BIGOTRY

Bigotry by definition:

Random House Dictionary: Stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: The state of mind of a bigot; obstinate and unreasoning attachment of one's own belief and opinions, with narrow-minded intolerance of beliefs opposed to them.

I grew up rather sheltered home, the proverbial Leave it to Beaver household if you will. Mom stayed at home and tended to the house and children. Dad worked to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. I truly didn't know that there was bad in our world since all I had ever experienced was love. I didn't know that women were beaten; that children were neglected and abused; that bigotry existed for anything other than race.

I wasn't raised to see color, religion, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. I was raised to see the beauty that radiates from within. After all, that is all that truly ever matters. Our shells grow older, our beliefs are redefined, our lives take varying paths, but one thing remains a constant, and that's how we treat our fellow man.

My personal quote is, and will always be: How you treat others at their most vulnerable defines you!

People have the right to voice their opinions without the fear of condemnation. Unfortunately, when bigotry is thrown into the equation, people are condemned for their opinions. Sure, I've been just as guilty as anyone when it comes to using disparaging words towards another human being. More often than not, it's in self defense though. Call me immoral, I'll lash out. Call me faithless if you choose, but you don't have that right! Stone and condemn me for my political affiliation, that's your right, as a bigot, but I shall not do the same to you. You have the right to disagree, after all, that's what makes a great debate. But you don't have the right to spew a cesspool of hatred towards me because of my beliefs!

The veil of bigotry is comprised of many layers, none of which are attractive!

I may have grown up naive and oblivious to all that is ugly within our country, but my eyes have been opened. I can now clearly see what has always existed. The picture may be marred now, but its beauty is still there... I just have to look towards it, turning away from that which is vile!

A good friend of mine recently taught me about toxic friendships. She gave me the tools necessary to make educated choices as to who my healthy relationships were, and who were those who contained toxins. Just like the flu will kick you in the butt, the incessant spewing of evil will also knock you off your feet. Why would one continually, and knowingly, expose themselves to a virus?

Real life can take a huge toll on a person, but when you've got supportive friends and family, it makes a difficult journey a little more tolerable. The flip side of that comes from those with narrow-minded intolerance for any viewpoint differing from their own. They'll beat you down and gain pleasure in doing so! It's difficult to cleanse your system of toxins, but it's necessary for your over all well being. For me, the cleansing process has already begun, and I'm feeling much better because of it.

Sometimes you've got to pull a few weeds to expose a gorgeous landscape! To all who read this, rid yourself of any hatred you may have inside, and open up to the beauty that surrounds you. We're all truly blessed!!!

FOOTNOTE: I wrote this a while ago and toyed with ever even posting it. I'm not delusional enough to think it will change one darn thing, nor do I think it will open anyone's eyes. It's just something I decided that I needed to post.

A Little Something for Aunt Sue

*snicker*

The Promotion & Hypocrisy of Teabagging

Happy Easter and Many Blessings!!

This video gave me goose bumps and even brought a tear to my eye. Sharing it with each of you is my Easter gift! There is a lesson to be learned....

Happy Easter to each of you and many, many beautiful blessings!!
Much love and respect! ~Angie ^i^

UPDATE: Unfortunately they have disabled ALL embedding of the videos showing Susan Boyle singing. Here's the link so you can watch and enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

My Worst Nightmare!!

One day, about 2 years ago, I hear my son calling my name from his bedroom. It's rather faint, but he's still hollering for me. Mind you, my kids NEVER yell for me, it's rude, so I knew something must be up.

"Mommmm"
"Mommmmmmmmmmm"
"There's a SNAKE in my room"
"Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

I get close, but not too close, to his bedroom door and ask him what he said.

"There's a SNAKE in my room"

I feel the freak out starting. I grab a phone.. look at it.. wonder who to call! I start doing the "I'm TERRIFIED of SNAKES dance" in the kitchen (it kinda looks like I'm jogging in place but my knees are going way up and my arms are shaking frantically). Then I run outside, look around, trying to see if there is some human life form out there who can rescue us from this dismal situation!!! There's no one in sight! I run back into the house for a second, then I run back outside. I look across the street at the neighbors house. Jim and Connie lived there until about two weeks prior to the SNAKE day. Jim ALWAYS rescued me when things happened, but they sold their house to these new folks. Folks I didn't know. I run to the house of rescue anyway, thinking... well... maybe they're like Connie and Jim!

KNOCK KNOCK 'DOORBELL RING' KNOCK KNOCK

This man answers the door and before he can say a word, I, speaking a million words a minute, blurt out:

"I know you don't know me but ARE YOU SCARED OF SNAKES??? I live across the street and Connie and Jim used to save me but they're gone now and you're here and I need your help! There's a SNAKE in my son's bedroom, HELP ME PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE????"

Keep in mind, I'm still doing this psychotic "I'm TERRFIED of SNAKES dance" while I'm talking to this man who I had NEVER met. He must have thought I was nuts!!! He told me he wasn't afraid of snakes and to just let him put on a pair of shoes and he'd be right over. I told him to let himself into the house.

I run back home to see if my son (who is trapped) is still alive!!! Not only is he alive, but he made it out of his bedroom. YAY!!!! The snake was in a shoe behind his bedroom door. It had been hissing at him for a while before I heard his faint YELLS for me!!

My neighbor comes in the house, goes into my sons room to access the situation, then comes back out...

"Do you have a flashlight? I want to see what type it is before I reach my hand down to pick it up."

I gave him a flashlight.

He comes back out a minute later with the SNAKE in his BARE hands!!! It's a FREAKIN MONSTER... must have been at LEAST 20 FEET LONG (slight exaggeration.. it was really only like 3 feet long..but to me it looked 20). I'm in the kitchen.. STILL doing the DANCE... and he starts talking to me!!!!! WAS HE NUTS??? I'm like..

"GET THAT THING OUT OF HERE PLEASEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

He takes it outside and lets it go. I thank him profusely!!

Now, what does the little f*cker do??? He goes around to the back of my house, to the glass doors, and starts rubbing up against them! It seems he WANTS BACK IN! Was he KIDDING??????

You may wonder how the snake got into my house in the first place. Well, I USED to leave my glass doors cracked about a foot so the dogs could come in and go out as they pleased. I kept the vertical blinds shut so not too much of the heat got in, or air conditioning got out. I never in a million years thought something ELSE would come in! Something I did NOT give PERMISSION to!!! How DARE that snake!!! Needless to say, I no longer keep those doors open!!!

I bought my neighbor across the street a huge cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory as a gift for his kindness! I still don't know his name, I think I'll just call him Jim.

Our Owlet

With the exception of the birth of my children, this is the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

Up against the bathroom window there are several bamboo shoots. My daughter was taking a shower today and noticed this rather large, odd shaped "bird" up against the window on one of the dead shoots. After her shower she came and got me. I then looked out the window with her (which is the type of glass you can't see clearly through) and couldn't figure out what type of bird it was. Sarah told me she thought maybe it was a baby owl. I was like.. no way.. it couldn't be... Needless to say, I went to investigate. Sure enough, it was a precious little owlet.

I tried to capture a picture of it with the digital camera (without getting too close to the baby), but the zoom wouldn't bring me in as far as I needed it to. I then got the 35 mm camera (which is professional quality with a great lense), but the battery was dead. That's when I asked my son to film the baby. Which he did.

The above video is what he posted on his YT channel and the "pictures" are still shots from that video.

I saw a miracle today. Something I hear is so incredibly rare. Had my daughter not put the "owl" bug in my ear, I don't think I would have ever given it a second thought. I was given a gift today... I'm still totally wow'd!!!

I of course got a little worried because it was all by itself, so I did a little research on the net. Based on its size (about 6 inches tall and covered with what I think is called down), the owlet is between 7 and 8 weeks old. It advised to not get too close (which we didn't), but to keep an eye on it. It also stated that if it was moving well, and plump, that it more than likely wandered off and that chances are the "orphaned" owlet's Mother would find it around dusk. Sure enough, baby is now safely home with Mom.

NOTE: Never plant bamboo. One of my neighbors did, but he didn't do it properly, thus it has taken over the neighborhood. It's a menus to society!!!

Jim??? Is this you???

I could totally see Jim doing this!! For some reason I think Jim wakes up each day and greets the world with a smile and a Brady Bunch song!!! hahaha