The O-town Scene

Keep Up Now! Make use of constructive criticism “One’s life’s perceptions, likely adopted and having evolved within of his own life experience, serve in kind to shelter him from larger realities. To expand your experience beyond the archetype of your given life is to shed the shell that is man and em- brace your human soul. Consciously or passively, our destiny is fulfilled. All that is necessary for evil to prosper is for good to do nothing. These illusions we live, order of our own making, give structure to our greatest fears. We witness what we see as survival of the fittest; in mortal fear we respond. We harness that which has agreed to host and sustain us and in doing so enslaved our very souls. Replacing harmony with discord and elevating our fears.” – Rob Ludwig Recently, a friend was stressing about a situation involving a person in his life who, on a regular basis, finds fault with him, is accusatory, belligerent and difficult to deal with; seemingly attacking him. We’ve all dealt with people like this. They tear us down, bring us to our knees and make us feel terrible. But in truth, they are our greatest gifts. They are our gurus, our wake-up call, our key to spiritual evolution, our key to happiness _ if we so choose. When you feel attacked, immediately acknowledge: 1. All attacks are merely cries for help. 2. Their opinion of me is none of my business. 3. If I am feeling attacked, I do not love myself _ therefore my mind is joining with and strengthening fear, not love. Forgive me self, for I have feared. Your penance: face a mirror and say, “I Love You” until you mean it. People who seemingly cause you to suffer are merely reminding you it is time for you to evolve. They are in your life to teach you how to be unconditional love. Your ego mind relishes in counter attack, holding grievances and casting judgments. Fear empowers your ego mind, denying your true self, love. When you choose love, you are infinitely powerful and all things are possible. Be only love. Share your newfound strength and confidence with the world. Manifest happiness daily. Break out of this illusion and wake up. Your gurus deserve your love and grati- tude. The choice is yours; happiness is your only function. “Keep up Now! with the stream of higher consciousness and stay connected to the Source.” _Terry Ludwig Terry Ludwig’s brother, Rob, passed away in 2004 after bat- tling AIDS. Before he passed, he shared his message. “Keep Up Now!” is the result of that communication. She can be reached at keepupnow@gmail.com. Jan. 6, 2011 O-Town Scene 27 Jeffrey Sterling Civil marriage is acceptable for all Civil marriage for same- sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples is fair and just. This is the marriage license a couple buys at a town or city hall. It is a license issued and recognized by the state that reflects no religious bias. In 1791, the First Amend- ment was ratified by the states declaring, “Congress shall make no law respect- ing an establishment of religion or promoting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separa- tion between church and state.” It sickens me to hear people using the Bible or Christ’s Gospel to put down whole classes of people. There is great harm inflicted on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths caused when religion is misused to justify prejudice, discrimination and violence against people based solely on their sexual orientation. Misusing religion in a way that subjects gay teens to traumatic depression, fear, rejection, persecution and even physical violence is one of the greatest moral failures of our times. Should I grant some apparently fair-mind- ed folks who say they support civil unions a bit of wiggle room? No. Do they not see the inequality and injustice? What is a civil union anyway? Certainly it is less than marriage. In New Jersey, insurance companies refused to grant benefits to partners of “civil unionized” couples because they weren’t married. Vermont, realizing the disparity, voted to do away with civil unions, convert- ing them to the equal status of marriage. Many cannot freely exercise their religion, because they would allow LGBT mem- bers to wed and high- lighting how our errant legislators are allowing the minority to abuse the Constitution by forcing their faith over those al- lowing gays to marry (United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universal- ist, some Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and Jewish faiths). Allow all couples the right to a civil marriage. Churches, synagogues, ashrams, temples and mosques may or may not then bless these unions as they see fit. — Jeffrey Sterling the Diversity Scene Jan. 6-12

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