June is Gay Pride Month - CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

This is a guest post from a good friend of mine who is extremely talented. 
By joseph c. knudson




Have you ever felt as if you were the only person like yourself in the whole world? Guess what? You are. Each of you is a unique expression of the human experience. Your task is to embrace all that you are and to celebrate yourself.


Perhaps you’re in a minority group. You might be African-American, Asian, Latino, or gay. Perhaps you just feel as if you were a nerd. Some of the most famous people in history felt that way. They didn’t let that stop them from becoming all that they could be.

Look at Albert Einstein. He didn’t begin to talk until he was four years old. Yet he went on to become the father of atomic science. He met life’s challenges on life’s terms and became one of the most famous scientists in history.

Look at Maya Angelou. She was another person who didn’t talk for many years during a childhood as an abused African-American girl. Yet she went on to become one of our nation’s most prominent poets. She also served as an inspiration to another African-American girl who had been abused as a child. That was Oprah Winfrey. She became our most celebrated television talk show host and she served to inspire countless others whether of not they may have lived lives of oppression.

Each of you possess your own unique gifts which can serve to inspire others. The challenge is to embrace yourself so that you may discover what you have to offer. Surround yourself with people who affirm you and inspire you. That is the key to self-acceptance.

I have had my own challenges with self-acceptance. I didn’t want to be gay, but I eventually learned that it was a good thing. Along the way, I struggled with things like alcoholism, clinical depression, and sexual addiction.

I worked hard at becoming a champion and I am now a published author of a series of hilarious satires. I have learned to embrace things in my past that didn’t seem funny. I have made lemonade out of lemons as I have learned how to laugh at myself. In so doing, I have created a series of books that have made my readers laugh out loud.

It takes all kinds to make the world go around. Wouldn’t it be boring if that was not the case! I ask you to celebrate yourselves and to celebrate diversity. You can each make an individual difference for the betterment of life.

Go for your joy!

Author Davis Aujourd'hui

BEING RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS WILL OPEN NEW DOORS OF UNDERSTANDING

Most of us have different lifestyles, religions, ethnic groups, cultures, and politics to name a few. By embracing the diversity of others, you will open new doors of understanding. You will create an atmosphere of tolerance that will help you to appreciate the uniqueness of others. It may also help them to appreciate you.

Respect breeds respect. It is only a matter of detaching from what you believe to be true and being open to learning. After all, life is a great teacher. It will lead to wisdom that will help you to navigate the waters of what can sometimes be a difficult journey.

Many of you have experienced prejudice in one form or another in your lifetime. You may be a member of a minority race. You may be gay. The list could go on and on.

For me, I have experienced prejudice as a redhead, as a gay man, and as a sex addict who is gratefully in recovery. I used to take on those judgments and feel “less than.” I choose not to allow that anymore. I recognize that I am a unique human being as each of you are. I celebrate who I am. You can do that too. You are deserving of respect and love and to offer that to others.

Unfortunately, you will not find that from everyone. That is because it is human nature to judge. Some people just don't like people who are different than themselves. Don't let that be your problem. Let is be theirs. Chances are, they don't like themselves very much. Perhaps you can just offer them a prayer and then let it go.

Now comes the real challenge. Look deep within yourself to see where you have judged others. It is amazing the different forms of prejudice that have contaminated each of you along your life journey. Choose to embrace an open attitude of tolerance. Also practice awareness of your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs.

It will be amazing to see what bubbles to the surface. You will be surprised by those hidden judgments that you have been cultivating during your life. Examine each of them and see if you can remember where it came from.

You weren't born to practice judgment. You learned that along the way. Just remember to forgive yourself and whoever may have passed on those judgments to you. You and they didn't know any better because both of you were taught the same things along the way.

Each of you does the best you can, each step of the way, with what you knew about yourself as you went through your paces. The point is, that you can relearn negative messages about others. You can grow.

Choose not to remain stagnant. With an open mind, you will begin to appreciate all of the delicious diversity that life can offer. It will open new doors of understanding that will lead you to experience the beautiful tapestry of life.


Author Davis Aujourd'hui

Celebrate Diversity - Author Davis Auhourd'hui

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY- Author Davis Aujourd'hui

Posted on May 20, 2011 by joseph c. knudson

This is a guest post from a good friend of mine who is extremely talented.  Please enjoy the article and check out his sites listed here:


http://bestsatireseriesofthedecade.blogspot.com/ - Author Davis Aujourd'hui and his "Sister Mary Olga" Book Series

http://authordavisaujourdhui.blogspot.com/ - Author Davis Aujourd'hui Blog

Sincerely,


J.C. Knudson, Author of "Living the Difference"
http://www.outskirtspress.com/livingthedifference

Celebrating Diversity

Have you ever felt as if you were the only person like yourself in the whole world? Guess what? You are. Each of you is a unique expression of the human experience. Your task is to embrace all that you are and to celebrate yourself.


Perhaps you’re in a minority group. You might be African-American, Asian, Latino, or gay. Perhaps you just feel as if you were a nerd. Some of the most famous people in history felt that way. They didn’t let that stop them from becoming all that they could be.

Look at Albert Einstein. He didn’t begin to talk until he was four years old. Yet he went on to become the father of atomic science. He met life’s challenges on life’s terms and became one of the most famous scientists in history.

Look at Maya Angelou. She was another person who didn’t talk for many years during a childhood as an abused African-American girl. Yet she went on to become one of our nation’s most prominent poets. She also served as an inspiration to another African-American girl who had been abused as a child. That was Oprah Winfrey. She became our most celebrated television talk show host and she served to inspire countless others whether of not they may have lived lives of oppression.


Each of you possess your own unique gifts which can serve to inspire others. The challenge is to embrace yourself so that you may discover what you have to offer. Surround yourself with people who affirm you and inspire you. That is the key to self-acceptance.

I have had my own challenges with self-acceptance. I didn’t want to be gay, but I eventually learned that it was a good thing. Along the way, I struggled with things like alcoholism, clinical depression, and sexual addiction.

I worked hard at becoming a champion and I am now a published author of a series of hilarious satires. I have learned to embrace things in my past that didn’t seem funny. I have made lemonade out of lemons as I have learned how to laugh at myself. In so doing, I have created a series of books that have made my readers laugh out loud.


It takes all kinds to make the world go around. Wouldn’t it be boring if that was not the case! I ask you to celebrate yourselves and to celebrate diversity. You can each make an individual difference for the betterment of life. Go for your joy!

Author Davis Aujourd'hui's Book Series:

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" (Book 1)
"Babes in Bucksnort" (Book 2)

Both are available in Paperback and Kindle Format. Kindle Format is just $3.99

Enjoy!