Collective Efforts/We Must!

Sunday's are always the days that taps me on my shoulders, whispers in my ears and sounds a call to action like an alarm clock to wake up and express. We are one month and 18 days into a new year with a different number and more of the same tragedies. In this vast world in which we live, there are great things occuring in the midst of all this chaos, I realize that. Nevertheless,

there are unfinished tasks on this world's agenda that can no longer be postponed, put on the back burners, or at the end of the list of "to do's." We must, act now!

As a society, we are drenched in a sea of smoke screens and distractions, which clouds our

focus to commit to addressing the things that matters most. We must learn our success as a

person is directly related to how we care, engage, protect, and speak out for others beyond our personal circumstances and environment. Are you a successful person? Or perhaps is your only

commitment to take care of your own, to acquire for you and yours, to flaunt and revel in the fact that your efforts and lifestyle exhibits that you have more than enough? I understand that it

isn't a bad thing to work hard to provide for you and your family, just understand that there will

be those whose paths will cross you and yours that are of a different circumstance or experience. Doesn't mean that the actions or experiences that may be encountered are right,

just mean that they are possible and perhaps even enivitable. There comes a time when compassion and condolences are not enough and cannot undo the evil acts of man. We have seen those times far too often in our history and they continue to flourish at an alarming rate.

It is my belief, at the core of all these evil acts, is an ignorance to what freedom really is. Freedom, is not the right to do whatever you feel like doing and making laws and excuses with

loopholes of protection for some. Freedom, your freedom, my freedom's paramenters extends

only to the point that it does not infringe upon or take away another's freedom. Why is this simple fact so hard to respect and implement? If we could accept, internalize, and exercise this

simple concept, we would be at the threshold of solving issues with, Human Rights, Civil Rights,

LBGT Rights, Women's Rights, and any other systemic problems we have faced over the years.

However, in the meanwhile, let us all, collectively be about the business of our Children's Rights.

It is reprehensible, that we have created a society in which our own children are targeted as prey. Drugs, sexual molestation, victims of sex traffic, neglect and abuse, police brutality, rape and murder, all these things that either compromise the value and quality of their lives and even take them away. They are not safe in their own homes, at school, at church, or anywhere. HAVE WE NOT NOTICED THIS AND SEE IT AS AN EMERGENCY AND CALL FOR ACTION? How vunerable they must feel when we do not step up to the plate to protect them. Are we being successful people? Here's what we do: We tell them they cannot live in fear, we send them back to the same places, we sit silently as we watch them lay lifelessly in the streets, and after a few sad moments, we're back to our same routine as if nothing happened. We, as women, carry our babies for 9 months inside of us, there they are protected until they grow and are healthy enough to come into this world. When they are finally here and we feed them, they look in our eyes and examine us for a connection as to say, "I am safe, I believe you will protect and nuture me." Perhaps, this should be a part of the women's movement-"A right to bear children into a world that protects them." This should be one of the constitutional amendments to replace ones that does not serve our safety and existence well. It's time!!!! We must work together

to be better and create a better world! Read part II of this post: From "When My Heart Speaks"