Express Yourself

Express yourself!

Express yourself, and you will know God!

Express yourself!

I have long ago given up the notion that God is an ideological discriminant. I have long ago unsubscribed to the premise that only one belief system is the means to an eternal end. I have long ago rejected the controlling mechanisms of organized religion.

In that sense, I am, in the words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, “…free at last.” Such a freedom does not come easily. The chains of societal control are strong and the demands of acknowledged leaders are direct and succinct while, above all, our parental bond initiates and ties us to a life of obedience, adhering to the values and expectancies of our society. These expectancies are deeply rooted within our psyche and create that egotistical obstruction which hinders our growth. Yes, our very culture is based on control. We are surrounded by rules, regulations, dos and don’ts. We are embedded with expectancies and policies. We are raised with visions of success along a road well traveled.

But the time has come, to alter our path and change our destiny. The time has come to forge our own, individual path. Finally, those societal chains are being broken. We are on the precipice of a new dawn, a new adventure. We are opening up to the possibilities of life. We are questioning those values, which have impeded us for years. We are ready, willing and able to step through that open door and explore life the way it was meant to be. Express yourself, and you will find a new you. You will find a person whose possibilities are limitless, whose experience will bring unlimited joy, and whose expression will travel to every corner of the universe for all to see and share.

I can already hear the cries, "You are crazy, you are advocating anarchy. You are advocating non-compliance to the natural order. You are advocating the destruction of society as it exists today." To those remarks, I simply state that if anarchy, non-compliance and destruction lie within the very fabric of your make up, then so be it. But I dare to proclaim that as children of God, these destructive qualities are not inherent within us. As children of God, our whole beingness is predicated on goodness, joy and the freedom of expression.

Who are we to not fully express ourselves? Are we not children of God, and, as such, are we not an expression of God? Look around you. Every thing you see is an expression of God. Now look at your own home. Every thing you see is an expression of yourself. Simply stated, God is expressing himself through you! You cannot, not express yourself. Every act is an expression. Every thought is an expression. Every word is defined in expression. You can express yourself passively or you can express yourself actively. You can have your expressions dictated to you by societal restrictions, rules and dogma or you can freely express yourself as that creative extension of God that you are. Put aside those limiting fears that only serve to inhibit the true you. Overcome that which holds you back. You have nothing to fear, for freedom of expression is a God given right.

But remember, the freedom to express does not give you the freedom to oppress. Freedom is also a God given right and, therefore, is sacred to every being. The freedom to express, being inherent in all living things, is also an acknowledgement that there is no such thing as a freedom to oppress. We are not entitled to hinder, control, limit, block or violate anyone else’s growth. We are all here for the same purpose: enabling God to express himself through us. The Urantia book contains the following quote, "One cannot proclaim the Fatherhood of God while ignoring the brotherhood of man."

Here I Stand

Here I stand,

On the precipice of greatness,

Where riches and fame and notoriety await.

All it takes is a step.

But here I stand,

Entrenched.

Entrenched in a life of need and fear.

Entrenched in beliefs and values not my own.

Where hope of escape, escapes me,

Where hope of change is a long, lost dream,

Of sugar plums and gifts long replaced

By the needs of every day living.

Where making money is a judgment

Of success.

Where philanthropy is a sign of compassion

And spirituality.

Yes, here I stand filled with emotions

Urging me forward to an unknown place,

Not one established by a society blinded

By eons of messages of worthlessness and subservience.

Yet, here I stand,

On the precipice of greatness.

Do I dare to follow my heart

In directions unknown,

Through hills and valleys filled with burdens

Where greatness is measured by strength of heart?

Do I have the resolve necessary

To become the next Lincoln or Gandhi or Buddha?

When my little sister says I stink.

Is it a self imposed doubt and fear of failure

That saps my courage and sense of adventure?

I close my eyes to dream the impossible dream.

And I hear Dr. Martin Luther King proclaim,

“I have a dream!”

It all begins with a vision,

An idea easily dismissed.

But it lingers.

It stays within you night and day.

It says, “Yes! You can do it as have many before you.”

It says, “Yes! You are just as good as any of them.

The only difference is that they took that step.”

So take that step!

Take that step so that you may live and bask in the experience.

Take that step to erase all those doubts and fears

That have resided in the catacombs of your mind

For far too long.

That next step you take

Will change your life!

You only need to decide whether it be forward or backward.

One step from the precipice of greatness.

Yes, here I stand!