What Makes You Special

Are you afraid?
We're all afraid.

Are you angry?
We're all angry.

Do you feel threatened by forces beyond your control?
Do you wonder if your way of life is being challenged?

We all feel the threat of personal extinction.
None of this makes you special.

What makes you special
is precisely what makes you dangerous.

What makes you special is turning a blind eye
to greed and corruption,

What makes you special is compromising your better judgement
to support people in power who embody the worst of human nature.

Each time you choose
to listen to hate,
to believe half-truths
to follow without asking yourself "why",

each time you claim your God
is more vengeful and hating
than benevolent and loving

that which makes you special
makes you  more dangerous.

Hatred is easy.
Ignorance is easy.
Blind belief is easy.

These require nothing more than sitting on your couch
flicking through channels of talking heads who feed  hatred,

or wandering through internet sites that fuel ignorance
and wrap layers of lies around beliefs.

You can judge others
who are more like you than different.

But there is a remedy for what ails you.

Put down the remote.
Lay aside your phone.
Close your computer.
Stand up.

Then  step out your door with fresh eyes
and a heart that is ready
to embrace
the open beauty
that has been hiding
beneath your "special" hatred
all along.