“We're all reading From the same book, Were just on different pages,
So go tell Lois Lane There's no Superman, Don't think Mickey Mouse
Is waiting down at Disneyland, It's not a church If it's just got a steeple, Just look inside It's all about people”
From Paul Thorn’s “All About People”

I’ve been thinking a great deal about the people who have influenced me the most in my life… Maybe even more so, I’ve been wondering what kind of meaning I’ve left with others over the years, and in turn the meanings they’ve helped me come to. Moreover, I believe I’m ashamed at a great many things I’ve done and how badly I’ve treated both friends and strangers. I’d also agree that there are both strangers and friends who are ashamed of what they’ve done to me… Keep in mind, “ashamed” is a very subjective term…

Whether good or bad, with love or with pain you don’t have to spend a great deal of time with someone for them to leave an impression on you. Maybe they open your eyes, jade you, change your taste in music, switch you from coffee to tea or alter your perceptions in what could be 1000s of ways… People come in and out of your lives constantly, casual friends, co workers, your buddies at the gym, the couple next door, etc…

What is the main determinant for these people to have the chance to interfere with your serenity??? Of course, I say that jokingly, we most always assume that these people are going to trespass on our well-being and somehow stomp on our happiness… However, I’m trying to keep myself comfortable with the concept that, a stranger can become much more than a stranger in a very short amount of time….for better or for worse, that kindness can come from anywhere, just as pain can come from anywhere.

If you come upon two strangers in an ally, one tries to mug you, the other leaps into your defense, one is a hero, one could possibly be a figure of fear in your life forever… However, the strangers in the ally both turned into “more than strangers” nearly immediately. I realize this example is fantastically sensationalized; however my point with the analogy is this. The impact on our well being from strangers or from long time trusted sources can be just as fast, just as strong and be either positive or negative and be just as meaningful. The lessons can be learned from either source.

Someone can become much more than a stranger quickly, and someone you’ve known for your entire life can disappoint you in a way that is beyond belief. I think its is our natural distrust of “strangers”, that holds us back from doing more for our families, extended families, friends, co-workers and communities. After all, aren’t they all practically strangers?

Those who really damage us, or love us, or both, carry an impact greater than the impact of a stranger or casual acquaintance... We’ll never get that person out of our soul, for better or worse. Having this person in your heart and soul doesn’t have to be a constant burden… Maybe they’ve hurt and betrayed us beyond comprehension; the pain came out of nowhere. You didn’t see it coming… I’ve been there… You will forever walk around with that person as a defining part of who you are... That person has altered the make up of your heart, your trust, your love, your reasoning, your logic…Do we walk around with that person on our mind? Of course. In our heart? Of course... Its way too simple for me to say, “Just remember every person you meet is going to be a lesson learned, you just don’t know which lesson”… That’s way too simple and kind of makes me gag… I think to put it more in terms and analogy of my real thoughts would be this…

Pain that will forever alter your life can come from any direction at any time from anyone, it will blind side you on some random, idle Tuesday…

What we have to remember, hold dear to our heart and embrace with our soul completely is that love can blind side us to. A stranger can become much more than a stranger, you can be swept off your feet. Your perceptions redefined. Your priorities drastically rearranged. Your life can change for the better, just as fast and just as much as you once thought your life was made worse. Broken turns to beautiful just as fast as beautiful to broken…

The nature of our association with this world is constantly changing… until we decide to slow something or someone down with us… The tension between positive and negative furies is also constant. Fear shows the path to a negative outcome; Love… the path towards the positive outcome. Naturally, it’s not that simple. Unfortunately, the choice to follow a path of love, of positive energy, of hope and faith takes an enormous amount of courage. You must watch over your own heart, your family and your loved ones. You must have a zero tolerance policy with those who would be frivolous with your heart, I don’t know any other way.

I know a great deal of what I’ve written sounds absurd, and there are those that’ll think I’m a total fool, not just with this post but the majority of all I have to say… I don’t like to spend a great deal of energy refuting or debating the choice one has to make regarding their dispositions towards love, karma, faith, hope, God or striving for an ideal. I’ll say this and this only. Life is all about choices. I choose to move towards love daily. I pray, I hope, I wish… I move towards the light. I seek out loved ones and laughter. I want to fill a home with joy, a bed with passion and a life with commitment.

There have been many times in my life when I just didn’t want to play anymore. I knew that I was always going to be sad, always be broken, and I’d never find solace in this world. I realized more and more that I surrounded myself with energy vampires, mindless activities, participated in destructive behaviors and then wondered why I didn’t feel inspired… I made a choice. A choice towards love, towards hope, towards possibility. Towards a world of abundant love and resources.

I will try daily for a few less strangers and a few more friends. Love based logic, not fear based logic. I will try to hold on to the hope that I can be pleasantly surprised by what this world has in store for me everyday. The very kindness that saves me very well may come from a stranger. The love of your life is no further from you than the courage of your own heart.


Tune of the day, the aforementioned

“All About People”
By the Great Paul Thorn