First self-love

As the New Year approaches it is time to accept and give love to yourself first in order to love others just because we are all God's creation!!!

Don't repeat patterns or make choices that are destructive. Destructive patterns of behavior includes just existing without self motivation.

Regardless of how you feel about yourself, YOU matter!!!! Regardless on how society portrays you on the news or how systemic/hidden/reverse racism kills and eats away inside, YOU matter!!!!!

We are ALL created & destined by GOD and so YOU matter!!!! Since YOU matter love ALL of GOD's creations however start with yourself through self-love, self-improvement and self-evaluation!! Actively seek to improve your life through setting goals and achieving each one toward success!!! Yes, YOU!!!!!

As YOU improve your life, utilize your talents to improve ALL of GOD's creations by improving your home, town, city, county, state, country, continent, and universe!!!! It begins with each of us!!!!!!!

Reverse this if you hate people based on their race, nationality, color, creed, sex, gender, sexual preference, religion and or lack of religion you can not love yourself!!!! Internal love projects external love just as internal hate projects external hate!!!

I am bless to see beyond color and when I was on a jury, I was reminded that I was the only black on the jury and I did not realize it until it was mentioned.

For those who feel I am simplifying this cancerous growth called racism in every form, I will tell you this......I remember going to the beauty shop in the early 1970s and Moffett Field had the blacks in one small corner of the beauty shop in the back with a divider (my mother could have sat in the front because she was lighter or the same complexion) or when my parents sent me to a Christian School in the 5th grade and the teacher did not assign me the required text books that all the other students had and my father found out and resolved it by talking to those who were behind his daughter not receiving the text books.

I was told throughout the years I speak proper or act different from various races, depending on my hairstyle I have experience people who are misguided and misinformed and somehow believe I am not a human being. I am just me the real thing and I can never be defined by the media, television, movies, songs, or the national or local news. Never did I hate anyone based on my experiences. It would destroy me and my children.

My father spent 23 years in the Navy working hard to achieve E-8 and how many memories I have of my dad studying at night, attending college, working two jobs, and through all of his experience he always project love!!! Generations of my family on my father's side struggled through heartbreak, racism, slavery and kept that internal love and I carry that to my sons (unfortunately my husbands their fathers were not like my dad). Yes, I taught my sons to always be respectful and have manners too and never get in trouble with the law, not be quick to anger, and be successful human beings!!!!

Why is violence pervasive in the black community with black on black   crime? Self-hate!

The same self-hate that drives violence throughout this Earth!

Why can't some of us see beyond color and decide to kill rather than save a life? Self-hate!

Why can't some of us see beyond a different religion? Self-hate!

Why can't some of us see beyond gender? Self-hate!

Please remove the self-hate and love thyself!!!!!

We are all human beings and to love your fellow human being starts by loving yourself!!!!!

Dear Lord we pray for love, peace and understanding now and forever to touch every heart on this Earth!!!

Joan E. Gandy writer and poet will have two upcoming books published in 2015.