Tornado Weekend!
This was definitely not the weekend to be in certain areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, or Arkansas.  Twisters were dancing about the landscape in every direction.  Two areas hardest hit were Woodward, Oklahoma and Wichita, Kansas.  I was saddened to hear that five (5) Oklahomans lost their lives in Woodward; three of them children.  Thankfully, no lives were lost in Wichita and/or that the death toll was any higher.  This area of the country and her people make Oklahoma a lovely place to live.  The twisters themselves are a beautiful force of nature to behold.  It's the damage and potential death and destruction that they leave in their path that makes them feared and respected and spring a little less welcome -- just a little.

Bless the Beasts and the Children
I remember the first time I heard the song, "Bless the Beats and the Children," sung by the Carpenters (http://youtu.be/AhR36gV6vW4) based on the 1971 film adaptation of the same name featuring "Lost In Space" actor Bill Mumy -  a film about a group of social misfits who band together and run away from summer camp.  Along the way they take up a crusade to save a group of penned in buffaloes from a rifle club's slaughter (source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068286/)

The reason I mention this particular film because of the emotions that both the song and film stirred up within me as I viewed and listened to both.  I remember hearing the golden voice of Karen Carpenter sing that song and immediately my thoughts were of all the children throughout the world who suffer physically and mentally, sometimes violently at the hands of adults.


The thought that would always cross my mind was this, "If an adult can hurt an innocent child and still sleep soundly at night, how much more would that same man do in a position of power?"


I had not given this song much thought since using it at my "Heroes and the Boogie Man" workshop until this weekend.


I was researching the Internet for a graduate study class when I came across images of children who had been murdered by radical members of Islam.  One image was of two children (brother and sister), Assyrian Christians, very young.  The boy had to be not much older than 6 years old; his sister not much further ahead of him.  What was sad about this photo was not just the connect it made to my own children in that I kept thinking to myself as I held back my tears, "How can anyone be so ugly within themselves that they would slaughter an innocent child this way?"


The boy, for all intensive purposes was left atop a coffee table, up off of the floor and appeared to have less trauma to his little body, however, that was not the case for his sister.  She was left on the floor and appeared to have more trauma afflicted upon her.  It was obvious to me that this little girl was not only murdered with a violence I hope to never understand, her body was also disrespected even in death.


What is even worse is that this sort of atrocity against children has been committed over the ages since time began.  Even the United States is not exempt.  Thousands of babies are killed each year just through abortions alone.  Are we any less guilty than the people who killed those two children?


I don't know what happened to the bodies of the two children who were found murdered.  I hope they were given a proper burial and that their families have found peace.  How many more stories are we going to read about in the news, not just of children being murdered because of radical religious beliefs (from all sides), but about those children in other parts of the world whom are kidnapped and sold into slavery; those children who are physically and mentally abused; those children who go to bed hungry at night because dad is drinking away their food money or mom is spending it at the casino's?


Who is going to stand up and speak out for and protect our children?


All I can do at this moment is pray and hope that God will listen.  I hope you will pray for the children as well.

Whitney Houston

(1963 - 2012)

I am certain many people, especially those who were die hard fans of Ms. Houston were shocked to hear that she had passed away, Saturday, February 11, 2012 while preparing to attend the Grammy's in Los Angeles.  Houston was staying at the Beverly Hills Hilton when she was found by one of her entourage submerged in a bathtub filled with water.

Whitney was a musical marvel.  I loved her musical and acting talents, her beauty, her incredible smile and the obvious love she had for what she did.

The one poignant memory I have of Whitney was when she appeared on stage with another very well known Diva -- Mariah Carey in 1998 to sing the immortal, "When You Believe," http://youtu.be/CxIN79n4jVo

Every time I watch that video and hear that song I can feel the shivers racing down my spine -- the song and the coming together of these two talented music giants was sensational to say the least.

Of course, there was the time when Whitney sang, "The Star Spangled Banner" in 1991 at Super Bowl XXV http://youtu.be/xS-R7SM_-M4

It is so sad, distressing really, when you see the body of a major pop star/celebrity of the caliber of Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson being taken away on a gurney to the Coroner's office.  It's almost surreal because for many years these singing giants were immortalized almost to the point of being seen (or appearing to be seen) as musical Gods.  Then death comes knocking and reminds us all just how real life and death are and that from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich -- all ships truly do anchor at the same harbor -- in the end.

I will miss this legendary woman; the legendary queen of pop and cousin to another favorite of mine, Ms. Dionne Warwick.  My prayers and condolences to the entire family.

Whiteny, we will always love you.

http://youtu.be/NiYWh0Q8UVk

What is it like to be sexually molested?

 "Carlos, what did it feel like to be sexually molested?"

I hated that question.  "What was it like to be sexually molested?"  I thought it was rude and insensitive.  It was like asking a Latino (who isn't Mexican), "What is it like to be Mexican?"

What does that mean anyway -- what is it like to be sexually molested?  What is it like to be male?  What is it like to be poor?  What is it like to be short instead of tall?  What is it like to be dumb instead of smart?

These are all questions that make absolutely no sense -- on the surface.  However, when you remove the emotional component of the question, you can understand the reason for someone asking the question.

He or she genuinely wants to know.

When I first came out of the post-abuse closet, asking what it felt like to be molested was a question that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up for two reasons: 1) It would take me back to the actual experiences (in my mind), and 2) It was asked too often.

At first I would become angry with the inquirer because I believed the question was one of those type of questions you just didn't ask someone who had been sexually molested.

"How can you even ask that question?" I would sharply fire back.  "Why do you need to know?"

I suppose it is for the same reason why one individual asked the President of the United States which did he prefer to wear, "Boxers or briefs?"  Not a question I would have asked the president.  How often do you get to ask the President of the United States a question.  However, in my mind I came to accept that the individual asking the question, for whatever reason, genuinely wanted to know.  Not because they are perverts or sexual deviants.  They just want to know because they do not know and not knowing is half the battler of knowing.

Did that make any sense?

Neither does sexually abusing children.

On page 30 of my book, Baltimore Monday: A Celebration of Life Beyond Sexual Abuse (Signature Book Printing, Inc., 2006), I attempted to answer that very question, using an image of a haunted house (one representation of what frightened me as a child) to emphasize what being sexually molested was like for me.

I called it, The House on Haunted Hill

What did it feel like to be sexually molested?

It was cold and disgusting.


The aftermath of the experience often left me feeling dirty, used, violated, ashamed and helpless.  I often felt angry, lost and alone.  I was always on the run -- or so it seemed that way. 


No matter how fast I ran or where I would hide it seemed that he (the Boogie Man) would always find me!

He would take me to a place that frightened me the most.  A dark, haunting place.  A place that gave birth to the creatures of my nightmares.

It was a lonely, dank, dark broken down place.


It stood alone in shadows that had long been forgotten.  Everything around it appeared dead or dying.  I could not help but feel that through it's boarded windows it was watching me; waiting for me to come home!

It had no heart and sheltered no soul; at least not a soul unto itself.

The walls were tattered and torn.  They bore the images of victim's past.  If you listened long enough you could hear the faint cries of those victims echoing through its walls, "Help me!  Please help me!"

An eerie slow moving fog covered the ground and a musty stench permeated every inch of the house.  It was a smell not unfamiliar to my young nose.  A smell no child should ever recognize.

Like it's victims, the tree's were barren and naked, projecting finger-like branches in every direction.

The moon was always full.

Its light would clash constantly with the cloudy night sky draping an eerie purple luminescence over the entire hillside.  The clouds, thick and violent had clasps of thunderous anger crashing from their centers.

My heart would beat faster than I could process my thoughts.  There was not a single place in that house for me to hide.

I was scared. I was very scared.

His favorite area to play was the front porch.  It heightened his sense of excitement.  "The thrill of the catch!" he would say.  "I am the hunter and you are my prey!"

The idea of getting caught added an adrenaline rush to his warped state of mind.

That is what it felt like to be sexually molested -- at least for me!

My Journey into 2012 ….

For probably the better part of the last 3 to 5 years I have heard and read reports about people’s fascination with or concern about the Mayan calendar.

“Maya civilization, known for advanced writing, mathematics and astronomy, flourished for centuries in Mesoamerica, especially between A.D. 300 and 900.  Its long count calendar, which was discontinued under Spanish colonization tracks more than 5,000 years then resets at zero," (MacDonald, G.J., 2007)

Based on MacDonald’s article in this edition of USA Today the assumption then is that “zero” means December 21, 2012--the day great tragedy will befall all of mankind.

Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies in Crystal River, Florida says, “To render December 21, 2012, as a doomsday or moment of cosmic shifting is a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in,” (MacDonald, G.J., 2007)

According to Lawrence Joseph, an author who forecasts widespread catastrophe in his book Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization’s End – “Part of the 2012 mystique stems from the stars.  On the winter solstice in 2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years.  This means that whatever energy typically streams to Earth from the center of the Milky Way will indeed be disrupted on 12/21/11 at 11:11 P.M. Universal time,” (MacDonald, G.J., 2007).

Personally I have not bought into the Mayan end-of-the-world prediction forecasted by sensationalists and opportunistic deviants around the world; people who see an opportunity to make a quick buck by preying on the fear of others.

I have always lived my life by (or do my best to live my life by) what Jesus tells us in the Bible.

In the case of December 21, 2012, I believe the end will come for us all; for some, the end will come sooner rather than later.  However, Jesus made it perfectly clear (regarding the end times) when He said to his disciples in Matthew 24:26, “No one knows about the that day (referring to the end of the world) or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” (New International Version, 1984).

If Jesus (who is the Son of God) could not say with certainty what date God has set for His return, why spend the remainder of our lives fretting over something that we have no control over?

What is important is the here and now.  What we do with our lives from this very moment.

On that note, I have decided to make 2012 and whatever subsequent years God deigns to bless me with as years of living life (to its fullest).  I plan to pursue whatever realistic personal goals I set for myself while helping others in the process.

I invite you to share this journey with me.

December 28, 2011 will mark my 50th year on this planet.

In lieu of the recent passing of Oklahoma State University women's basketball coach (Kurt Budke) and his assistant coach (Miranda Serna) both dying tragically in a plane crash together with Olin and Paula Branstetter (OSU Alumni and owners of the single-engine plane) Thursday, November 17, 2011 (may their souls rest in peace and may God's eternal light shine perpetually upon them); I dedicate 2012 as the year of living life to its fullest so that I may better honor their memory as well as all those whom have gone before us.

I look forward to sharing a spectacular 2012 with you as we get to know each other together on my blog: http://carlosmichaelpadilla.blogspot.com.

In love and friendship …

Carlos Michael Padilla

References:

MacDonald, G.J. (2007). Does Maya calendar predict 2012 apocalypse? USA Today. Retrieved Saturday, November 19, 2011 from www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-03-27-maya-2021_N.htm

n.a. (1984). Matthew 24:26. Bible. New International Version.  Retrieved Saturday, November 19, 2011 from www.bible.cc/matthew/24-36.htm

Mayan Calendar (image) Retrieved Saturday, November 19, 2011 from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=438&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=4gTSNDiYs5C6OM:&imgrefurl=http://www.cracked.com/funny-98-2012/&docid=OkWrnBhfZRTtkM&imgurl=http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/JJacopo/maya-calendar-1.jpg&w=402&h=400&ei=DvnHTpaPDIb82gXekY3cDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=371&sig=105609686215880073593&page=2&tbnh=96&tbnw=90&start=14&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:14&tx=71&ty=22