12-8-02 Sunday Journal

It's taken me 12 years to write those words.

Way back in '90, I placed a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson in my journal. He said, "Whosever would be a man must be a non-conformist."

I questioned those words in my own mind. Then Life took me under its wing and started showing me. Every time situations would arise where I needed to take a stand for right, or simple change or justice, I had to leave the herd.

The herd put Hitler in power. He didn't have to hold a gun to their heads to get them to follow him. They loved his promises and his hatreds, too. I have observed that every power-hungry monster has to create a class to hate.

Right now it's the Arabs. Because the terrorists were Arabs, we are expected to let our venom spill over on all Arabs. Right now you must be a non-conformist to stand for justice for an entire group of Americans. Just because their parents were Arabs.

I have learned to glean from religions and denominations the parts that feed my spirit but most of my faith was shaped on my own little soul lathe. Face this reality: nobody and no organization can serve up your own personal faith and spiritual value system on their silver platter. The meat may taste good but you'll choke on the bones. Fork around in it and you will find all kinds of things you cannot swallow.

Emerson also said, "Nothing is at least sacred but the integrity of your own mind." How can you be true to someone else's mind? To someone else's values? Who do you know who is so smart that you can just turn your mind over to them? Fail to check in with your own integrity and you may be going south for a Kool Aid Party with Jim Jones.

Listen to Emerson again: "The great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

Many kinds of greatness evade us. We may never be financial giants. We may never make the cover of People Magazine. We may never write a best seller. But none of these things have the slightest trace of value if we are conforming to injustice and our way of life is a lie.

Imagine a magazine with the title "My Integrity." Then see your picture on the cover. Imagine a movie marquee - a movie house with the name Independence Theater. Then see your name on the dancing lights. It's one place you can always be a star.
Can we be non-conformists and not be so abrasive and oppressive that people run from us? Emerson says we can. Note he talks about keeping "perfect sweetness" with our independence.

It's not noise that makes our non-conformity effective. It's a smile of perfect sweetness, knowing we are only reaching for one goal: independence.

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