Labels and Bells

I made a big mistake recently.

I said my friend Eddie was Dominican, when he's in fact Puerto Rican. He was pissed. He said "you never call a Puerto Rican a Dominican," and he walked away. I couldn't get through to him for a few days. But when I did, I had to wonder something. We wondered together. We hear this same phrase in stories, songs, we hear it from our parents even: "you never confuse Puerto Ricans with Dominicans, or vice versa. They hate it, & they hate each other."

So let's forget that for a second, and pretend we've never heard it before. How does Eddie feel about being called Dominican? Does saying "Eddie is a Puerto Rican" define the infinitely unique human being that Eddie is? Does it truly bother Eddie if someone calls him Dominican? Is it worth creating a conflict between two friends? Does Eddie "the Puerto Rican" really hate every single infinitely unique human being that happens do be "Dominican?" After a little introspection, Eddie found that the answer to all these questions was "no."

Eddie & I found this to be a great example of looking at the world from the inside out, rather than looking at the world from the outside in (which is what we are groomed to do). We have the power to shape the world around us; by controlling how we react to what it throws our way, as opposed to trying to control it. The world around us doesn't have to shape who we are inside; and it'll never be able to stop us from bringing peace to it, if we choose to receive everything it throws our way...with love.

I'll even go a little further with this. Donald Trump may be a blessing in disguise. Let me finish. He is bringing a lot of attention to labels. To many of us this is an opportunity, a time to stop & think about things we don't take enough time to reflect on: "Shit, what this dude is saying is not true; Islam is about peace, each and every 'Muslim' is an infinitely unique & precious human being, and the vast majority does not want to kill me." In some cultures, a bell is used to remind us to stop, breath, smile, and just be in the present moment; to see things more clearly, enjoy them more profoundly, and get to understand them. Every time it is invited to ring, it is a blessing, an opportunity. Let Donald Trump, who we run into 100 times a day, be a bell to us. But please, vote Bernie Sanders, haha.

Much love everyone, happy Sunday!

-Roberto

#prayfortheworld

   This comes in a bit late, but here goes.  According to what a few of my Salvadoran facebook friends were posting around the time of the Paris attacks: There's nothing wrong with praying for Paris, we are all brothers & sisters. But I agree, let's pray for El Salvador as well. My home country, El Salvador, has the highest homicide rate in the world; on average, one HUMAN BEING is murdered per hour. We CANNOT get used to this. Let's pray for the world for that matter. We are all connected; and the ones who need our love & prayers, above all others, are the troubled hearts of the human beings who commit these horrific acts. Make no mistake there. YOU DO NOT STOP A FIRE WITH MORE FIRE!!!!

   I live in New York, many of the problems we see in the world originate from the selfishness & greed that exists in the hearts of a handful of individuals/organizations right here. Cheap/slave labor around the globe, deforestation, illegal drug purchasing that leaves a mass blood trail through the entire American continent (just to get to your nose/wherever you stick it in), weapons sales, mass food production industry, oil, etc. EVERY ONE of us supports this destructive anti-unity anti-equality anti-collaboration cycle from the moment we choose to look down on another human being living on the street instead of pulling him/her up; to the moment we make a purchase without trying to find out at what expense this product reached our hands. I'm guilty. What's happening out there is all our faults. LET'S STOP PRETENDING WE DON'T CARE, IT IS OUR HUMAN NATURE TO CARE. ACT ON IT.

"Nothing that happens to others should be considered foreign to us." -Juan XXIII

"If you only love those who love you, what reward is there for that?" -Matthew 5:46

"The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought." -Mahatma Gandhi

#prayforParis #prayforElSalvador #prayforWallStreet #prayfortheworld

"Yo tengo algo mejor para ti"

   Hace poco le pedi un consejo a un amigo. Le dije que habia algo que yo estaba haciendo que sentia me estaba alejando de Dios. Mi amigo me preguntó, "pero te hace sentir bien?" Y yo le respondi, "si."
Pero eso no me bastó. Hay tantas cosas que hacemos que nos hacen sentir bien en el momento, pero no nos llenan. Todos tenemos algo diferente que a veces nos tiene atados, pero el deseo es el mismo, por eso no podemos juzgar; solo comprender, perdonar, y apoyar.
   Cuando nos permitimos caer en la tentacion, el deseo de hacerlo de nuevo, sin falta, regresa muy pronto. No estamos satisfechos, no estamos llenos, queremos mas y mas y mas. Eso no es paz, eso no es plenitud, eso no es felicidad. Entonces, si no luchamos contra nuestras debilidades, como vamos a fortalecernos?
   Nuestros seres contienen radares que no tienen la capacidad de mentir, que nos dicen donde esta la verdad y donde no. Es solo que a veces no queremos escuchar. La verdadera libertad viene cuando no estamos atados a cadenas fisicas, mentales, emocionales, o espirituales, que nos alejan de la paz. Luchemos por ella, para estar cerca de Dios.
   En oracion le pedi ayuda a nuestro Papito, me respondio en mi corazon con la mejor arma que me pudo haber dado, y aqui se las comparto. Me dijo: "Yo tengo algo mejor para ti."

Feliz 2016. No podemos controlar lo que recibimos, pero si podemos escoger recibir todo con amor. Venite año nuevo, estamos listos.

3 reminders: we are moving forward

1) Labels

2) Nuevo Paradigma 

3) Bernie Sanders

3 recordatorios: que es ser humano?

1) Palabras Japonesas


2) Ubuntu:

"Un antropólogo sugirió una broma para unos niños en Africa: puso un saco muy bonito lleno de dulces debajo de un árbol, y propuso a los niños una carrera.  Quien ganara tendría el regalo.  Cuando dijo "ya," todos los niños se dieron las manos y salieron corriendo en dirección al saco.  Dividieron todo entre ellos, con mucha alegría.

El antropólogo quedó asombrado ante la actitud de los niños.  Ellos le explicaron: 'Ubuntu, amigo.  ¿Cómo uno de nosotros podría estar feliz si todos los demás estuvieran tristes?'  Él, entonces, se dió cuenta de la esencia de ese pueblo.  No había competencia, sino colaboración.  Ubuntu significa: 'soy quién soy, porque somos todos nosotros."

3) "Sino se convierten y se hacen como niños"