Who Are You?

"Originality does not consist in saying what no one else has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself." ~ James Stephens

I love the fact that I have a mind of my own. If I'm offered the kool-aid served by the media, church or amongst family and friends, I know that if I'm the one choosing the flavor. I can choose to drink or not to drink. Personally, I prefer sweet tea, thankyouverymuch.

Speaking of edible preferences, I like my chicken grilled, not fried. I like my toast slightly burnt, and before I put the butter on it, I like to let it cool down so when I bite into it, it still has a crunch (instead of letting the melted butter make my bread soggy). I'm a label whore when it comes to popcorn. The only kind I purchase is Pop Secret Homestyle so I can lick the salt off my fingers once I'm finished. And that's just the beginning of what I lick my chops over.

For example, I'm neither Republican or Democrat. Although I almost caused WWIII with my family (who raised me a Democrat), there are too many other issues that aren't addressed fully by either side for me to pick just one. I'm non-denominational in my Christian beliefs (WWIV for the daughter of a Baptist family), because I don't want to get stuck at one man's revelation without fully seeking God for what's next. He doesn't belong in a box, anyway. He sent His Son so we could be free from that kind of tyranny. Plus, researching how Jesus lived His life shows how He was a man of purpose, unfazed by the bars of popular opinion.

I'm fully aware that such a lifestyle may not be acceptable to some. When I was in the military, I tried to find the smallest things to do to my uniform to make it uniquely mine without violating regulations. I'm not a rebel without a cause...I'm a person with a sui generis, one of a kind personality. Obviously there are boundaries to ensure that I don't cross lines with anyone unnecessarily, but those boundaries are not chains...they're set up to ensure I don't let my mouth write checks that my actions cannot cash.

I love meeting people who know their identity and walk confidently in it, regardless of the backlash it may cause. If that is uniquely you, let it be known in the comments section. What makes you...YOU?

Be Yourself!

“Guard against the prestige of great names; see that your judgments are your own; and do not shrink from disagreement; no trusting without testing.” ~ John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton

More than ever before, we live in an era that seeks to feed us what to think and how to think it. From the media to the church, there are so many opinions about what should or shouldn't be done, said, pursued, etc. Don't get me wrong...it's important to seek wise counsel prior to making any kind of major decision. It's even more imperative to have a strategy, plan and goal about where you want to go with any project; if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.

However, where is the originality these days? In music, I feel like I hear the same artist over and over again on the radio; they just take on a different alias with each song. In news, whatever happened to unbiased, objective reporting? Instead, all this propaganda is inserted in between the lines of the facts that I seek.

My opinion may agree with someone else's, but it's not because of the person. The only person I can think of that could change my opinion about an issue cart blanch, hands down is Jesus. He's God, so He's always right. LOL Therefore, I'm not in the practice of dropping names to make my opinion that much stronger. If it's mine, I'll stand on it and leave Mr. Obama's or Dr. God's name out of it. If I truly believe what I'm saying, there's no need for me to drop a name of prestige...who God created me to be carries enough clout and credibility to stand on its own.

How do you maintain your originality?