I could just over thinking this comment, but after this response I have stopped thanking people for hanging out. Yet, should we thank people for hanging out? They are taking their time, energy and often time resources to invest time in our lives. Is this “thank you” just an implied non-verbal thing that we never say but we should assume people are saying to us? Shouldn’t we show gratitude for the people we have in your lives?

I may just be bias as I think that we have become an over grateful society, apologizes and thanks run so rapid they seem to mean nothing. I am thankful for each and everyone of my friends if I say it or not. The key is finding the balance between fake and genuine .

As some of you may know, I have made the decision to physically become a woman. Although I was born male I have always felt I was born in the wrong body. For the past year an a half I have been blogging and maintaining this site as Brandon Dukes at this point in my life I will no longer be going by that name. The name that I’ll be going by from this point forward is Brooke Dukes. Brooke is the same person as Brandon was just a different gender.

I would like to make it very clear that although I haven’t talked about my journey on this site that all the blog entries have been authentic and from my heart. I have recently created a site where I will be talking about my transition, BecomingBrooke.com. However, the format of BandonRandon.com will go much unchanged except for a few name and pronoun changes here and there.

Thank you very much for your continued love and support!

Brooke

Having an opinion doesn’t make me wrong
Differences are what make us

Saying sorry doesn’t make the pain go away
The hurt still remains the same

If time truly heals all wounds or just causes us to forget
It still won’t stop

So respect me and I’ll respect you
But don’t expect an apology out of me

About the poem: This poem is written to show my view on what apology often are. It’s not to say that I’m always right or that my opinion is the only one. It’s more of a poem to make you think.

Here are my before and after pictures of the Needle.

Religion is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. It is something that I feel gets in the way of relationships, of people, of life, and of love. Cute T-shirts and bumper stickers are created with phrases such as “It’s not about religion it’s about a relationship” or “love the sinner hate the sin” these are all good reminds but what do they mean and what must happen for us to obtain these things. It seems no matter who I talk to they tell me “I don’t judge” yet they do, we all do, it’s human nature to want to think of ourselves as being better or that being different is wrong.  Here is where the confusion comes in I’m told that being different isn’t wrong as long as that difference isn’t going against what the common belief on the matter is. Why is it so easy to judge others yet not look at ourselves or the relationship that we could be harming?

In the speech Bono said:

“…And while the law is what we say it is, God is not silent on the subject. That’s why I say there’s laws of the land and then there’s a higher standard … As the laws of man are written, that’s what they say. But God will not accept that. Mine won’t. I don’t — will yours?…This is a dangerous idea I’ve put on the table, here: my God versus your God, their God versus our God, versus no God. It’s very easy, in these times, to see religion as a force for division rather than unity…”

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this concept, my God versus your God. I think this is often something that is over looked. As Christians we all have a vision of what God is and my vision may, in fact it most likely is, different than yours. Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist whichever “label” you choose or refuse we all have our views on life, love and why. I’m not a fan of the hippy crap but maybe it’s time to truly learn to coexist stop focusing on the petty differences and start seeing on each other as humans , exploring our differences, but remembering to keep love at the center.

NOTE: read, hear, watch the keynote at: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/bononationalprayerbreakfast.htm

As people grow up, move away, go to college, get married and have babies, or as they grow up and don’t do any of the aforementioned events or do them in whichever order life has for them it seems that communication becomes harder and harder. I often think back to the various places I’ve been the people I’ve meet, the people who are still in my life those who aren’t. I find that life is a journey a road whichever metaphor you prefer and along the way don’t take anything for granted. I am very thankful to have so many wonderful people in my life yet, it still saddens me to think of some of the ones I’ve lost contact with. Maybe someday I’ll figure out this phenomenon of communication, but until then I’ll do my best to not go speechless with the individuals in my life and encourage you to do the same.

This is the part of this blog where I use an overused quote to prove my point:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

Change can start small, no need to start an organization or even join one (I mean you can if you want.)  Yet, what I’ll encourage you to do is start showing love to your friends, family members, and even complete strangers.   A friend of mine this week said “hug your haters” this modern version of “love your enemies” got me thinking that the world truly does need more love.

Sometime this
Sometime that

What will ever get done?
If all we do is keep on putting things off

What will be come of this world?
If all we do is keep on procrastinating

What will be accomplished?
If all that happens is we say “I’ll do it later”

Why can’t we just suck it up and do stuff?
Then maybe we can change this world

Happy Obama Day!