United We Stand Back Up

When we let the haters make us hateful, love loses.
When we let the violence make us violent, love loses.
When we let the fear mongers make us fearful, love loses.

When the ignorant distract us from understanding our true nature, their ignorance becomes contagious.

When those blinded by bigotry obscure our ability to see the tolerance that still lives and thrives in the world, we too, become blind.

Every time we allow the dim witted to shake our faith in the human spirit, the light of hope dims in proportion.

When you think building physical walls can protect us, please take a moment to consider the damage the emotional walls between us are already inflicting.

In the wake of the pessimism that tragedy and senseless violence breeds, it is more important than ever to cling to optimism and see clearly.

Let us face the ugly truth when it arises, but let us not lock our focus onto it.

Because what we put our attention on becomes more real. More intensified.

And when hatred tears a hole in the sole of humanity,
what we need to intensify is our unity. So we can come together to mend that hole.

We cannot let the firing of guns take away our fire.
We must, instead, fan the flame of love.

To triumph over those who kill, we absolutely must live.
More fully, more joyfully and more unified than ever before.

If I could ask one thing of every good and open-hearted person on this Earth,
I would ask you to live; live for those who have died.

If you must shed tears, laugh until you cry. Because I'm betting that is something those shot down would love to do if they still could.

If you feel you would like to kill those who so savagely murder others, kill them with kindness. Because kind thoughts are the only ones our victims and their loved ones deserve.

And, specifically, in memory of Orlando, don't turn away from the music and harmony that beats at the heart of life.

Instead, follow the lead of those who we lost...

And dance your ass off every chance you get.