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Freedom is a Gift

FREEDOM IS A GIFT

This week is the Jewish holiday of Passover. It’s a festival that’s been celebrated for thousands of years and every year we read the same story of how Moses took the Israelites from oppression into freedom. It’s a powerful story of how one man can change the lives of many and continue to influence people for hundreds of generations.

Whether we believe the story is true or not is irrelevant. The powerful metaphor contained within it has been a beacon for many oppressed peoples throughout the world. Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and many, many others, took the story of the Exodus and made it their own.

Many of you already know the story of Moses and how he parted the waters to lead his people across the Red Sea. Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to the Red Sea, and it’s pretty big. It was a long walk across with the chariots of the Pharaoh bearing down on them. But the idea that we can overcome the limitations of what other people place upon us is a powerful idea.

Enslavement was and is the darkest part of humanity. The idea that we can control the destiny of others with our will, with our beliefs and with our iron fist, is anathema to how we want to be as humans. To deny the lives of others to further our own power or control is a bitter pill no one should be forced to swallow.

But it’s not only the physical act of holding someone in bondage or keeping them oppressed that stands out for me in the Passover story. It is the way we hold this metaphor for how we live our own lives.

We are all in bondage to something.

In my own life, I grew up in a family where chaos ruled. My father was a serious alcoholic who physically abused both his wife and his children for many years. Now, I could have gone one of two ways. I could have been kicked into the gutter of life and reverted to alcohol myself, or I could take the higher road and find my salvation in other things. Well, it was a bit of both in reality.

I loved drugs and alcohol from an early age. I was thirteen when I started drinking and I was fifteen when I got hooked on amphetamines. My self-esteem was lower than a gnat, but that didn’t seem to stop me. As you can see, I’m here now talking about it. But the long road out of bondage to this place I stand in today, being a Fearless Fifty, took me into some very dark and scary places. It is not a road I would recommend anyone going down, but for me there was no option. It was that or perish.

Along the way, people close to me were hurt but I couldn’t help myself, and as I continued to struggle with drug and alcohol dependency it would eventually push me into Alcoholics Anonymous. I am not a Bill W story, although I was in AA for five years. During that time I was also undergoing some very intensive therapy and I confronted a lot of the demons, including being a victim of sexual abuse, which I had locked away.

But getting healthy was far more important to me than holding onto my dark secrets, and gradually I began to unearth the real me beneath the garbage. I began to realize that I was a victim of alcoholic thinking. I was an obsessive compulsive who needed to know exactly where everything was in order to feel safe. I wanted order in my life, but my behavior was anything but. When I drank too much I was convinced I was an alcoholic. But as you know, a real alcoholic cannot live without a drink, and I have always been able to do that. Controlling how much I drank in one sitting and then feeling bad that I’d overdone it again, was my biggest problem.

It took me 5 years to see that my enslavement was the way I think about myself when I drink. I was not my father, or my mother, or anyone else for that matter. It was key to the whole issue. It had to change. And it did. I changed my relationship to alcohol and to behavior that occasionally is not good for me. I like a glass of wine or two and on occasion three or four, but I know how to stop nowadays and what’s better, I chalk it up to having had a really good time and I’ll recover the next day. I’m a Fearless Fifty now because I can face the demons and give them a name. I choose not to allow the demons to enslave me anymore. I choose to live life on my own terms.

But there are always things in our lives that we are enslaved to.

We find it in our work, our relationship to money, to debt, a style of life we can’t afford, a relationship that’s not working, health that isn’t perfect, too much sex, not enough sex, endlessly trying to please, too much eating, drinking, obsessing about things that are out of our control, habits that are destructive.

In the Passover story we speak of the ten plagues that afflicted the Egyptians as a punishment for their oppression of the Israelites. They include the Nile being turned into blood, frogs, massive hail stones, cow disease, lice and locusts, and the death of the first born child.

What are some of the plagues that afflict us today? I can think of a few. Aids, SARS, Mad Cow disease, wars ravaging Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, Sudan, Sierra Leone and many others. The distrust and conflict that separates Israel and Palestine. The economic oppression in Russia. All of these are conflicts of the soul and of the heart. All are a source of oppression.

We would like to think that we have moved on from the dark days of slavery, but that’s not true. Think of the young women from Eastern Europe who are forced into slavery as sex slaves throughout the world. The children in Asia who are forced into child labor and sex. Even here in New York today there is are hundreds of sweat shops and underpaid workers. At the restaurant Saigon Grill on the Upper West Side the food is good, the prices reasonable. But they pay their workers $1.61 an hour to work there. Most are illegal immigrants with no way to retaliate. Now that’s slave labor. It’s a small thing, but I will not return to that restaurant.

We don’t need to support oppression for our own satisfaction. By ignoring the plight of others, we ignore the basic needs of man. We ignore the message that we are intrinsically saying they don’t count. We all count.

That means we are all responsible for the choices we make when interacting with others. It is said at Passover, ‘if even one person is enslaved, we all are.’

Martin Luther King spent his entire life trying to free his people from the oppression of white supremacy and the suffocating laws and expectations that kept people down. The Dalai Lama works tirelessly for the Tibetan people and for mankind to be free of oppression, both physically and spiritually. Repression around the globe is endemic and we must all do our small part to stop the pain. We all have a responsibility to do something about it. Your pain is my pain because we live in the lives of others.

Passover in the Jewish tradition is our yearly reminder. We sit at our Seder table and recite the story of the Exodus. We talk about the present day and we talk about our enslavements. Too much TV, too much work, too much alcohol, too much eating, too much negative thinking. These are just some of the ways we are enslaved.

Think of something you’d like to break free from, and when you’re done, write it down and make a promise to yourself that you will make an effort this year to change it. You see we all have them. I’m enslaved to my work right now. I can’t let it go for a day, or if I do, I feel guilty that I should be doing something. I’m exhausted a lot of the time building my business, making the connections, getting exposure for what I’m doing. No one is cracking the whip except me. Do I need to break that habit? Probably. The world will keep turning no matter what I do.

Freedom is a choice many do not have. Whether it is self-imposed or imposed by others, freedom is a gift and a natural-born right. We all have the right to be free from bondage.

When Paul Robeson sang Let My People Go, you could feel the entire weight of that request. It was a cry for release. A cry for humanity.

Humanity. The words compassion, generosity, acceptance, tolerance and diversity come up for me when I consider that word. We are ALL entitled to our humanity. Our right to be whatever it is we want to be, however we want to be, as long as we generate respect for the rights of others to have the same privilege. We should all have the freedom to live without someone else telling us how it should be.

The holiday of Passover is a Jewish holiday, but it’s a world holiday. It’s a time to consider if we truly are free, and if not, we have the opportunity to change it today. We end our Seder with a statement “Next Year in Jerusalem.” It is a saying that encompasses the idea that we can all live in harmony. We can all find peace in this world.

I wish you Hag Sameach. A good year.

Be the best you can be for yourself and you will be the best you can be for others.
Let us live in peace and harmony NOW.

Read more: Freedom is a Gift

Alligators! Nature’s perfect ambush predator.

Alligators truly are nature’s best ambush predators. The simple fact that they have been existence since the age of the dinosaurs is amazing. Within this long period of time they have not at all changed except that they are a little smaller. If you can go back 100 million years ago and catch a glimpse of an alligator it would look exactly the same. With that being said they must have a pretty darn good survival strategy, one that includes hunting and eating other living creatures.

Now I’m going to walk you through how an alligator goes about killing it’s prey, I want you to imagine being the alligator. It all starts with the alligators ingenious natural design. At the top of their head is their eyes and snout. So the alligator can completely submerge its body leaving only it’s eyes and nose to scan the surrounding area.

From here the alligator can very easily locate unweary prey that comes up to the water’s edge looking for a drink. Then suddenly it vanishes not to be seen underwater. This is where the alligator is deadliest, evolution has granted alligators the ability to hold their breath for literally hours underwater.

Next, more quite and undetected than a stealth bomber, the alligator creeps closer and closer to it’s unsuspecting victim at the water’s edge. Literally getting feet from it’s prey without the animal knowing.

Then with the speed of a bullet lunges out and snaps down on it’s prey, using jaws lined up with bone crushing teeth that can exert three thousand pounds of pressure per square inch. Once in these jaws it’s all over there is pretty much no escape.

The alligator drags it’s prey underwater and drowns it in minutes, and since the alligator can hold it’s breath for and hour plus this isn’t a problem at all.

This my friends is nature’s perfect ambush predator. There is no other creature that has been using the same hunting technique for over 100 million years, never once having to change a bit. The American alligator along with it’s other crocodilian cousins are not only nature’s perfect predators, but nature’s best survival story.

Read more: Alligators! Nature’s perfect ambush predator.

How to Care for Your Bufo Alvarius Toad

The Bufo Alvarius toad can live for quite a long time in captivity. The Sonoran Desert toad, in general, lives for five to fifteen years, but one toad lived to 36, although it was not a Bufo Alvarius. But if you have gone to all the trouble of searching the Sonoran Desert to find them, or have purchased either a single or a pair of Bufo Alvarius toads from a reputable source, such as Bouncing Bear Botanicals, you will surely want to give it or them proper care so they will live a long time and give you many years of pleasure.

The first care tip is handling. You should handle your toad as little as possible, and, especially if you have other pets in your home, always wash your hands both prior to and subsequent to touching your toad. This is because the skin of an amphibian is permeable, which is to say it is porous, and any toxic substances on your hands may easily be absorbed into their bloodstream. The reason why you should always wash your hands after touching the toad is because of the venom glands located on their head and legs. The toad venom has a milky appearance, and it may be sufficiently toxic to kill a small cat or dog. It can also cause serious irritation to eyes and nose, so make sure never to touch your face until after your hands have been cleaned.

Toads are sensitive to light, sound and vibrations, so their housing should be kept in a quiet place where there is not a lot of noise and goings-on. Never put their aquarium on top of a stereo speaker or TV set, or even near them, because the vibrations are not good for them. Toads are nocturnal animals. They rest in the day time and come out at night, so the place where you house your Bufo Alvarius toad should not be too brightly lit.

Probably the best place to keep your toads would be in an aquarium of a twenty gallon size or larger. These toads are very large and they are excellent at jumping, so make sure their aquarium has a cover that fits snugly. During the day, they like to burrow into the ground to conceal themselves, so the aquarium should have a floor made not with soil but with chunks of bark, smooth stones that are too big for them to swallow, peat moss or sphagnum moss that has been dried. These are cold-blooded animals, which means their body temperature comes from their environment, so keep your Bufo Alvarius in a place where the temperature ranges from 24 to 27 C or 75 to 80 F. Their living space should not be wet, but they do need a bowl of non-chlorinated water. They don’t drink the water, but they immerse themselves in it, absorbing it through their skin.

Feeding your pet toad should not be too problematic if you live in an area where there are lots of insects such as crickets, or at least a pet shop that sells them. In the wild, they eat anything from small rodents and fish to bees, wasps and scorpions. These Colorado River toads even eat smaller frogs and toads.

If you keep your toad’s accommodations clean and comfortable, and take proper steps to look after them, you should be able to enjoy the company of your Bufo Alvarius for many years.

Read more: How to Care for Your Bufo Alvarius Toad

Alligators! Nature’s perfect ambush predator.

Alligators truly are nature’s best ambush predators. The simple fact that they have been existence since the age of the dinosaurs is amazing. Within this long period of time they have not at all changed except that they are a little smaller. If you can go back 100 million years ago and catch a glimpse of an alligator it would look exactly the same. With that being said they must have a pretty darn good survival strategy, one that includes hunting and eating other living creatures.

Now I’m going to walk you through how an alligator goes about killing it’s prey, I want you to imagine being the alligator. It all starts with the alligators ingenious natural design. At the top of their head is their eyes and snout. So the alligator can completely submerge its body leaving only it’s eyes and nose to scan the surrounding area.

From here the alligator can very easily locate unweary prey that comes up to the water’s edge looking for a drink. Then suddenly it vanishes not to be seen underwater. This is where the alligator is deadliest, evolution has granted alligators the ability to hold their breath for literally hours underwater.

Next, more quite and undetected than a stealth bomber, the alligator creeps closer and closer to it’s unsuspecting victim at the water’s edge. Literally getting feet from it’s prey without the animal knowing.

Then with the speed of a bullet lunges out and snaps down on it’s prey, using jaws lined up with bone crushing teeth that can exert three thousand pounds of pressure per square inch. Once in these jaws it’s all over there is pretty much no escape.

The alligator drags it’s prey underwater and drowns it in minutes, and since the alligator can hold it’s breath for and hour plus this isn’t a problem at all.

This my friends is nature’s perfect ambush predator. There is no other creature that has been using the same hunting technique for over 100 million years, never once having to change a bit. The American alligator along with it’s other crocodilian cousins are not only nature’s perfect predators, but nature’s best survival story.

Read more: Alligators! Nature’s perfect ambush predator.

Tips To Choosing The Right Auto Insurance Company

Are you in the market for better auto insurance rates? Or, perhaps you are simply looking for a new auto insurance company? Whatever your reason for shopping around, now is the perfect time to request auto insurance quotes from several companies who are more than eager to earn your patronage. In fact, many companies will compete for your business by way of auto insurance rates.

Your first step to choosing the right auto insurance company is to consider the type of coverage that you need. For instance, if you have a less than perfect driving record or past credit problems, you may want to compare auto insurance costs from companies who specialize in giving customers a second chance to earn discount auto insurance. If you own more than one vehicle, you may find that some auto insurance companies will offer cheap auto insurance rates in exchange for becoming your exclusive provider. In other words, transferring all of your policies to one company may result in discount auto insurance at its best.

The next step in choosing an auto insurance company is to look for one that rewards customers based on a good driving record. One of the keys to a respectable auto insurance company is flexibility when it comes to coverage selection and incentives to promote better and more responsible driving. In addition to comparing auto insurance rates and plans, take the time to review the auto insurance company’s policy on discount auto insurance rates for those with a safe driving record.

It’s important to realize that auto insurance rates vary from one area to the next. For instance, Pennsylvania auto insurance may be less expensive than New York auto insurance or vice versa. Regardless of where you live, however, most will agree that auto insurance is expensive and it’s essential that you compare auto insurance rates to ensure that you are getting what you pay for. A good auto insurance company, for instance, will offer various deductibles, competitive auto insurance rates and some type of coverage that allows for the temporary payment of medical bills in the event that you ever become involved in an auto accident. If you are injured as a result of another motorist’s negligence, many auto insurance companies will pay for your medical bills and later seek reimbursement from the faulty individual(s). This is a great relief to many, especially those who may not otherwise have health insurance.

As a final thought to choosing an auto insurance company that offers the best auto insurance rate, free auto insurance quotes and/or a flexible program that can be customized to fit your individual needs, simply take the time to shop around and compare auto insurance from more than one company prior to making a final decision.

The information in this article is designed to be used for reference purposes only. It should not be used as, in place of or in conjunction with professional financial or insurance advice relating to auto insurance quotes, discount auto insurance or auto insurance rates. For additional information or to receive an auto insurance quote, contact a local auto insurance company.

Read more: Tips To Choosing The Right Auto Insurance Company

What Are You Doing With The Incredible Gift Of Life?

Of all the wonders of nature perhaps the most incredible is that we are alive with the free will to choose what we do with our lives. This is an amazing gift and we only have a few short years to enjoy it. What are you doing with your gift of life?

The concept of a life after death is a very appealing idea but I, for one, haven’t seen any convincing proof that such a life exists. What I do know is that I am alive now and that I have the choice of making that life a wonderful adventure.

You too have that opportunity to make life a wonderful adventure.

George Bernard Shaw once said that youth is wasted on the young. It seems to be a human trait that we only really appreciate something after we have lost it. I wonder if life is wasted on the living.

What are you doing with your life?

What did you do in the last year that could be called a marvelous adventure?

Most people waste their life doing things that they don’t really like, or at best things that are mildly entertaining. They never capture the passion for living. What are you doing that you are truly passionate about?

Do you have something in your life that is so inspiring that you can’t wait to get up each morning? Do you have something in your life that is so inspiring that you keep putting off going to bed at night just so you can spend a little more time on your passion?

What are your goals in life? Are they big, inspiring goals that challenge you and cause you to grow each day? And if you have such goals are you throwing yourself headlong in their pursuit or are they just idle dreams?

The average person lives to somewhere around 80 years. Are you using your 80 years to become all you can be? Or are you just passing the time? What have you done so far that has set the world on fire?

The choice is yours. Whether you have had a magnificent life so far or whether you have just been plodding, the future is an open book waiting to be written, and you hold the pen in your hands.

If you knew that you couldn’t fail, what goals would you set for the next 10 years? If you had all the resources that you needed, how would you choose to live your day to day life?

Life really is a blank page waiting for you to fill it. You have the choice to write any life you want and then to live that life. All it takes is the courage to dream big dreams and then the passion to throw yourself 100% into those dreams.

There is no telling who you could become. Each opportunity taken leads to another opportunity. As you grow as a person you are able to see new, more interesting challenges that you didn’t even know existed before your took that growth step.

So why not let your head go and dream big dreams? Why not have the courage to develop an all consuming passion? Why not open your mind and heart to becoming all you can be? After all, all you have to lose is a life of mediocrity!

Read more: What Are You Doing With The Incredible Gift Of Life?