Never Mistake Kindness For Weakness...

 Hi!

Using this medium, within these ramblings, I share my perceptions. I do so without expectation.

This being my 700th entry, I have covered a pretty wide variety of topics, which, gauging from feedback over the years, has provoked an almost equal variety of emotions.

I never begin writing with an intention to anger, or offend, but sometimes it happens, and that's ok. I live in the real world where people can disagree and have vastly different opinions about everything. I don't block people unless their comments become racist, homophobic, or threatening. I generally don't respond to negativity as I find it's a complete waste of time and energy. Generally.

There have been times when my personal heartspace hasn't been strong enough to hold back completely. There have been times when the rabbit hole-dwelling willful ignorance has gotten under my skin. 

I'm human. I'm fine with them insulting me, but when their attacks go after the most vulnerable among us, I find it next to impossible to keep my mouth shut, and keyboard quiet. 

The most hateful comments come as private messages. I'm not sure if they are maybe not as proud of their points of view as they would like to espouse, or if they are simply afraid of being humiliated in public if I so choose to engage.

Either way, if they cross lines, if my patience for their various discriminations is running low, and/or if I can't squelch my spicy that day, they inevitably regret their decision to engage.

If you've been reading these ramblings for any length of time, you know that I'm an advocate for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. But that does not mean I will blindly accept disrespect and hatred. Like I said, if I'm the target of the insults, I really don't care. I can take it, I ran out of fucks to give a long time ago. But if you come after those who are having to fight for basic equality, for space to simply peacefully exist in this world, I can't allow that to stand. In those cases, silence feels like acquiescence, like I'm okay with whatever garbage they are spewing. I can't do that. 

Never mistake kindness for weakness. 

On the flipside, I have been on the receiving end of countless messages that are inspiring, encouraging, and touch my heart to the core. It's incredibly humbling to hear from people who have found some sort of encouragement, or light to hold on to that has helped them through trying times. I feel incredibly honoured that you feel I am a safe space to share your stories. I will never promise to have all the right answers, but I will always promise to listen. 

The positivity in this world well outweighs the negative. There are so many more decent people out there than there are those who can't seem to muster what they need to be one. 

Kindness should always be our default setting... unless or until the situation requires otherwise. Choose your battles wisely and only when necessary, but when the choice becomes clear... win. 

The privilege of being 700 entries and about 13 years in with these ramblings couldn't happen without you. I would like to thank you all again for taking the time, and expending the energy it takes to read these writings each week. It blows my mind constantly to find that you come from so many different parts of the world. From Burma to Bangladesh. From Sri Lanka to Sweden. From Colombia to Cambodia. From places I need to look up, to the place I call home, and everywhere in between. Thank you all for your continued support. 

************************************************************

May we all find what we need to live in peace, placing boundaries where they need to be.

May we get to a time and space where equality is complete and real for all of humanity. 

May we replace tolerance with acceptance, as tolerance carries an air of superiority, of condescension.

May we instead speak of inclusion and empathy, making kindness our first and only intention.

May we come to understand that life is not a competition, just trips around the sun we take together.

May we do our best not to create intentional regrets, as we create enough accidentally to last forever. 

*************************************************************