Phyllis Williams-Strawder’s Post

WHAT TO TELL THE CHILDREN Tell them that this is the great awakening. Tell them that we humans have made some huge mistakes And that’s how we now find ourselves in this tenuous place. Teach them that hate is the poison. Teach them that love is the remedy, That it is better to be readied for what comes next, Even if the revelation is painful. Tell them that this is the paradigm shift, That the old is collapsing in on itself, That this death rattle is simply a temper tantrum; The last gasp of a dying goliath. Remind them of how they get wild When they are most tired, And then pass out, That this is what it’s about, That this is what is happening to a decrepit and ineffective empire. Tell them that everything is not ok, And knowing that is ok. Tell them that pretending That what is unacceptable is fine Is what got us to this sick and dysfunctional spot on the timeline. Apologize for any prior attempts to teach them denial. Tell them you were blinded by desire for comfortable numbness. Express that you had the best of intentions, That you were working within a broken system, Where few benefitted at the expense of many, That you laid low, Kept to the status quo, Obediently played your role, But those days are over, because Now you know better. Tell them that they have no responsibility To follow someone blindly based solely on a title. Teach them to practice discernment. Tell them authority and respect Must be earned and are not inherently deserved. Teach them that there are good people and bad people From every background, ethnicity and belief system, That they must align themselves with kindness, That there is no more time for divisiveness. You tell Them that just because something is legal, That doesn’t mean it’s right. You tell them To stand up and fight. Remind them of all the lawful atrocities Committed in the sick and twisted history Of this violent country, That Rosa Parks righteously broke a law and the world took notice, That Harriet Tubman is our modern-day Moses, That women would not be allowed to vote, And no one would have proposed another notion If the blessed rebels hadn’t taken a stand. Tell them love will win this war, But only if we remember That love is not just one unending cuddle puddle, But fierce as a mother bear protecting her cubs. Tell them that although this existence is damaged beyond repair, They must not despair, There is possibility, And we will willingly and willfully open ourselves To new ways of being because The old way is not working, Has never worked, And the world deserves better, And we’re worth it. Tell them they are not free While another suffers under enslavement. Teach them that we are all limbs on one body And we cannot chop off our own arm without deep suffering. Teach them humility, But also to re-learn to trust their intuition and Beg their forgiveness for unintentionally misleading them previously. Tell them their gifts are useful. Tell them they are beautiful. Tell them they are the truth. Rachel Kann

What are the differences between benevolence and malevolence? Benevolence is an act of kindness, generosity, or goodwill towards others. an example of benevolence in a sentence would be: "The elderly couple showed benevolence to their neighbors by offering them food." Malevolence is the intention to do harm or evil. An example of malevolence in a sentence would be: "The criminal had a malevolent plan to rob the bank." Let me preface this article by saying, if you are not a truly benevolent person, what you are about to read does not even apply to you. If you are a user, a manipulator or a taker, stop reading now. This article is for the truly benevolent people of the world, no matter how few they/we may be. Read More.

Recently, the ABC lost one of its major stars in Stan Grant, a First Nations thought leader, who has stood strong in the face of relentless racial #abuse. Stan has often endured #racism throughout his career, but it reached a tipping point following his coverage of the King's Coronation for ABC. Many people commented on the issue, and I am not going to repeat their points here. I want to concentrate on something Stan said in his statement https://lnkd.in/gcayMt7b : “Sadly, it seems there is no place in the media for love, #kindness, goodness or God.”   This point is important for several reasons:   (1) The way Stan has been treated is a stark reminder of the power our words have. To think that one of the most respected voices in our media could be driven away by unkindness and #prejudice is a sad indictment on our society.   (2)  It seems we're living in a world where we actively promote kindness - we have "kindness" days, months, and the promotion of kindness is a central tenet in many schools. Yet, we are so quick to forget these values when it comes to the real world. (3)  The irony is that these are the same values that we claim to hold dear. We talk about how we want our society to be kinder and more understanding. Yet, we allow people who are merely speaking their truth to be vilified and attacked. (4)  I heard from several influential professionals in the #media that “people are not interested in hearing positive and kind stories”. But is this really the “people” who "do not want to listen" or the media, who do not want to show good stories? (5)  In my career I taught thousands of students (many in #business schools, some in #computerscience, some in #engineering schools) and, trust, me – all of them want to go into a workplace and be #tolerant, #inclusive, and #kind. (6)  I have also consulted many companies – all of which place an enormous value on the #socialgood and #humanvalues. These companies not just talk about social good, they produce it. Yet, we are where we are. In times like this, we must question the hypocrisy in preaching kindness yet turning a blind eye to hatred and bigotry when it surfaces in our everyday lives. Kindness should not be a slogan we bring out for specific days or months. It should be a practice that we adhere to with every interaction. If we truly believe in kindness, we should practice it universally, not selectively. We should practice it even when it's hard, even when it challenges our preconceived notions, and even when it means standing up to protect the #underrepresented or #marginalised voices. Kindness is not a sign of weakness, it's a testament to our strength. It's the foundation of a society that respects all its members and upholds their dignity. Let us honour Stan's courage and work by continuing his fight for a kinder, more inclusive society. #KindnessMatters #IStandWithStan #Inclusion

🌟 National Love Is Kind Day 💕 🌟 - As private investigators, we've witnessed many abusive relationships first-hand and can say with certainty that the effects are devastating. On this day of love and kindness, let's remember that true love should never involve abuse. - If you find yourself in an abusive relationship, know that you're not alone. Reach out to someone you trust or support organizations. Your safety and well-being are crucial, and there are options to help you break free. - - - #NationalLoveIsKindDay #lovenotabuse #YouDeserveBetter #youarenotalone #weareheretohelp #wearehereforyou #sacramento #privateinvestigator #provenprivateinvestigators