Drawing Lines

Today I sit and reminisce as I listen to the breeze outside; I imagine being home on the gulf sitting on the beach somewhere.  I would dig my toes into the sand and root myself there as the ocean mists upon my face creating a dewy glow and the gentle sea breezes brush my hair.  It’s renewal at its best; sitting there I become one with the earth and sea and the feelings that draw upon my heart bring tears to my eyes.  It’s here that the Creator speaks to me.  There are no words exchanged; only understanding.  “Feel Me”, she whispers as the earth pulses life beneath me.  “Hear Me “he cries as the wind carries songs to my ears.  So I do and I hush my mind, and allow my heart to receive.

I begin to understand that I am drawing lines in the sand.  These lines begin to define me.  These lines tell me who I am supposed to be and how I am supposed to act.  I begin to fear the lines and I start to doubt myself.  I believe that if I cross one of these lines that I will face failure.  Around me are others drawing lines as well, they are drawing lines around themselves and I have allowed them to also draw lines around me.  The wind whispers for me to look around and it becomes so painfully clear that I have drawn so many lines and allowed so many lines to be drawn around me, that I have imprisoned myself and my heart.

Thankfully the winds have brought forth the current, and the waters run up beside me, around me, beneath me and slowly with each wave, erase the lines around me.  I realize that I am free, and I begin to dance upon the wet sand.  Those around me scurry to draw their lines.  They rush, fight, fret and worry because they fear that they cannot exist outside those lines.  They glare at me, some with anger, and others with fear for me.  They try to warn me to stop for now my lines have disappeared and I do nothing to replace them.  I laugh for my heart is so light, I cannot imagine turning back to drawing those crazy lines and now that I have opened my heart to receive a deeper understanding, I cannot back track.  So I move forward, singing and dancing along the way; leaving behind only my footprints and hope that others may find liberation as well and realize they are only bound by the lines because it is they who continue to draw them.

And so it goes in the lives of those who chose a forceful life path.  They are so consumed by the lines they have drawn in the sand that they fail to realize there is existence beyond those small boxes they have created.  Inside these boxes are their preconceived notions of how the world should operate and how mankind “should” live.  These lines condemn their vision to a meager reality and confine them to their own personal agendas.  Once someone distorts their lines they do not have the capacity to react in a calm emotional manner and so their reaction is frequently outrage and anger, oftentimes followed by physical altercation. 

Our society has actually fostered this type of mentality.  If someone does not conform to what we believe we offer them forceful hands, helping them draw lines according to our vision.  Yet we have also witnessed peaceful liberators stand up and offer a way to exist outside these lines without the need for violence and outrage.  

I believe Dr. Martin Luther King said it best when he stated “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”  Although he was killed by someone who had fear of blurred lines, our nation began to slowly change due to the tide of free men. This brings forth hope that it can be done and the change should begin within us and within our household.  We can continue to wipe away these lines through the tide of love and tolerance until the central belief of society is no longer focused on the conformity of all people but based on a mutual respect for humanity and all its differences.  It is time for liberation because in truth, the lines are merely an illusion anyway.  

April RedWing
Guest Blogger