I didn’t think I would write on this topic, but it’s just pulling at my heart. My heart is really hurting. The way our country has become so divided is making me so sad. It’s not even about who’s president anymore or who’s a liberal or who’s a conservative. It’s more than that. It’s about human beings being very unkind to each other because of their beliefs. I thought this country was based upon freedom, and with that freedom coming the freedom of speech.
I know that people will always have differing opinions. There will always be two sides to every argument and each side will always think they are more “right.” But what happened to humanity? What happened to kindness and love? What happened to allowing everyone to have their own personal beliefs about certain hot topics and standing for them without being threatened, censored, ridiculed, or forced to do otherwise?
In the last two months, I have been building up my network as I started two businesses so that I can eventually get to the point of financial freedom and stay home with my daughter. Because I have been trying to increase my reach, I have been constantly befriending new people on social media. And let me tell you personally as a network marketer, I don’t believe in the idea of just adding people to add people and then try to sell them a product. I believe in taking the time to get to know them, building a relationship, getting involved in their lives and really communicating with them on a personal level.
I love talking to other moms especially because I can definitely relate on a personal level since having my daughter. But it has really opened up my eyes to the world. There are so many of you with hearts just as big who are really trying to make it, who are doing everything they can to do the best for the family. And I know sometimes it may come across as being pushy or just trying to make a sale but I know that the intention behind it is for a bigger reason why and that is why I, personally, give them my support by at least loving on their page, if not buying something I am truly interested in.
I know this is a bit off topic, but stay with me. I don’t like when people dismiss small business owners, even if they are part of a multi-level-marketing campaign. Every single one of those people are doing it for a bigger reason – to pay off debt, to support a passion, to do something more for their families. I know in their hearts its not purely for selfish reasons. And I was one of those people that used to dismiss their marketing tactics, but now being in it personally I see how hard it is. It’s not just about posting and selling. It’s much more. It is a true investment and lifestyle. But the fuel behind doing it, at least for me personally, is my family – my daughter really. I do it for her. I do it because I am trying to make a better world for her and having financial freedom will allow me to get closer to that goal.
But back to the topic of humanity. This is where it connects. A lot of these network marketers are all HUGE supporters of movements going on in today’s world that are not necessarily like by many.
They are your trump supporters. They are your anti-vaxxers. They are you pro-life people. They are your alternative lifestyle, organic eating, monsanto-hating hippies. But they are my people.
And what makes me sad is that the other side of all these movements are so completely unkind to them. So unkind to me.
I get it. You (the other party) may not agree with these beliefs at all. But what gives you the right to be unkind? What gives you the right to try to force YOUR beliefs on me? What gives you the right to tell me that YOUR beliefs are superior to mine? What gives you the right to threaten my family? To threaten my friends? To censor me from trying to speak outwardly about my beliefs? Don’t you speak outwardly about yours? What gives you the right to ridicule? To mock?
What truly bothers me is when it comes to mothers. When the other party (this is what I will call them) decides to outwardly speak unkind things to mothers who have done countless hours of evidence-based research, who have put in the time, who have put in the work and yet they are told things like, “you are a bad mother,” or “you don’t care about your child and are putting them in danger!” or “you do not DESERVE to have children.” Yeah, that last one truly bothers me. Or how about the personal attacks like, “Well you must be crazy to believe those things,” or “you must be selfish,” or “you are stupid for living your life that way.”
Again. Please tell me what gives you the right to state these things? Do we say unkind things back? No. Not really. Do we force our beliefs on you? No, not really. We just educate. We hope that you would listen. But we don’t threaten, ridicule, and FORCE anything on anyone.
Now please note, if you’ve gotten to this point in my post that I have not personally been threatened about my own personal beliefs but I have been attacked in some ways by others. But I see countless mothers on my social media pages who are attacked and threatened and ridiculed. Who feel hopeless because their government is trying to force thigns upon them and their children. Who cry at night due to fear of living in what feels like a nazi regimn lately.
And my heart hurts for them.
My heart hurts for anyone really that is different, that goes against the grain. It is not an easy path AT ALL.
But I bring it back to my personal Christian faith. Jesus was against the norm. Jesus was an outcast. He was ridiculed. He was beat. He was tortured for all for His beliefs. But yet He persevered. He continued on spreading His message with LOVE and not hate. He continued to show kindness to all, despite how they treated Him.
This is why I am the way I am. Because He is in me. And I know that many of you from the other party either do not have faith or do not live according to religion, which is fine. But this is why I choose to do all things with love, despite our differences.
I will never force. I will never ridicule. I will never threaten.
My goal is simply to do all that I do with love, whether that is educating others about the way I choose to live my life and my beliefs for myself and my family, or whether that be the way I choose to run my small businesses.
Remember, it is honey that attracts the flys not bitters. If we want real change, we must stand up for our beleifs but also do it with kindness and love.
Hate will only get you so far. Trying to control will only get you so far. Trying to censor will only get you so far.
But love, love can part waters, it can move mountains, it can break chains.
Love is from God and it is all powerful.
To all those who are on my side: who are in the trenches fighting the fights and showing kindness and love while moving against the grain, know that I stand with you. You are not alone. Persevere, my friends.
To all the fellow mothers out there: I don’t care if you are pro or con anything. You are a mother. You care about and love your child. And that is enough. If you believe such and such is best, then do it. Do not let anyone tell you that you are not enough, that you are crazy, that you are stupid, that you should not be doing such and such for your child. You know best. Not the doctors. Not the governement. Not the media. Not your friends or even your famiyl. Trust in YOUR instincts. Love your children and do what is right for them.
To the other party: I love you all too. Even the ones that spread hate, that bully, that try to tear us apart. Jesus loved the sinners and tax collectors just the same. And I will pray for you all to know the truth.
Like I said in the beginning, I’m not one to normally post this way or to get in the middle of political views, controversy topics. But I felt compelled to do so this time. I cannot sit on the sidelines anymore. And it’s honestly not even about the fight but just about spreading love instead of allowing hate to take over.
Even if you disagree with everything I’ve said or any of my beliefs, stop being unkind about it. That’s all. Think of how that would change the world, for our children and future generations, if everybody followed that golden rule.
Food for thought.
Thank you for reading.
xxx Mama with Grace xxx
Mama with Grace. 