I Challenge You, World!

We live in potential...... I believe that this world can be an incredible place if we didn't put our own personal needs, and greed in front of peace.

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery!

None but ourselves can free our minds……”

     - Bob Marley, “Redemption Song”

 

 

 I CHALLENGE YOU,

          WORLD!

 

 

By Bridgey “SwamiPeaceBringer” McLovin

 

 

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

           TO BE GREAT!

AND TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE

  TOMORROW

FROM YOUR VOCABULARY!

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO STOP DREAMING and BE AWAKE

BECAUSE TODAY IS NOW!

AND NOW CALLS FOR ME & U

TO SEE THE WAY THAT PAST GENERATIONS

                WEREN’T ABLE TO!

TO VIEW EACH OTHER

WITH ACHROMATIC IRISES

   THE WAY THAT CHILDREN DO!

TO SEE SKIN COLOR AS PRECISELY THAT

BUT EVEN UNDER THOSE COLORS,

TO SEE YOUR NEIGHBORS

      OF OUR SHARED LAND

AS YOUR SISTERS

AND YOUR BROTHERS!

TO LIVE, TO LAUGH, TO DANCE, TO LOVE,

TO FIGHT, TO GROW, TO BREAK BREAD,

& TO BUILD A LUMINESCENT

PATH OF INTEGRATION

WITH AND WITHIN ONE ANOTHER!

 

SO I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

TO VIEW YOUR INHABITANTS

WITH RESPECTFUL INTEREST & INTRIGUE,

WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY BLEED

THE SAME COLOR HUE AS YOU DO!

TO NOT FORGET PAST ATROCITIES

BUT TO TREAT SAID ATROCITIES AS SUCH

TO ALLOW THE PAST TO METAPHORICALLY

AND PERHAPS LITERALLY BRIDGE US

    OVER A TORMENTED SEA OF

ANGER, HATE, CONFUSION, MALICE, FEAR, IGNORANCE

         & UNSPEAKABLE PREJUDICE!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

NOT TO ALLOW YOUR GOD TO BE

COLORFUL PIECES OF PAPER YOU RECEIVE,

AS YOU PRAY ON BENDED KNEES AT

THE CHURCH OF

       ATM MACHINES!

I CHALLENGE YOU TO STOP WORSHIPING YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE AND COUNTERBALANCE YOUR OWN NEEDS WITH THOSE OF THE NEEDY!

FEED THEM NOT ONLY BREAD,

BUT WITH GENUINE EMPATHY!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO LOVE WITH A STEADY OPTIMISM THAT BRAVELY & CONTINUOUSLY

PULSATES EVEN AFTER REJECTION

& DISAPPOINTMENT!

TO LOVE WITH THE STRENGTH

THAT SOMETHING LIKE

    FORGIVENESS POSSESSES!!

I CHALLENGE YOU,

TO LOVE DEEPER THAN THOSE WITH

YOUR LAST NAME!

TO LOVE DEEPER THAN THE SHADE OF THE SKIN THAT LOOKS LIKE YOURS!

DEEPER THAN THE PATRIOTISM

   DRENCHED WITHIN YOUR NATION’S FLAG!

DEEPER THAN THE LOVED ONES RESIDING

             BEHIND YOUR OWN FRONT DOOR!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO PUT YOUR FAITH BEHIND

& IN FRONT OF OUR FUTURE!

TO EDUCATE YOUNG MINDS AND INFLUENCE THEM TO BE OPEN, AND ORIGINAL,

    AND INDIVIDUALLY UNIQUE!

TO ENCOURAGE RATHER THAN DISCOURAGE

NOURISH AND THEN

WATCH THEM FLOURISH

OUT OF THE NO GOOD, DARK WOODS AND DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU’VE KNOWN US TO RESIDE & PERISH INSIDE OF

UNDERSTOOD!?!?!

AS THE SAYING GOES…

You can take the girl out of the trailer park…

BUT I CHALLENGE THAT YOU CAN ALSO TAKE THE TRAILER PARK

OUT OF THE GIRL!!

YOUR STREET ADDRESS

DOES NOT

HAVE TO DEFINE YOU!

I challenge you to take pride in, yet not be defined, REPRESENTED & HELD CAPTIVE INSIDE OF what you had no choice or any VOICE in deciding in!

Such as…

ENVIRONMENTAL UPBRINGING!

OR RACE!

   OR GENDER!

   OR CLASS!

      OR SEXUALITY!

    OR NATIONALITY!

     OR PHYSICALITY!!   

etcetera & all limitations in or between!

 

SO, I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD

TO REMEMBER THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT

SHOULD WORK FOR YOU!

YOU ARE YOUR NATION'S LEADERS AND WORKERS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND FREE THINKERS AND BRINGERS

OF TRUE DEMOCRACY!

YOU ARE THE WARRIORS

OF PEACE & PROSPERITY  

THE DESTROYERS OF

PROMISES &  HYPOCRISIES!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

TO ENTERTAIN DIPLOMACY

BEFORE YOU GO DESTROYING THINGS!

I CHALLENGE YOU NOT TO

FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE

BUT INSTEAD,

FIGHT FIRE

WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS!!

TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY,

   BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…

TO TRY GETTING

TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY!!!!

YOU MAY FIND THAT SAID ENEMY

THROUGH LACK OF DIPLOMACY

         MAY HAVE NEVER CAME TO BE!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD!!!

TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE AS TANGIBLE

AS A TUESDAY

TO SHOW CHILDREN TODAY

THAT LIVING IN PEACE ISN’T TOO LATE

TO ADOPT LOVE, AND TO TEACH THAT IT’S NOT LOVE WHEN WE’RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING EACH OTHER

OVER WHO’S GOD IS UP ABOVE,

NOT TO CRUSADE, BUT INSTEAD RESPECT THEIR RELIGION AND THEIR WAYS, MAKE LOVE & NOT WAR, GREET A STRANGER, OPEN DOORS, HUG ONE ANOTHER, HELP EACH OTHER, DIFFERENT COLORED SISTERS & BROTHERS,

RESPECT OUR ELDERS, LISTEN TO KIDS

& LOVE WILLINGLY WITHOUT AN AGE,

TRY TO LOVE WITHOUT SIGHT,

& TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE CAGE

THAT OUR MINDS OCCUPY TODAY,

AND WE CAN MAKE IT TO THIS PLACE!

I BELIEVE IT!

YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE TODAY…

     CAN ALWAYS BE

THE GREATEST DAY

       OF YOUR LIFE!

TODAY CAN DO SOMETHING

TOMORROW CAN NEVER, EVER DO!

TODAY CAN BE NOW!

NOT NOW! BUT RIGHT NOW!

TODAY CAN CHANGE TOMORROW,

JUST BECAUSE IT'S TO... DAY!!!

 

SO, I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD

TO BE GREAT

AND TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE TOMORROW

FROM YOUR VOCABULARY

TO STOP DREAMING and BE AWAKE

BECAUSE TODAY IS NOW!

Author's Note

I love life. And when I see people genuinely looking to help one another, when I see acts of kindness and respect and love, it almost angers me to mildly taste the possibilities of what this world can be! It's still a work in progress. Maybe you'll hear me read the finished version at Obama's 2nd term Anauguration in three years! LOL

Another note; I had to change "greenback paper" to "colorful pieces of paper" giving that this address is on a international level. Stupid of me to forget that monies across the world are of various hues.

Reviews

[Lalli]

Bridgey, can you hear that?...... can you hear it?....

I can, its the sound of snapping fingers, the sound of inspired applause. This piece will get your audience to yell out that.. "preach on, mmmmhmmmm(in aggreeance), an amen, and many other interactive expression amidst the performance.

I will choose the preach on, and amen! i couldn't agree with you more. This is written brillitantly with so many clever phrases and unique twists to cliche's or familiar expressions... you hit it dead on. i love the message, I CHALLENGE YOU!

*snap snap

much love n' respect

-Lalli

[Bud]

Bridgey, My Friend...I'll start with saying that I absolutely love every word in each and every line! This is another Magnificent example of the humanity you possess, and the human being that you truly are...that in which the world can honestly learn from. I may get struck by a bolt of lightening for saying this, and I have no intention of offending anyone, but...I believe God, Himself would be speechless of this Divinely inspired piece of World Class Art that you have created with such passion, conviction, heart, soul, and all the other elements of the essence of your being. What else could he say that would add to the message this carries, and has been ignored by the world...too long? This, I believe, to be up there with the qualities and character of Jesus, Enoch, and all others who were favored by God. After all, is this not what the majority of the main religious faction teach?
A most BRILLIANT !!! platform...to challenge the world...cut all their excuses and abuse of use off at the knee! Laying cold fact at their feet...challenging them to send it back! You, surely, must be an extended arm of the Divine, so that this corrupt world will have at least one chance to reconsider the downfalls of our social practices...and not only teach, but set the example.
This is one reason I would love to see you published...it would put you in somewhat of a position to Teach the world...or at least the portion willing to listen. And that would, at least be a start...that's all a seed needs is to start and be nourished from there! And this would happen even if that was not your intention...like all your wonderful works of art on this site...people read...people think about...and so many of those people will learn...and they in turn will teach...and the garden has then begun to grow!
I don't mean to overstate my opinion here, but it is not that often that a writing, such as this, impacts me to point of completely, and wholeheartedly igniting my passion setting the river of emotion towards humanity flowing like the stars in the Heavens above.
I'll stop here, by saying that this is an Utmost Excellent, Magnificent, Brilliant, Profound, and Outstanding work of art with great wisdom weaved in every inch of it's fabric. Be proud, Bridgey! Your works of art are inspirational tools for the betterment of the world! I erect a statue in the center garden of all capitols to honor your creations, talent and humanity! Can not give enough Thanks to cover what you have selflessly shared! My hat is off, and I bow to you in honor!

[deeps]

I CHALLENGE YOU TO STOP DREAMING,
BE AWAKE�..
FOR TOMORROW IS NOW!

So truthful Bridgey,
I really like this.
You speak nothing but the truth here.
well said and I agree with you