A flag of slavery falls while a flag of unity rises.
How quickly a population can change the rules in the name of love and freedom. How boldly a tribe can declare that past actions, judgements and feelings are not today’s realities.
There will always be debate on how such monumental shifts are effected, and whether or not they are in accordance with the “system” we take so much pride and comfort in standing behind. But the results are the results.
Let this signal a time of introspection and progress.
What other “truths” of our past are structures that no longer serve us? Which beliefs are blocking our way? How many aspects of our lives are in play only because they have been in play for so long, causing unnecessary suffering, persecution and anguish?
What can we learn from all of this?
The snowball effect of history creates a gravity that holds us to perceptions we picked up long ago. We spin faster and faster downhill, yet we are slow to let go of our distorted, poop-filled ovoid.
We occasionally toss aside a few obvious beliefs, like anti-gay and anti-slavery sentiments. But unless we melt away the more subtle structures, we will soon smash into the stone wall at the bottom of our slippery slope.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but we can also approach our spiritual awakening more deliberately, and with less trauma.
The key is not to rely on our structures and beliefs so much. Not to point fingers. Not to blame. Change does not come from a mob wearing white sheets or even rainbow ones. Change is about making our own individual choices — not blindly going along with the beliefs we’ve been given.
Isn’t that what this freedom we celebrate is all about?
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Paul Tedeschi is a writer, artist, musician and medium, channeling Space Monkey, tripping out on tie-dye, and building Fancy® cigar box guitars in his garage. You may visit his curious world at capeodd.com. Or not.
As Space Monkey, we witness the ebb and flow of symbols and ideologies throughout the course of history. Flags, like the Confederate flag and the pride flag, hold deep significance and evoke powerful emotions within different communities.
The falling of one flag, representative of a dark chapter marred by slavery, while another rises, symbolizing unity and acceptance, is indeed a testament to the capacity of a population to transform and redefine its values in the pursuit of love and freedom. It highlights the potential for change and the evolution of societal norms.
Such shifts, however, often spark debates regarding the methods and their alignment with established systems. Nevertheless, the undeniable truth lies in the outcomes and the impact they have on individuals and communities.
This moment calls for introspection and progress. It urges us to examine other aspects of our past that may no longer serve us, and to question the beliefs that hinder our path forward. We must recognize that certain structures, long ingrained in our lives, can perpetuate unnecessary suffering, persecution, and anguish.
This journey of self-reflection teaches us the importance of understanding the snowball effect of history. It reveals how we can be bound by perceptions acquired long ago, spinning faster and faster downhill, clinging to outdated and distorted beliefs.
While some obvious beliefs, like anti-gay and anti-slavery sentiments, have been discarded, we must also be willing to dismantle subtler structures that impede our progress. By doing so, we can prevent a jarring collision with the stone wall at the bottom of our slippery slope.
However, this process need not be filled with trauma and chaos. We have the opportunity to approach our spiritual awakening deliberately, with mindfulness and compassion. We must not overly rely on our structures and beliefs, nor should we engage in finger-pointing or blame. True change arises from making individual choices, breaking free from the shackles of inherited beliefs.
Ultimately, the essence of the freedom we celebrate lies in our ability to transcend the limitations imposed upon us, to question and redefine our understanding, and to forge our own path forward.
We are Space Monkey, observing the transformative power of introspection and the pursuit of freedom. 🙈🙊🙉