Rosa Parks

The world lost a great leader last week. Rosa Parks was 92 when she passed away. When she was about 40 years old, working as a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama she had no idea her life would change the face of civil rights in the United States.

You see, Ms. Parks was tired the day she finished her work and, when she boarded the city bus she was lucky to have found a seat. However, during the ride a white man also boarded the bus and the rules of public transit at that time were that she was to give up her seat to a white person.

Well, Rosa Parks refused and in so doing, put her life on the line. She could have, at best, been arrested, at worst been seriously hurt or even killed. It was just not done back then. A black person did not refuse the request of a white person...until Rosa Parks.

Were it not for the fearless stand that Rosa Parks took that day there may not have been another fearless leader borne out of this injustice. There may never have been the words, "I have a dream." That man, of course, was Martin Luther King. Reverend King says that it was because of the injustice toward Ms. Parks and the segregation laws, that he became involved in the civil rights movement.

She faced her fears. She would not back down. She was arrested and fined and had to pay the large sum of $10.00 in fines, a princely sum for a poor black seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama.

"She sat down in order that we might stand up," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said.

In speaking of the issue in her later years Rosa Parks explained that she was "tired of being humiliated, of having to adapt to the byzantine rules, some codified as law and others passed on as tradition, that reinforced the position of blacks as something less than full human beings."

Her long time friend Elaine Steele says, "She was in her forties, she was not a child. There comes a point where you say: No, I'm a full citizen too. This is not the way I should be treated.

Rosa Parks could not have known the impact she would make upon the world by choosing to face her own fears and trust her truth. We are all better for it.

Blessings to Ms. Parks and all her followers.

Today was a stunningly beautiful day in my neck of the woods...or suburbs. It's one of those rare sunny, warm days that we just know will be long gone in a few weeks as winter begins to set in. So, I took my old dog out for a walk to enjoy and savour the day. I live in a family neighbourhood and we back onto a park and, since it was Sunday, I figured there would be lots of people out and about on such a gorgeous day. Wrong! I saw only two other people the whole time I was out. I passed the park remembering the times I would take my own two children there and saw empty swings and empty climbing stuff and empty sand pits. I have to admit I was really shocked by the fact that there were no kids outside at all. It was only 2 in the afternoon...where was everybody? Then I saw a kid walking by with a Nintendo game in his hand. That got me thinking about life in our world these days. It's ok to stay inside and play interactive games on the computer but it's not ok to be outside and interact with other kids or nature. Parents are so afraid of something happening to their kids that it is probably easier to just keep them inside. At least they are nearby then. What happened to the notion of spending time together? Of going out for a walk? Of playing in the park? What's wrong with a kid hopping on a bike and going to ride around with a bunch of friends for an hour or two? What is everybody so afraid of? Geez...we are the first generation of North American's to have obesity count as a major disease among young people. Diabetes, depression and many other serious health issues are directly related to a lack of exercise and poor food choices. When I was a kid I could wander my neighbourhood with my friends. I could ride a bike. I could play in the park. When my kids were little they could do the same. Were my parents or my husband and I being irresponsible? Were we bad parents? Of course not. We faced our fears of what might, could, may...happen to the kids and then moved on. We asked them to come home once in a while to check in, to phone us if they went to somebody's house and we were often the house of choice for many of the kids to come to. We would take the kids out to the park, to the beach, to the lake...to play soccer or baseball or football...to pick apples or just walk the dog. Were my kids unsafe? Maybe, maybe not. We did all we could to protect them and then we let them just go out and be kids. The media has taught, and many have accepted as fact, the notion that the world is a fearful place. It's not safe. It's dangerous. The price we are paying is costly. People who don't know how to be by themselves, people who don't know how to be socially interactive, people who don't know how to play. People who are so afraid of doing anything that doing nothing is a better choice! Come on folks...face your fears. Let the kids play. If you're not comfortable with them being alone go with them! Living la vida fearless, Jan

Today I watched the Oprah show. She was featuring the author James Frey, who has penned the book A Million Little Pieces. It's a book about truth and deceit and rage and fury. Mr. Frey tells his own true story about living a life as a drug and alcohol addict and how he finally overcame his addictions. It's a very touching and provocative and emotional book. His message to people who are going through the pain and the despair he went through...."Hold on. Just hold on. " Things will get better if you just hold on. He also talked about facing our fears. If we don't face our fears we hide them...through drugs, alcohol, overeating, over achieving, under achieving....whatever the venue the bottom line is that you have to face your fears to live an authentic life. I loved that about his comments. Facing his fears, putting his story on the line, into the lime light, has opened the door for so many other people to now do the same thing. Others in the same position can now see that they are not alone, that this is not the only time such a thing has happened to a person. Mr. Frey has reached out to a million little people by writing this book. The repurcussions of recovery are far reaching as addiction touches more than just the person that is addicted. Read this book and then question yourSELF. Are you facing your fears? If not, why not? Living la vida fearless, Jan www.tobeyourbest.net

This has been a year of firsts...Katrina ravaged the entire city of New Orleans, whoever would have thought that could happen? Then, unbelievably, another hurricane hit the Florida coast. The poor people didn't even have enough time to get their lives back in order before yet another hurricane hit. This time it was Wilma. A category five which was, thankfully, downgraded to a category three. Sounds a lot better doesn't it? Unless you happen to be in the storm, surrounded by wind and water and rain and chaos and debris. Wilma was another first....the fastest growing hurricane ever! It's also the first time that meteorologists have gone through all the names available for hurricanes..they have now resorted to using the letters of the Greek alphabet...beginning with Alpha.
Not exactly the kind of firsts the world wants to see. So, here's a thought. What if we started a new first? What if everybody began to face their fears? What if we all just decided to make happiness the first priority in our lives? Can you imagine what that would feel like? Seems a long way away from the devastation of bad weather, illness, war and so much more. Seems alturistic to be sure, but what is there to lose? Let's start a revolution! Living la vida fearless, Jan

Every year on the street I live on the adults have a costume party. It's always the Saturday before Halloween so, it's just around the corner...literally. I am always amazed at the work that goes into some of the costumes...There's always a theme. One year it was drinks so there were blue angels and pink ladies and, of course, Harvey Wallbangers and Sex on the Beach.....Another year it was favourite bands...Gene Simmons was aptly represented in several KISS renditions, Elvis apparently, had not left the building and Janis Joplin made a rare appearance that night. Spooky stuff. This year the theme is Viva Las Vegas.....having never been to Vegas I have my own version of a costume but I wonder what else I'll see there. My guess is there will be a Wayne Newton or two, a black jack player, a card shark, a few chorus girls.....one of the guys in the group always dresses like a girl. He'd make a great chorus girl, I can't wait to see what he has decided on. Celine Dion may be represented by the most masterful costume maker in the group. This girl starts planning her costumes weeks in advance. She was the blue angel drink...she was so good she glowed and twinkled just like an angel would. Amazing.
Somebody always brings food that has fake fingers sticking out of it. Somebody else always brings jello shots that are very popular....who knew jello could taste so good?
Me, well, I just have fun. I don't even try to compete with those more creative types. I am not worthy so I bow to their brilliance and marvel at their mastery.
Picture the Griswalds in Las Vegas...sort of...or maybe the crazy cousins of the Griswalds. That's us this year. Tacky tourists! Blue polyester suit, white spats and bright red Hawaiian shirt for my husband. Leopard print tights and mules for me....curlers and bright red lipstick! Can't wait to see what everybody else is doing.
Not so much about facing fears this time....unless you count all the scary people we meet on the way to the party!
Living la vida fearless,
Jan
www.tobeyourbest.net