To love something, you have to understand it, be around it, have a relationship with it. We fear things because we don’t understand them. When we fear, we don’t see, we run; we don’t listen we defend; we don’t ask, we assume.

Fear has been the cause of countless atrocities, like racism, segregation, genocides. When individuals have the courage to reach across the aisle, tracks, borders and meet a fellow human being, friendships develop, wounds are mended, nations are healed. Our minds were meant to be just as open as our hearts.

When we allow a crack to form in the programs we’ve carried with us our whole lives, we step away from stereotyping people based on their gender, skin color, or religion and start to see them as individuals. We see them based on their likes and dislikes, strengths and gifts, kindnesses given and kindnesses returned.

For example, Daryl Davis, a black man, built a friendship with a leader of the KKK And over the course of 10yrs, by practicing patience, kindness, and grace, turned his heart against the ideology where he not only left, but publicly denounced his previous beliefs and acknowledged Daryl as a friend. Daryl has since helped many members leave and stands as a testament to the power of connection.

What are you afraid of? What are you not allowing yourself the possibility of understanding? Where is your mind and your heart closed?

Maybe it’s time to open up?…

Simply put, because you aren’t courageous enough to stand for what you believe in. We aren’t courageous enough. We, collectively, have decided to sell ourselves for money, prestige, food, shelter, security, and comfort.

Once we have the courage to stand for what we each believe in, individually, the world, our customs, our traditions will accommodate. Companies will no longer lie, steal, cheat. Politicians and governments will no longer be corrupt. Food will no longer contain additives that are harmful or be grown with agricultural practices that destroy our world. We have allowed all that to happen for fear of death, pain, poverty, and/or humiliation.

Nurture the strength and courage to say what needs to be said, to do what needs to be done; to go against the grain. It starts with small every day things, in small every day moments. It starts with listening to that internal guidance system. As you gain and exhibit that courage, you make it easier for others.

So go! Let your light shine! On the highest of mountains and lowest of valleys...wherever darkness is, let it shine.

When we hear the word, "meek" we often associate it with weak. It's easy since they rhyme! But the real definition of meek is quite surprising. Meakness is the quality of utilizing or leaning on less of your power/resources/skill than you have access to. Meakness is strength under control. Ones who are powerful, but humble, patient, gentle, and self-controlled.

For instance, think of the stock trader that only risks a small portion of his assets, versus the one that plays on margin.

Matthew 5:5 (KJV):
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

...which one will be ready to handle an unexpected change or dip in the market? Which one will be prepared to play (trade) at a higher difficulty? One will succeed, the other will be wiped out.

If you're going through life utilizing every possible ounce of power, cunning, skill, or resources at your disposal you'll be the type of person who betrays friends, lies, cheats, or steals...since latent in relationships is vulnerability and that vulnerability is tantalizing to ones who are seeking power. This vulnerability, however, is safe around the meek, for though they could use it, they will not. Not because they are afraid to, but because they choose not to.

Don't you hate how difficult our calendar is to remember? 31 days in January, some weird number of days in February...and then if you try to track the cycles of the moon which is also tied to most women's periods, it gets complicated. What if, instead, we had 13 months of 28 days (totally 364 days) and then had one day (or two on leap years) that were holidays and not part of any month. What would you call this new month?