The Change Begins With Us by Chelle Stockman

 

By now, most of you know someone who has had to accept a lower wage to be employed. You probably know someone who got themselves over their head by overuse of credit cards. The housing market has left its finger print on your ability to acquire a loan for the purposes of funding a child's college education For those of you who use public transportation, you've seen the costs rise in the past few years and for those of you who commute using your own vehicles are most likely spending over fifty dollars a month ( 50 bucks a week for me).

 

Many of you can probably pass through your town and see vacant signs going up where small businesses used to be.  You milk drinkers out there are probably paying four bucks a gallon unless you buy the two-fers and then even with that, you are probably paying a dollar a gallon more right now than you were just three years ago.

 

With health care premiums on the rise, and energy bills taking their cut out of your allowable income, things might seem to be a little out of control for you.  For those of you who have the luxury of being able to investigate which presidential candidate deserves your vote,  realize there are no candidates on the ticket that can do one thing to help you or your loved ones to overcome their current predicament. 

 

The conditions we are facing today make me think of the times when slaves were ready to be free.  It took them a century to make their move.  While they had much needed help from others outside their situation, it was they who had to decide that the time had come to be free.  Once they made that decision, they actually freed themselves. Sure others finally pitched in to help them, but they began their harrowing journey out of bondage into personal responsibility, which is the heart of real freedom.

 

Today, we have all been held in bondage, whether it came by our own habits or by our acceptance of the conditions we thought ourselves powerless to overcome. But like the slaves in our American history, to overcome the silent bondage we face, we must decide to free ourselves.  There is a saying that comes from the Scriptures. It goes like this: Before you try and remove the speck out of your brother's eye, remove the log from your own.  Everyone has heard that said before and in so many different ways.  Most of us think that the saying is limited to one interpretation, that being; before you dare to criticize someone, examine and work on yourself. I submit to you, it also has another meaning, and that is; In order to encourage others who are facing difficulties, face your own.

 

How do we do that?

 

First, we must realize that blame is fruitless.  We can't achieve our freedom by blaming others.  While we hope there will be accountability for those we are tempted to blame, we could be doing what it takes to give us more advantage.  We must realize that all these things dragging us down are circumstances. If we endeavor to "fight" the circumstances, more circumstances will manifest. So, we need to get back to the basics.

 

Laughter is free. It's contagious.  It's essential for healing.  Gratitude is free.  It's contagious.  It's essential for peace.  Both are more powerful than blame.  Both help us to transcend circumstances but blame invites circumstances. So rid yourselves of blame.  I know its hard to do but it gets easier as you remind yourself that blame advances no one.

 

There is love, kind acts, sincerity and a host of other tools we have to empower us on our victorious journey. 

 

 The thing is, belief is core to our ability to overcome whatever circumstances we face.  We need to believe that change begins with us.  We need to be willing to show ourselves mercy.  Hell, anyone can feel guilty about something if that's what they want. Through mercy we can overcome the guilt.  So be merciful to yourself and you've just climbed one wrung out of a rut. Show others mercy and you've climbed a few more.  Shout, speak, whisper, think, "Thanks. I'm getting it. I feel less guilt or no guilt about... and I no longer have the urge to be harsh to others around me. I'm getting it!  Thank you!"  Gratitude is a booster shot.

 

It takes you to advance yourself and it takes you to overcome. By the way, others around you will be witness to the light inside you that slowly replaces the darkness; and when they are ready, they'll be helped by your success. Success is contagious.

 

So, challenge yourself to eat healthier, dance a little more, say hello to townspeople in passing, smile at a child, pet an animal, and be thankful that you can do all those things.  Be thankful that you are the owner of your own thoughts.  If that's all you can find to be thankful for, no worries.  Begin there.  The more you are thankful, the more things you'll find to be thankful for. 

 

The only caution there, and I hesitate to share it with you, but I really should, so here goes; when finding things to be thankful for, don't be thankful for what is not. In other words, don't compare yourself to others or other circumstances.  Be thankful for your own breath, your own mind, your own experience and if you find the urge to say, "I'm thankful I'm not like that...," stop yourself and say, "NO!"  Keep it positive and heal yourself.  Healing is contagious.  If you want to help others, change the way you think.

 

I want us to change our entire society in order to get us back to living healthier, free from oppression and the other circumstances that seem to prevail. Rather than fight the circumstances, endeavor to overcome and remember, circumstances are temporary.

 

I'm expecting your triumph and I'm grateful that we have one another, if nothing else, in our prayers.

 

May the blanket of circumstances be cast off our blessings.  Amen.

 

Chelle Stockman.