is a superhero with a bad attitude - and its fun watching him literally tear up Los Angeles in the pursuit of the "bad guys" because that's believable .
Think about what happens to your house when you are trying to swat a fly-it ain't pretty right? Yes, when you are pursuit of a pest, things will get wrecked...but because Will Smith is an accomplished actor you quickly realize that's not what "Hancock" the movie is about. Smith, through his actions, makes you realize he is a heartbroken superhero and the pest he is truly pursuing is the
answer to the age-old often-asked question why is he unlovable...
Which of course makes it laughable that Hancock saves the life of Public Relations consultant Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) who in turn wants to help Hancock with his "image" in an effort to win love and adoration. Embrey (Bateman) does help Hancock. However not as he intended but by symbolically helping Hancock find himself - well actually Hancock's other half ; his soulmate, Mary Embrey (Charlize Theron)
It's through acting skills acting of both Smith and Theron that you quickly realize that there is more depth to this movie than the producers are willing to bring to the surface...but that doesn't stop Smith and Theron from playing it like its 'written', especially from the moment they first appear on the screen together. At that moment, there is an undeniable look of familiarity - more than just sexual chemistry but a look that reveals a bond that rest on a foundation of love millennial in the making.
But that's where the story becomes tragic because it seems to be the writers belief that "the sum of its parts isn't greater than the whole, but lessor"...It is the same theory that plays out in the story of the Egyptian High Priestess Isis and her beloved Osiris who she attempts to bring back from the dead.
When these two "immortals" (Smith/Theron) rejoin one or both will lose their power - (how's that for an unfortunate metaphor on soul mate marriages.)
Awhile back I wrote a blog asking why alpha males and alpha females seem to opt for weaker mates instead of their equals.
"Hancock" the movie answers the question...
OOPS, THEY DID IT AGAIN
While testifying
before the federal grand jury on August
17, 1998 regarding his alleged affair with Monica Lewinsky, former president
Bill Clinton had a moment of Zen when he offered testimony defending his response
denying "sexual relations with that woman, Ms Lewinsky."
President Clinton said:
"It depends on what the meaning of the word
'is' is. If the--if he--if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not--that
is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true
statement....Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind
of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the
present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true."
Because
of his existential response, lovers engaging in extramarital affairs the
world over would never again have to admit to adultery unless they were caught
in the act.
Fast forward to almost 10 years after that infamous
testimony and we now have the former president's wife, Senator Hillary
Clinton, joining her husband in changing the landscape of our dialect.
This time, determining professional work experience comes under scrutiny.
At the vibrant age of 60, Senator Clinton is claiming 35 years professional
experience in politics. This would include the work experience gained since she was 25 years of age or 26 (give or take a year) until the present.
Maybe it doesn’t matter that she was first
elected to the U.S. Senate in the year 2000. By my calculation that is about 10 years professional
political experience for Senator Clinton including about 2 years of campaigning .
That leaves 25 years for which are unaccounted.
Now if Senator Clinton
believes it's fair to pad her political resume with her years of
experience as a corporate attorney then I counter that office politics
doesn't count. Not even if she was successful at making partner. Another
on-the-job experience disqualifier is “wife of" governor, or "wife
of" president.
I was the wife of a plumber but trust; you don't want me anywhere near your
pipes.
So what "Is" a qualifier for Senator Clinton’s
political work experience? Oh wait, we already had this public discussion; our 42nd
President laid the foundation when he said “It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is'
is"
What I believe IS; we are ready for change - not a change in discourse but a change in policy and a change in leadership. (c) 2008 Mel Hopkins