This Kind Of Stunt...

First off, and let me be very clear...


I know that I am not an American gay man of African descent, nor would I ever pretend that I would have the slightest clue of what it must be like to walk through this world in those shoes, observing it through those eyes, that filtre.

I am, however, a human being with a general understanding of right and wrong.

As we watch the facts unfold, revealing that Jussie Smollett orchestrated this staged attack, the questions become why and how will this affect future victims of real and actual, factual attacks?

To plan, and carry out a fake attack, to waste the resources of the police department, these actions in and of themselves are abhorrent, but then to dress it up as a homophobic, racially charged hate crime is disgusting.

To go on national television to evoke sympathy, to add a "noose around the neck" for added drama, that, I think goes beyond... I don't even know what.

I can't imagine that he is oblivious to the historical significance of what a noose implies. How could he be?


So then, why? From what the police say, it was an attempt to boost his career and salary on the show he currently stars in.

As an independent author, I understand the necessity to promote yourself, what you do, what you produce. What I don't understand is taking that to a level that hurts others.


This kind of stunt is the stone in the pond. The ripples will touch future victims for the foreseeable future. For the real victims afraid to come forward for fear of not being believed, what does this do to them? For the victims who have been brave enough to speak up, will those they have told now have doubts planted?

Because of one person's elaborate, self-serving action, those who really do suffer at the hands of hate will be the ones to pay the real price.


What would you have to tell yourself to make this kind of thing okay within your own mind? Within your own conscience? Your soul?


Today, I hurt for the real victims.






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Until next time...

May you see all humans as equal in their worth, before class, before clicks, from the time of their first breath.
May you see all humans as equal in their worth, no matter where they are from, the colour of their skin, who they love, from birth until death.

May we all understand that our successes should never rely on the suffering of another, for people are not stepping stones on which to tread.
May we all understand that our dreams are never more important than that of another, our actions, our words count, they ripple, they spread.


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Saturday I will be selling and signing books at the Winter Festival at Danceland in Watrous, Sk.

See you there!

www.margyreidbooks.com

On The Other Side Of The Scary....

Hi!



These pictures... well, these pictures represent the scariest things that chasing my writing dream have required of me, thus far.


These pictures... these pictures represent things that I would have never imagined myself doing 10 years ago.


These pictures represent the portals that transport us to the other side of the scary.


There is no around, over, or under, only through.


Hard work helps create opportunity, opportunity, on its own, is pretty to look at, but, without action, remains a 'what if.'

"What ifs" are hard to live with, much harder than failure ever could be.


Dreams come in all shapes and sizes, depths and heights, in every shade of every possible colour. Achieving them will always require some level of courage, some willingness to step outside our norm, some degree discomfort.

But, it's always worth it.


On the other side of the scary...


On the other side of the scary, new paths begin to show themselves. Paths you never knew could exist. They can lead to places you didn't even know you wanted to go.


The paths never seem to run in a straight line, nor are they without hills, twists, turns, potholes, and sheets of black ice.


There are going to be obstacles and detours, that's a given. Do you let them stop you, is the question.

Do yourself a favour, don't let them.


No matter the dream, whether it's earning that certificate or degree, being your own boss, running a race, entering a competition, creating art, whatever it looks like for you, leave yourself open to the fact that dreams can take on different textures, different shapes, and still remain yours. Allow them to evolve and mature as you do.



On that note, I need to go and finish walking through another scary. That first picture... well that first picture represents my next scary. I'll let you know what it looks like on the other side when I get there...


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Until next time...


May you find the courage to embrace your freedom, creating the life of your dreams.
May you compose a life you can't help but dance to, so bright, so full, it bursts at the seams.

May you colour outside the lines until your masterpiece reveals what its meant to be.
May you use every shade, every hue, leaving nothing in the box, unleash the inevitable beauty.

May you walk through the scary, for on the other side awaits a world without limits.
May you embrace the detours, they are important, guiding notes within your opus.


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Until next time...

www.margyreidbooks.com

Ummmmmm, Yeah....

Hi!


Ummmmm, yeah, baby it's cold outside.



Just for reference, I live in Milden. Rosetown is 25 minutes West, Outlook, 20 minutes East.


It's the kind of weather that makes you wary of leaving your house. Vehicles don't enjoy running at this temperature, and if you have any kind of trouble, it takes mere minutes for frostbite to hit, or worse. Not even kidding.


For this reason, school buses don't run when the temp hits -40 with our without windchill. It's just too dangerous.


It's not a regular occurrence for it to be this cold, it's definitely not a regular occurrence for it to last for days at a time.


We are in a deep freeze while Australia is burning. Climate patterns are becoming more extreme all the time. People are either experiencing weather they have never had, or to a greater extreme. Storms are bigger, more intense, and more deadly.

These are facts. I just don't get how there is still a debate about this. So much time and energy are being wasted trying to justify denial of the facts. If the powers that be would put that energy toward solutions, just imagine the possibilities.


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Ummmmm, yeah, baby it's bold outside.


There are many things about this world that I understand to my core. Things about human nature, about nature nature. There are also many things about this world that are beyond my understanding.

For example:


How can anyone, especially post 1920 think dressing in "blackface" for any reason at any time is ok?

How can anyone knowingly hurt a child?

How can a government intentionally separate children from their parents, scatter them to the wind, and not track them so they can be reunited? Not know exactly where they are? How many there are?

How can a self-proclaimed leader of a country block food, medicine and other necessities from the citizens he's supposedly leading?

How can someone who sexually assaults someone else think they shouldn't be held accountable simply because they perpetuated the violence a long time ago?

How can I, or anyone else make judgments or decisions about someone else's pregnancy? I don't live their life, I don't walk in their shoes nor the shoes of their medical professionals.

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How about this?

How about we quit talking about not judging each other and just do it.


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This week we had the honour of providing the music for the memorial service of a very special person. With this is in mind...


May you be at peace, flying free, riding amongst the stars.
May you feel the love of those you've left behind, their souls broken, forever scarred.

May you know how lucky you were to be loved so completely.
May you be remembered for the comet you were, bright, beautiful and fleeting.


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www.margyreidbooks.com


 

Let's Talk...

Hi!


Just thought I'd throw some summer at ya.......


This past week had within it, a day that, here in Canada, is set aside to bring attention to mental illness and the misguided stigma attached to it.

It encourages those who are suffering to reach out, and those who aren't, a chance to educate themselves on the subject, get a glimpse into what it can entail.

It opens a conversation to help create an understanding. It shines a light, it strips shame. Some still have a hard time accepting the fact that mental illness is just that, an illness. An illness just like diabetes, hypothyroidism, heart disease, or arthritis.

Some types of mental illness like to hang out with addiction, and vice versa. Some who suffer are only able to pinpoint their illness after self-medicating, desperately trying to make sense out of something that defies logic. Trying to force a tornado into a thimble.

The lucky ones, the ones who have family, or other means of support, find help. They are able to give it a name and begin the journey of managing their illness. Sometimes though, even the luckiest ones, the ones who have an army of support, the ones who do all the work, take the meds, walk the walk, even they can often be swallowed and destroyed by the monster within.

The unlucky, the ones who have been discarded, disregarded, dismissed, the ones without the army, the ones without, don't stand much of a chance. They often end up on the street, where they continue to be dismissed. Left to fend off the monster alone.


The reason I bring this up, the reason I find that I need to, is this.


I still find, in conversation, during which this subject arises, there is still a ton of ignorance out there.

The ignorance takes the form of side-eye, eye rolls, and disbelieving sneers. It takes the form of comments fueled by misinformation, lack of understanding laced with an utter disinterest in actual facts.

With all of the information available from solid resources, when all it takes is a desire and a nominal amount of effort to lift yourself from ignorance, I can't wrap my head around actively participating in this voluntary blindness to what's true.

Facts are important. They do not invite debate. They just are. When something is proven profoundly by countless experts in the field things move from theory to fact. At that point, it is up to us, those who are not experts to accept the facts.

Gravity. DNA. Earth being round. Climate change. Vaccinations not causing Autism. Mental illness. Profoundly proven by countless experts in their particular fields. Facts.

I don't, nor would I ever pretend to be an expert in anything. I have no prestigious letters appearing behind my name, I don't claim an education beyond the lessons life has taught. I can only speak to what I've learned from those life lessons. I can claim knowledge from bearing witness to the heartbreak of those I love most in this world, heartbreak brought to them on the wings of the monster that is mental illness and stigma attached to it.

I'm just me, and there's always more to learn.


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Until next time...


May you find a way to open your heart, open your soul to a belief beyond your own.
May you allow yourself to think outside your practiced box, let your mind be blown.

May you embrace facts, real facts, even if they make you uncomfortable or fearful.
May you give yourself that gift, examine past behavior, past remarks, even if it makes you tearful.

May we throw away every ignorance, every prejudice, every inkling that diminishes anyone that is not "us."
May we instead throw open our arms, embracing all who need it, create a place of peace, disintegrate mistrust.

May you find a way to open your heart, open your soul to a belief beyond your own.
May you allow yourself to think outside your practiced box, let your mind be blown.

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www.margyreidbooks.com