Portland is a city of diversity.
I see people of different races and different religions wherever I go.
The children are all the same – playing in the parks and stopping to pet Ginny.
The adults welcome me into their homes or their businesses with courtesy and respect.
Ginny and I walk every day, often in neighborhoods, in one of our many local parks, or along the Willamette River.
I feel a sense of peace and wonder when I walk. I count my blessings.
Yet, sometimes, I feel guilty that I can walk safely in most of Portland without fear.
I can sleep at night knowing my neighborhood is safe.
I am thankful. I wish all people, especially our children, could have that same security.
The Golden Rule(s)
~Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
~Treat others as you would like to be treated.
~Walk a mile in another person’s shoes.
The Words of Gibran
I love when you bow in your mosque; kneel in your temple; pray in your church. For you and I are of one religion, and it is the spirit. ~Kahlil Gibran **
A Prayer for Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace. ~Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
Lori Greer in Portland 
Beautiful words of truth and perfection. Khalil is a wonderful writer. Thanks for the share.
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While not having a religion I appreciate the words of the Book of Common Prayer, also those of Kahlil Gibran. Thank you for brightening my day.
xxx Hugs Galore xxx
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You are one of the kindest people…reminds me of “Kindness is my religion” attributed to the Dalai Lama. Thank you. Hugs, Lori
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Inspiring thoughts to charge the day. Thank you, Lori.
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So beautiful!
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Thank you Lori. Indeed kindness is one of the Gifts of God’s Holy Spirit. Our wonderful Trinitarian God loves and indeed died for all the people of this world. He loves the people and so must we but also we must truly KNOW who our God is and absolutely worship Him and Him alone but love ALL PEOPLE in His Name. He died for them ALL. There is only one Saviour! Sadly even the Dalai Lama does not publically acknowledge this. Gandhi had some understanding but many Christian failed to passionately tell Him or indeed pray for and encourage him. Blessing and Grace to you.
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We should indeed all count our blessings while we remain aware of them – well said! 🙂
One of the greatest and most valuable things we can ever posses or display is humility – an understanding that any one of us is in no way special, or more special than any other being or more (or less) deserving; that God’s Grace is granted to whomsoever He wishes it, not by us believing we are worthy of it, by deed or word. We can only ever truly love one another as ourself if we believe ourself to be equal (in His Eyes, if perhaps not our own) to everyone else.
Tolerance can carry a danger also – we can tolerate something/one while still looking ‘down’ on it/them, believing that we are somehow better than ‘they’; we could (and mankind often has/still does) tolerate something that we know in our hearts should not be a part of who we are, or our society.
We largely tolerate things like greed, pride, anger that leads to physical violence in domestic situations and many others. We mostly see them and point them out in others and are blinded to the similar things in our own behaviour.
It is a constant struggle for anyone to keep these things in mind as we live life. We need to be ever vigilant and watchful of ourselves, not just of others.
love.
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