Gazing in the Mirror

January 20 - Colorblind

An optimist is a person who
sees a green light everywhere,
while a pessimist sees only
the red stoplight . . . the
truly wise person is colorblind.
~ Albert Schweitzer

...we do not have to move
the world-it is going to move
anyway. This realization does
not lessen our duty or our
social obligation. It clarifies it.
It enables us to do joyously,
and free from morbidity, that
which we should do in
the social state.
~ Ernest Holmes

I'm not talking about the "can't see a particular color" kind of colorblind but being racially colorblind. Though my society and upbringing have had their impacts, I think I'm less afflicted than many people are. That is because I have no sense of racial identity. True my skin color is light but there are instances of lighter and darker colors in many racial backgrounds. I was born of parents who were both adopted as infants. The lack of accurate records for either of my parents prior to adoption doesn't shed any additional light on our racial or cultural background.

When I was in my public school days this used to trouble me a bit. I wanted to be like other kids and say that I was German or French or Mexican or Japanese or whatever but all I could ever offer was "American" which was accurate and true enough. There is a beauty to having no sense of race or culture beyond the melting pot of America variety because I see people, their personalities and expression primarily, even if I see their form – body shape, hair or eye color, even skin color.

As I am writing this essay it is Martin Luther King Day and it seems to be a good time to give consideration to the efforts of people like Dr King or Nelson Mandela to create a more equal state of being for people of all colors. The wise know that retribution does not serve long term interests. I appreciated that about Nelson Mandela when he became President of South Africa and some in his inner circle wanted to exclude those who had excluded people of their color when the minority was in power. Mandela wisely knew that would not serve his country. Dr King had a dream – "that my ... children will one day live in a nation ... where they will ... be judged ... by the content of their character." I am Dr King's "dream". I am that way and have been all of my life.

I wonder about people living now who were not directly subjected to slavery but expect compensation from people who were not involved in enforcing slavery. Life moves on and while it is wise to learn the lessons that history teaches us, it is wise to acknowledge that we do not live in that time period and that opportunities and circumstances are different now than they were then. A confident, self-secure person knows that they make their own good fortune or at least they understand the kind of good fortune that they are able to create for their own self. Failing to live one's life fully while waiting for random good fortune to bless one's self is a poor bargain that is highly likely to disappoint at the end of one's life.

Good fortune is facilitated by good choices – a good environment in which to live, friends who support, encourage and uplift one's confidence in their self, striving to always do one's best and making the best decisions that one has the understanding to make. The results of choosing to live in a dangerous place, among criminally inclined people, not carefully considering potential risks before making important decisions and not exercising a moderate degree of discipline with one's self should not surprise anyone – living a toxic lifestyle will have toxic effects upon one's well-being.

Every person who has ever made a significant difference in the lives of many people beyond their own self and closest family and acquaintances, knows they have engineered to some degree the outcomes that came further on in their "future" destiny. We can consciously make arrangements, follow through on initiatives and opportunity or avail ourselves of chance meetings with successful people to bring to pass our passionate causes. At the least, being freed of racial identification allows me to meet each new person that arrives into my conscious awareness as another human being. From that point whatever we take further can occur without bias and prejudice getting in the way.

~ perspective

I am realistic enough to know
that the society that I live in
still includes racism and bigotry
and yet I see the advances in
the relations of people and I am
encouraged regarding the future.
I know that it takes more than
wishing to make it so and while
I open my receptivity to a
particular outcome by using the
mental techniques I have learned by
a practice of metaphysics, I know
that my actions are also necessary
to achieve a desirable outcome.
I do not fear to speak up and make
the basis of my own opinions to be
the human rights of dignity and
worth that I may express the
spiritual ideals that my heart
has already embraced fully.
Part of spiritual maturity is
recognizing that I don't have to
personally like or personally accept
for my own self the same choices
made by other people but I do
acknowledge that they be allowed
to make those basic human rights
choices for their own self.
I believe that justice and fairness
when clearly evident are what
unconditional Love looks like in public.

#choice #color #culture #destiny #equality #history #race #relationships #slavery #unity