Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

What Am I Grateful For Today

What were you grateful for today? Week Seven for Welcome to My Reality.

I have been reading some pretty heavy books lately. Books that make me appreciate who I am and the times I live in. They inspire me to be a good person. To love others and share that love and kindness.

What are the books, you may be asking?

The first was Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. I have always been inspired by the words of Maya Angelou and I was curious about her history. Her autobiography was an eye opener. She grew up in the American south in the 30's. A time when Blacks were so discriminated against. I felt disgusted at being born white and 'privileged' - upset at how one group of people could justify their 'superiority'. I am passionate about equality and I am so grateful I live in a time and age when people are taken for the inner essence of themselves, not the colour of their skin or their gender. We are so much better when we embrace the wholeness of each other. Seeing the similarities of our human experience is so much better than focusing on surface level differences. Sharing our cultures in an openness brings us closer.

The other book, I am currently reading is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It is about a German girl growing up in the time of Hilter's - I want to say Oppression. Publicly they support him, but that is only to survive. Privately, they seek to rescue that which the German's of the time, want to eradicate - people (Jews and anyone not 'perfect') and any kind of paraphernalia that does not support their view (books). I cannot believe the hate that radiated at that time. Hate that warped a world and time period. Given that I work with children who have special needs, it devastates my soul to think a group of people would see themselves as so superior that they would take these precious souls away from us. Not perfect. Not normal. What the heck is normal or perfect anyway? It is our imperfections and flaws that make us who we are. Those aspects make us unique and beautiful. Denying ourselves access to anyone just because they are 'different' is disgraceful to say the least. Deep down we are not so different.

These books have given me a chance to remember I am me and I am wonderful for who I am - just as you are you and you are wonderful just as you are. My purpose here in this world is to show love and kindness to others. To be open and share my life and time with others in ways that I know how. I am grateful for my life, my health, my family (and their crazy zaniness) and all that I experience each day - whether it is good or bad because I am human and ALIVE.