The Catalyst

Greeting to all,

Over the last few Catalysts I’ve shared some words of wisdom that has functioned as my personal *lodestar. It’s funny, though. Most of what I believe now I learned in the last 5 years. What I learned in the first 25 has turned out to be mostly false. Well, let me take that back. I don’t want to say it was ALL false however the beliefs I had didn’t have a good foundation. What I thought I knew about life was embedded in my head as a youth and for some strange reason I never questioned it, even as an adult.
If you’ve read any of my past Catalyst dealing with religion it may have led you to assume I’m Atheist. On the contrary, I’m a believer of God. As a true believer, I’m constantly trying to understand God and my purpose according to that knowledge. It’s ironic how similar faith and fear is. They are both assumptions about the future without tangible evidence. I’ve had to overcome years of religious rhetoric to get to where I am now. That journey has led me down a long, strange road. But at least now I can walk with my head held high knowing that I’m not living a life guided by fear and guilt. You see, God isn’t some bouncer who sits in Heaven determining who gets in. He doesn’t keep track of your good and bad deeds on His Blackberry. God is love. More than that, God is self love. As long as you love yourself, you’re always in God’s presence. You can pay your tithes and offering, take communion, and attend Thursday night prayer but until you realize self love your search for God is in vain.
In conclusion, I will leave you with the final Cata-List detailing the 30 things I’ve learned in 30 years.

10. Everybody will not like you. Find the ones that do and keep it moving.
9. The Bible is not the Words of God. It is simply letters on a page. You, the reader, give it meaning. Why do you think there are so many religions?
8. People who are scared to speak up for themselves are notorious for being liars. They’ll do anything, even if they don’t want to, not to offend others.
7. The world doesn’t owe you anything.
6. Very few men act like the guys in love stories.
5. Very few women act like the ladies in porno.
4. The hardest thing one can do is to be honest with oneself. (The 2nd hardest thing is recognizing the difference between your wants and your needs).
3. It’s your own fault if your life isn’t where you think it should be. No one can hold you back without your permission.
2. Never stop learning. Your education shouldn’t end when you graduate.
1. Jesus loves me. <--This I know.

Thanks to everyone who attended my birthday dinner. I got some good footage for my movie. I know many of you don’t live in Atlanta so I’ll cut you some slack. We always have next year.

“Life is so constructed that an event does not, cannot, and will not match the expectation.” – Charlotte Bronte

Dream Big. Live Bigger.



The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
www.blestbabyproductions.com


*Word you’ve never heard…
lodestar /LOHD-star/ noun - one that serves as an inspiration, model, or guide