INNOCENCE

A series of essays....

YOUTHFUL INNOCENCE: A CHILD OF THE 1950’S

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Innocence

...is another word for freedom; the freedom of guilt from sin and moral wrong, with an acute lack of knowledge of corruption or impurity. Innocence is associated with the very young, as well as the guiltlessness of those who are naive and gullible. We visualize youth as being untainted by life’s negativity, navigating each day encompassed within a thin shell of timelessness and bliss. It is a state of mind that carries a certain freshness that rewards the truly innocent with inquisitive hearts and curious minds. Like cool mountain breezes that gently kiss the skin or while unreservedly savoring the aroma of freshly baked bread cooling on the countertop as Mom hums a simple tune in the kitchen, innocence is captured and it makes one feel alert and alive. With this freshness comes possibilities. With this innocence, dare we dream to hope?

The world today, penetrated by a silent and invisible virus that eludes a ‘quick fix’ by modern science and research, leaves the heart aching for the loss of so many lives; the great loss of global innocence. Tears well in the eyes of the perceptive individuals who mourn these deaths and see them for what they are: the unnecessary theft of pure innocence and freedom. Sadly, we were aware of such consequences years before yet failed to act upon the scientific knowledge and our basic instincts due to individual greed and uncontrolled politics. Feeling ashamed of mankind, we are made conscious of the fact that we have failed to evolve. We have ignored our gift of intelligence and placed our greed upon the altar to be idolized and worshipped. We have placed all life at risk. The most grievous sin is that many of us will not own our guilt; a blanket of ignorance will never be good enough to cover up for the lack of simple common sense.

"Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others," wrote La Rochefoucauld, a French writer and moralist, in the late seventeenth century. Many of us continue to conduct our lives believing in the good of mankind, downplaying the roles of guilt-laden souls filled with skillful deceit, guile and senseless hate for other human beings. Most of us are incapable of 'great crimes.' We, too, are the Innocents. We often hear the phrase that 'no one is perfect' and understand it epitomizes the essential characteristics of people we love and admire the most; people with kindness in their hearts, but can never claim the essence of perfection within their own lives. They learn and grow because of their mistakes and imperfections. They love life and fill the lives of others with joy. "If we had no faults of our own,” La Rochefoucauld wrote, “we would not be able to notice those of others." 

Is man kind? Are we good? I believe we are looking forward to reopening hearts and homes if only to rediscover the innocence of mankind and rejoice in a happier, more grateful place in which to resume living. Soon, we may be able to look through their windows to understand their views. Sit at their tables in order to share their tastes. Sleep in their beds so that we my share their dreams. In this way, we will be able to find out just how kind the he’s and she’s of this mankind are. Let us reintroduce ourselves to others with love and understanding, always remembering that the future rests upon our shoulders.


Stay healthy. Be kind. Bless all of our healthcare providers and essential workers for being the angels in our lives.

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

THE PRICE OF POSITIVE CHANGE: THE LOSS OF INNOCENCE

A series of essays.....

SANE, BALANCED, GALVANIZED AND READY FOR CHANGE.....
FROM THE MOUTH OF BABES TO OUR HEARTS. WE MUST LISTEN TO REASON!

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

As a teenager, it was so simple to tune-out the rest of the world. I would tune-in The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Animals and then close my bedroom door.

I didn’t understand at the time that what I was creating was my own form of stillness; a personal solution to maintaining sanity and balance in my life. Stillness for me was the result of the juxtaposition of contrasting experiences.....silencing the world around me by interjecting the comforting sounds of my favorite music into the moment like a long-loved security blanket tucked into the arms of a sleeping child.

Technology may have advanced the devices we use to hear our music on today, but the idea behind the action remains the same; discovering and enjoying a balance in our daily lives. Stillness.

New styles and artists are added to my musical repertoire as time progresses, but the comfort derived from the music will always be a part of my life. Just like the music, the search for ‘stillness’ has magnified throughout the years and I realize that to obtain true stillness and peace of mind, I’ve had to discover how to listen. And, by listening, I’ve come to understand a little more about how small we are as individuals within the larger picture of the world around us. 

There will always be wisdom to be found in listening to the bigger world we exist in. Some of the greatest pleasures in life can be derived from having a deep conversation with a friend and truly listening to what it is they have to say. We crave intimacy and kindness and must never forget to make time for it. People need to be seen and heard and know that they matter. One of the main purposes of being here on earth is to listen to and look-out for one another.

Understanding that it’s not the experience that shapes our life, but how we respond to these experiences that really matters. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, have been actively practicing this ‘life lesson’ since experiencing the mass shooting that eliminated seventeen friends and teachers from their lives last week. 

Their youthful innocence will be forever changed from that moment going forward. 

This tragic experience forced upon them has given rise to a super intelligence and mind-set that is taking over our way of thinking by storm and is transforming archaic values into new, bolder time-appropriate ideas that will help to shape our country for years and years to come! Their response to our tragic lack of gun control, politicians being bought and sold by the National Rifle Association, and the possibility of future mass murders is: “We’re not going to take it anymore!” 

These students may be small as individual entities within the larger picture, however, uniting as one, solid unit, they are being seen and heard and know how important their voices have become in the process of looking out for one another.

This latest shooting here in Florida has clarified the rejection of passivity and catapulted the idea of change for the better deep into the atmosphere and the notion that ‘we sit back and do nothing’ is definitely not part of their public or private persona any longer. This is their way of healing after having to endure the atrocious acts that have taken place within their ‘house of stillness,’ learning, and solace....their own high school environment. 

If you are even close to my age and all of this sounds vaguely familiar to you, may I suggest that their personal war zone is for them what my generation called the Vietnam War and we must continue to learn, as one generation laps over the next generation or two, that the value placed on human life should always remain at its highest. It is eminently sensible to believe that one of the most important reasons for all of us to be here on earth is to take care of one another and we must never ignore the fact that if we do not, our stillness, sanity, and balance may be placed in jeopardy, indefinitely.

When I listen to the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School speak out about change with all the fervor of their youthful energy and commitment, I can’t help but feel encouraged that this time it will be different. This time, hopefully, the adults in the room will listen, understand and, finally, take action! Godspeed!

Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

INNOCENCE....Another Word For Freedom

A series of essays.....

~~~LYDIA~~~

 














.....as seen through my eyes!



INNOCENCE.....

is simply another word for freedom. Free of guilt, sin, moral wrong, with the lack of knowledge of evil or wrong doing. Generally associated with the very young and the naive, we visualize youth as not having been tainted by the negativity of life itself and walk the earth within a shell of purity and bliss. My aching heart cries for the loss of childhood innocence in so many places around the world: Syria, Africa, India.....the mighty United States of America. 

Tears roll down my face and I ache for this blatant, selfish, unnecessary theft of pure innocence and freedom. I am ashamed of mankind. We have failed to evolve. We have ignored our gift of intelligence and placed greed upon the altar to be idolized, worshipped, and adored. We have put our children's lives at risk. And, the most grievous part is that many of us will not admit to it. A blanket of ignorance will never be good enough to cover-up for the lack of simple common sense.

There is a freshness that surrounds the truly innocent. Like a cool mountain breeze that gently skims across our skin or the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread cooling on the countertop as your Mother hums a simple tune in the kitchen, innocence is captured. With this freshness comes possibilities. With this innocence, dare we dream of hope?

"Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others," wrote La Rochefoucauld, a French writer and moralist, in the late seventeenth century. Most of us continue to conduct our lives believing in the good of mankind, discounting the rumors of guilt-laden souls filled with cunning, guile and senseless hate for other human beings. Most of us are incapable of 'great crimes.' We, too, are the Innocents. We often hear the phrase that 'no one is perfect' and understand it epitomizes the essential characteristics of people we love and admire the most; people with kindness in their hearts, but never claim the essence of perfection within their own lives. They learn and grow because of their mistakes. They love life and fill the lives of others with joy. "If we had no faults of our own, we would not take so much pleasure in noticing those of others." ...Rochefoucauld wrote.

"Is Man kind? Are we good? Look through their windows so that you can understand their views. Set at their tables so you can share their tastes. Sleep in their beds so that you may know their dreams. Find out just how kind the he's and she's of this mankind are." .....Courtesy of airbnb. Let us travel this breathtaking world and introduce ourselves to its he's and she's and share and compare our knowledge with one another to help preserve our Earth and keep Her safe.

BREAKING NEWS:

Even the Innocents are questioning the souls of others today! As I write this essay, I am being alerted about two innocent lives that have been taken from us in Moneta, Virginia this morning. Two victims of senseless violence. BREAKING NEWS: Reporter, Photographer Shot & Killed On Air In Virginia..... What can I write or say right now? What could possibly make any sense from this heinous act of violence against two innocent beings delivered by another? May God bless and keep you, Alison Parker, twenty-four years young, and Adam Ward, twenty-seven years young.

My heart is crying.

It's funny to me that all of the pounding negativism I was feeling thirty minutes ago as I was beginning my story has not been ramped-up by this 'act of hate' against Alison and Adam. Extreme acts of sadness affect each of us differently and I am a bit bewildered by my own emotions at this moment. I am calm, focused and tied to the earth.....as if my body has become one with nature and my soul is at peace with the world. Crazy.....given the circumstances. It's as though my life is honoring the two lives that have been taken from us and for now, I am one with their spirits as they leave this world and go on to the next.

What a truly engaging experience for me.

I am sure there will be time for numbness, contemplation of reality and questioning of motives in this case.  The understanding of it will take so much longer, if ever, I fear.

Thinking back to the young innocents who began my story today, I believe that their freedom from guilt, sin and moral wrong has a timeline that continues to dwindle with each school shooting, theater massacre, and 'attention based' killing that takes place. Circumstances that are certainly not beyond our control are shortening their freedom and elongating their fears at such extremely young, vulnerable ages. As adults, it is our responsibility to protect them and allow them to be carefree longer. I understand that we can't hide them in their rooms until they're thirteen. But, we can assist in regulating the weapons used in these crimes, as well as help educate others as to how and why these weapons must be properly controlled.

I offer you a few excerpts from a book entitled 'Abstract Poetry 4Life' by Deneene A. Collins that stretches the imagination and challenges our protective abilities when it comes to our children; our lives: "If I were a bee I would sting to protect everything important to me including my sweet, thick honey..... Though a sting may hurt you temporarily, it kills the very bee that makes the choice to sting you permanently. So never think that it is something a bee wants to do but realize it is only what they feel they have to do. Humans sting each other all the time with hurtful words, foul actions, and vicious lies. If your sting would take your life wouldn't you think twice before imposing ill actions on another?"

Most importantly, we must teach our children how to love.....  Learning to love one another, in the basic sense of respect and kindness, should be the number one priority of each of us, ranging from birth to the day we finally leave our earthly home. I may sound like a broken record when it comes to this mind-set, however, I ask you, if the repetition of something so basic and simple can help to reinforce and support the freedom we all deserve, would you be tired of hearing about it? Love is the key to opening all doors. Allow it to open your heart.

In Loving Memory of Alison and Adam.



Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved