
|
IDENTITY
|
|
|
Purrfectly Speaking
by Anita Charlot 2006-07-01
|
|
This article shared 3170 times since Sat Jul 1, 2006
|
|
Happy Fourth of July and Independence Day to you all! Independence? Hmmm ... let's discuss the concept for a moment, shall we? The meaning of independence has evolved almost as much as I have in my latter years. I would even venture to say that independence and freedom, to me, are now synonymous. When I think of the term 'independent,' I think of freedom—freedom to make my own decisions, in my own way, in my own time … according to the needs and desires of my own spirit. Selfish? No, self-preserving.
As a child, I couldn't wait until I was given the freedom to make my own decisions about what time I went to bed. In high school, I couldn't wait until I was given the freedom to drive without having to have another licensed driver in the car. Next, I longed to reach the age of 21 for the freedom of being able to get into the clubs while using my REAL ID ( lol ) . My next independent moment came when I left for college and moved into my own place. I have also enjoyed the freedom of dating whomever I wanted, regardless of the opinions of others. I've also had the freedom to work in several different job markets according to what I wanted to do at that time and manage my own religious and spiritual practices.
Taking time to examine the truth of who we really are can open our eyes to so many things. I continue to have 'aha!' moment after 'aha!' moment. I have been reunited with Little Anita; I have relived and reclaimed my energy from many of my past memories and I have come to know Anita in ways that I never had the opportunity to before. What has this done for me?
It has given me a new sense of independence … or freedom, if you will. I look to the next 40 years of my life being very optimistic, very sure of what I do not want in my life, and excited about all of the new possibilities that lie ahead of me. I recognize how I have been the one to place shackles on my own feet, how I have willingly lost touch with the essence of who I really am and how I have allowed fear to dictate my actions as well as how I have placed so many unrealistic expectations on others and then felt let down when they couldn't measure up. I see these things so clearly now.
I have been liberated by life's lessons … I have been given my freedom … I am newly independent, emotionally and spiritually: 'Look Ma! I'm all grown up now!' I recognize that I have 'shown up' at this stage in my life specifically to 'grow up.' I look at each challenge now as a different phase in my life and I recognize that the universe has to have either MAD JOKES or MAD RESPECT for me to have taken me through all of the challenges that it has. But at the end of each 'class' I get the lesson. After plenty of introspection and analysis, I understand why and I'm grateful each time.
I now have a new lease on life that includes never allowing myself to lose sight of my newly acquired independence ( my emotional and spiritual freedom ) ; never forgetting about what's really important to me; never expecting others to sacrifice their happiness for the sake of my own; and never expecting people to change in order to be something that I would like for them to be and never doing any of those things for anyone else. I am now mentally free to live life in whatever manner I choose, by whatever rules I set, with the freedom to speak my truth and, from my truth, know that I am. I am what, you ask?!?!? I JUST AM, period! No one can ever take away the essence of who you become as a result of your life's experiences. And at the moment I realized that I AM … it all made sense. You've earned the right to be exactly who you want to be in this lifetime…exercise it. Grab your Purrfectly Authentic life by the collar and say 'Hold on … you've escaped me far too long … I believe it's time.'
Claim YOUR independence and begin living from your truth … I sure have.
www.purrfectharmonyinc.com |
 |
|
 |
This article shared 3170 times since Sat Jul 1, 2006
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
| 
|  | WORLD South Africa, Greek ruling, soccer items, singer attacked 2022-05-08 South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa praised his country for creating a conducive environment for LGB people to practice same-sex marriages and partnerships, according to Erasing 76 Crimes. Speaking at a Freedom Day celebration in Mpumalanga, ...
| 
|  | 'Rasheeda Speaking' now running through June 4 at Theater Wit 2022-04-26 Shattered Globe Theatre is now running the workplace production Rasheeda Speaking through June 4 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. The production was supposed to run Feb. 25-April 9 but was pushed back due to ...
| 
|  | VIEWS Bannon, the Catholic vote and our democracy 2022-02-20 "I don't want anybody to take their eye off the ball for what we do every day... We're taking down the Biden regime." Stephen K. Bannon speaking to reporters as he turned himself over to federal ...
| 
|  | GLAAD issues statement on unequal policing of Black, trans, queer athletes 2022-02-16 -- From a press release - (Wednesday, February 9, 2022) GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is speaking out about the unequal treatment of athletes who test positive ...
| 
|  | Biden criticizes Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill 2022-02-09 On Feb. 8, President Joe Biden offered support to LGBTQ students while speaking out against a Florida bill that would ban the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state's public schools, Business Insider ...
| 
|  | Pope Francis: Parents should support gay children 2022-01-28 Pope Francis said Jan. 26 that parents should support, not condemn, gay children, CBS News reported. In speaking about how parents should always stand by their children during difficult times, including illness or accidents, the pope ...
| 
|  | THEATER Shattered Globe running revival of play about workplace racism 2021-12-23 Shattered Globe Theatre (SGT) has announced a revival of Chicago writer Joel Drake Johnson's Rasheeda Speaking, directed by SGT Associate Artistic Director AmBer D. Montgomery. This comedy-turned-social thriller about workplace ...
| 
|  | Trans Netflix employees file labor suit 2021-10-31 Two transgender Netflix employees have filed labor charges against the streaming giant in the wake of the Dave Chappelle controversy concerning his special The Closer, alleging the company retaliated against them for speaking out against the ...
| 
|  | Gavin Newsom wins Calif. recall election 2021-09-15 On Sept. 14, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom defeated a GOP-backed effort to remove him from office, media outlets reported. Speaking from Sacramento, Newsom thanked Californians for rejecting the recall effort, according to CNN.com. He also ...
| 
|  | PASSAGES Fritzie Fritzshall, Auschwitz survivor, innovator in Holocaust education 2021-06-20 --From a press release - As a Survivor of the Holocaust and the President of Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Fritzie Fritzshall devoted her life to combatting hatred and prejudice, inspiring people to become Upstanders instead of bystanders, and speaking ...
| 
|  | Gov. Pritzker signs FY22 state budget into law
2021-06-18 --From a press release - SPRINGFIELD After speaking to the investments made possible by the FY22 state budget this morning, Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2017, the FY22 Budget Implementation Act, as well as the certification of the General ...
| 
|  | Simmons, family advocates argue for $600-per-child state tax credit before Senate committee 2021-05-08 --From a press release - SPRINGFIELD Speaking alongside other advocates for Illinois children and families, Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) argued the necessity of his plan to institute a $600-per-child income tax credit at the state level before the ...
| 
|  | Undocumented LGBTQ+ activists speak on importance of voting 2020-10-23 --From a press release - Los Angeles, CA. - Queer and undocumented filmmaker Armando Ibañez is releasing the videos of 9 undocumented LGTQ+ activists speaking on the importance of the 2020 elections to undocumented communities as part of the #VotaJota digital ...
| 
|  | Advocates: LGBTQs face additional complications in pandemic 2020-04-01 Members of the LGBT community face additional healthcare challenges as they contend with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, according to national LGBTQ-health advocates and officials speaking in a March 25 webinar. ...
| 
|  | LGBTQ leaders, allies rally for Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's re-election
2020-03-08 LGBTQ community members and allies gathered at Ann Sather restaurant on March 7 to support Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's re-election campaign. The event precedes the March 17 primary elections. Speaking at the event, Equality ...
| |
|
|
|
|