What once was Black and White is now Fifty Shades of Gray

WARNING: As the herd of Valentines weekend movie-goers eagerly prepare to contribute to what is sure to be jaw-dropping box-office numbers — the following point of view may be as controversial as the film itself…

The inevitable success of Fifty Shades of Grey is essentially a raised glass to the moral decline of values in the Western world.

BUT WAIT! Make no mistake… or better yet make mistakes: humanity is not perfect! And in a world where our experience is based on polarity and relativity, we never will be….AND THAT IS OKAY! Being perfect is not our purpose… nor is that point the purpose of this article.

The purpose is to use the latest of many points on our social trend line to reflect on the real threat our humanity faces: desensitization…. Evil needs to exist in order for “Good” to prevail… We will make mistakes, we will do evil… but will we recognize it?

The biggest obstacle which stands in our way of becoming a more loving and unified world is the blurred lines. Good and Bad used to be two opposing but clear perspectives, now its controversial. Right and wrong used to be Black and White, now it’s many shades of grey.

I admittedly have not read this book, so am not passing judgement on it — and CERTAINLY not on it’s readers or movie watchers. I wrestle with my own demons — and they would gain ground on me if I focused too much on the wrestling matches of others.

I am however using the controversial buzz as a springboard to remember that the single most important thing to do on the road to becoming a good person IS NOT to be flawless, but rather, to recognize your flaws. As long as we, as individuals and as a society, can be true to ourselves and discern what is making us weaker or stronger — then by simply recognizing our negatives becomes a positives…

There is NO greater strength than the recognition of one’s own weaknesses.

I HOPE ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND! It’s okay to indulge in a drink, some not-so-healthy eats, or the guilty pleasure of your choice, but as you do, I challenge you to challenge yourself with some self-evaluation and ask yourself the question “why”? Our weakness is demonstrated in how we ‘chase those highs’ — we enjoy the junk food so eat more and more of it, we enjoy the drink so go from 1 to 5… We lose ourselves in the chase of those highs, and become prisoners of our own device. Our strength, however, is demonstrated in our ability to enjoy those guilty pleasures with the discipline to do so in moderation.

And if you’ve already chosen to see it, then…

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW! And as you do, I challenge you to challenge yourself to recognize how the message of it, or other creations, can change you and/or others around you. Then discern whether or not the change reflects the type of person you want to be and/or the type of world you want to live in.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR LIFE! It’s okay to make mistakes — we are not perfect, on purpose! Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. As you enjoy your life, I challenge you to challenge yourself to simply acknowledge them!

After all, WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES... the best of us will work on them, the worst of us won’t recognize them.

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
~Kevin Spacey, “The Usual Suspects”

There’s only two sides; from Day to Night, Dark to Light, and Death to Life…
But between the extremes we lose site of what once was Black and White.
So why would you and I use the grey-scale for weighing Wrong and Right?

ENJOY!

“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:” – a message from our distant relatives.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,
This letter came to you from the place you’ll soon find timelessness;
We hope you get the message… before there’s a need for writing it.

Hope… a redeeming quality which you had deemed too childish;
We were born to bring revival, but grown to be survivalists.
Saw you playing “Simon Says”; so we did as Simon did…
Only shown how to rock a boat, never how to right the ship.

Since innocence seemed ignorant, we sought our bliss from sciences;
Our character’s best measured by the depth of our one-sidedness.
Taught to win at any cost…. But when we lost, our fight would end.
So this time when you teach us, can you please try “try again”?

We have the drive of motorized rides equipped with nitrogen;
While working just as tireless as the hovercrafts we’re flying in.
And we were taught to dream, but not to sleep until retirement…
There’s no peace in counting sheep, while lyin in a lion’s den!

A pill for that, a pill for this; a pill so both will strike more quick;
A pill to help us swallow all the truth of our reliances…
Now we’re living even longer – thanks to stronger vitamins;
Our ignorance was thinking it’d bring incremental life with it!

A device for that, a device for this; a device to make devices quick;
So desensitized by devices, we don’t even see the vice in it…
Now we’re obnoxiously robotic, a product of our environment…
Great at catching breaks we’ll never make the time to fix.

A fight for that, a fight for this; a fight so that the fight exists;
Standing by our right for peace, we’ll never cease the fight for it!
What goes around comes around; we found the reason spite exists.
So you can pay the piper, and in time we’ll pay the piper’s kid….

Pride for that, pride for this; pride for pride we might omit;
Pride which is tightly clinched in a fist too mighty to be pried of it.
With a sense of entitlement stemming from senseless mindfulness;
You could find us in the darkest age, describing it as enlightenment.

Until one day: a device ended the fight, a pill killed off the viruses.
Loved winning; but having won – we didn’t take much pride in it.
Then suddenly, we were blinded by a liquid leaking out our irises!
Perplexed, we entered the question in our engine: “Why is this?”

Across every generation, the gap is bridged by righteousness.
It was the first message off the presses when Gutenberg provided his.
The trend reflects the plight of men, who rise then fall to rise again;
But the cycle can recycle; there’s no wound that time won’t mend.

SO TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Too few were too concerned…
But there’s still time to change your lesson plan, before our lesson’s learned.

Yours Truly,
GENERATION ALPHA, EST 2010
Your future is our present, help us change it today.

Fix-it Tips: No time to Regret

What regrets would you have if today was the last day of your life?

What would you do different if, instead, you were given more time?

A Record Breaking New Year!

You’ve said it. I’ve said it. We’ve ALL heard it.

BUT do you recognize what you’ve been a part of? Do you realize that, on this first day of 2013, records are already being shattered?!

You may have underestimated them; after all, they were just words….

Continue reading “A Record Breaking New Year!”

A Single Moment, A Lasting Impact – 12/12/12 @ 9:30 PM EST

Many throughout history have alluded to the idea that if a large enough percentage of humanity “wished” for global peace simultaneously, that a lasting change could happen instantaneously. Skeptics and believers alike have a chance to be a part of a world-wide test of this theory TONIGHT, 12/12/12, at 9:30 PM EST.

A Single Moment, a Lasting Impact; An Individual Contribution to Global Change:

CHALLENGE: take a moment to think about the word “smiling”.

Think about it for a second longer.

NOW, try to think about the word “smiling” without actually physically smiling! If we’re honest with ourselves, one can almost feel the contention between “thinking one thing” and “doing the other”. That is how the video which introduces this world-wide ‘moment of peace’ begins:

Don’t believe in the power of prayer? How about statistics?

If you are still someone who has a hard time conceptualizing the inter-connectivity of all things, from yourself to the universe, from thought to action to physical manifestation — you are not alone.

As mentioned many times in this blog – at this point in our history, truth and lies are so intertwined in nearly every subject matter that it is hard to fully trust anything. This is particularly evident as many question the dogma of institutionalized religion. However, when science, spirituality, AND MATH actually converge to support a particular hypothesis – isn’t there some providence to the findings that should not be overlooked?

I have expanded on the “Universe You” concept in a series of articles, so will try not to digress further — BUT — it is important to note that several independent studies have measured the impact of group prayer and meditation, actually showing statistically significant drops in crime rates.

From your own personal experience – haven’t you ever walked into a room, or a party, which you felt, simply put, had a “bad vibe”? Haven’t you been around people who’d you classify as having a “magnetic personality”? Prayer, meditation, POSITIVE THOUGHT — after we get past the subtleties which differentiate them, they are really not so different at some juncture. If you believe that “starting your day on the right foot” leads to an, even ever-so-slightly, increased probability for a “good day” — as opposed to the days when you “wake up on the wrong side of the bed” — then are you sure you really have any reason to be skeptical with “this cause” at all?

If you ARE still skeptical, I do not blame you! After all, I epitomized the word ‘skeptic’ for many years even AFTER being aware of these so-called ‘studies’ — it takes time for an individual to “re-calibrate” their understanding. Look up the information, try to go into it your ‘research’ with an open mind, and discern for yourself.

HOWEVER – I will say, skeptical or not, take a moment at 9:30 PM to contribute a positive thought or two to a world which needs it! Worst case scenario — it certainly cannot hurt!! Best case scenario…. where would I begin and where would I stop?!

Let’s take a moment and see if we can’t surprise ourselves with the results.

I wish you all the best! Now — and at exactly 9:30 PM EST Tonight! 😉

Additional references:
http://heartflow2012.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/12-12-12/

A Vote of Confidence

Remember that, while slight change can happen from the top-down…. lasting change comes from within.

Act like the change you want to see. BE the change you want to see. No president out rivals THAT precedence.

Presidents are voted once every four years. Precedence is set every waking moment.

Cast a vote of confidence in yourself through your actions.

Inspired by: Opportunities at Hand!

“If one hand does not know what the other is doing;
they should high-five each other!”

~LoopholesOnLife.com

Inspired by Soul Companions

“If you ever feel alone,
you are not alone.
So stop feeling that way!”

~LoopholesOnLife.com

Inspired by Making Waves!

“It doesn’t take much of a cause
to have a tremendous effect.”

~LoopholesOnLife.com

Inspired by: Being MORE than A parent!

“Kids can COLOR between the lines,
but they can’t READ between them.”

~LoopholesOnLife.com

Could the Sweetest Day be a Sour Scam?

All around the world, there are whispers of a holiday being celebrated today…across the United States… in select areas… by a handful of people. Happy Sweetest Day to you all!

Do you know how Sweetest Day originated? It was FAR from a scam, and it was not intended to be the red-(or pink)-headed step-child of Valentine’s Day that it has become.

Some celebrate, some refuse – but let’s all learn and/or REMEMBER what this holiday and the art of leverage is all about…. Continue reading “Could the Sweetest Day be a Sour Scam?”

Imagination Island: find out how society got where it’s going!

The reset button has been hit on humanity. The billions who tried to keep up with the Jones’ have vanished. Only Mr. & Mrs. Jones remain.

The survival of our species now relies on Mr. Adam & Mrs. Eve Jones. Their journey will provide clues as to why the world is the way it is and why history has a strong tendency to repeat.

Welcome to Imagination Island, where humanity is about to start over from scratch! Continue reading “Imagination Island: find out how society got where it’s going!”

Inspire A parent Lessons

“To a child:
what we SAY is ambiguous;
but what we DO is a parent.”
~LoopholesOnLife.com

The Science of Positivity Loophole!

The Science of Positivity

This short video just may change the way you view life, forever. If all you have time for today is 20 seconds to dedicate to understanding the loopholes on life – give it to this video. After 20 seconds, I am certain you will find a way to free up an additional 3 minutes to finish it.

Do you believe in Science? Do you have faith in faith? If we are honest with ourselves, most seek their alignment (even unknowingly). Science & Faith are not so different, friends. In fact, the two “disciplines” dedicate themselves to understanding the exact same book. The only difference is the order in which they pursue their understanding of the storyline in this ‘book of life’.

Science & Faith have never, in our history, been so close to converging! Let’s explore our faith in science & the science of faith. Continue reading “The Science of Positivity Loophole!”

One-liner Inspires: It’s ALL Related

“At some juncture: Everything is relative, & Everyone is family.”

One-liner Inspires: Message Delivered

“Since the day that we’re born, we learn that after a little labor we can come out ahead!”

Fearlessness

Overcoming Fear… from 2012 to NOW!

At this point the majority of us have ‘heard’ about the notion of 2012. No concepts win the populous over better than when those concepts are grounded in some degree of science, personal faith, and ancient allusion.

The idea could stem from the ancient Mayan ‘time keeping’ system which appears to end (and/or start over) in 2012; or they may be grounded in the prophecies from any one religion which almost uncannily seem to converge once we strip away our ‘man-made’ differences.

Independent of where the notion of the world ‘ending’ or ‘changing’ stems from – those notions are just seeds which do not grow until we allow them to root in ourselves.

No matter where the ‘events of today’ are leading – YOU ARE IN CONTROL (and thus, WE are in control). It’s time for us as individuals, and as a globalized society, to change how we internalize these notions — and if nothing else, 2012 should mark the time we become FEARLESS! Continue reading “Fearlessness”

One-liner Inspires: Reality Smarts

“If ignorance is bliss; then the world should be a much happier place!”

One-liner Inspires: Honestly Strong

“It takes strength to stand up for truth;
which is why many continue to lie.” ~LoopholesOnLife.com

Help Wanted! 2-step Plan for World Peace

(1) find peace in yourself;
(2) help 2+ others do the same;

Peace.

“Good begets Good” Loophole

The Good begets Good Loophole

Good breeds good. One good turn deserves another. Karma.

This post will be as short & sweet as our actions ought to be.

Yesterday I made a “Help Wanted” Post called “Take one for the TEAM“.

Karma In – Small Sacrifices:

In general, I highlighted the unfortunate order mix-up at Starbucks where I had ordered my usual White Chocolate Mocha, got a Mocha (which couldn’t taste MORE different), but due to the tension in the environment, the fact there appeared to be a new employee who was struggling to get into the swing of things, and the long line/wait I was already apart of — I opted to just move on and be thankful for a hot beverage.

It may seem a bit prima donna, but it truly is all about the little things!

Karma Out – Coming “Full Circle”:

Less than 24 hours later, I placed my morning coffee drink at the same Starbucks. They recognized me and said “you waited a long time yesterday, this drink is on us!”

Patience and kindness IS rewarded, friends. We tend to miss the opportunities all too often because of the latency involved. Be good because it makes sense to be good, but also know that things DO indeed come full-circle.

I am now enjoying, and am thankful for, another warm beverage this morning…

But this time it was my favorite kind, it was free, and it tastes like magic.

Until next time, friends, be good! 🙂

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A Single Moment, a Lasting Impact; An Individual Contribution to Global Change:

Don’t believe in the power of prayer? How about statistics?

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The Science of Positivity

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Overcoming Fear… from 2012 to NOW!

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Karma In – Small Sacrifices:

Karma Out – Coming “Full Circle”:

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