..equality..

I have read and listen to many people share their thoughts and views on equality so much so that I find myself getting rather annoyed. I have always wanted to respond back to the out landish things that I hear but usually find myself holding back due to the fact that I know I wouldn’t really be saying what is that I want. As I sit here relaxed, clearly thinking and really pondering what is that I want to say, I finally feel fit to express.


Equality: the state or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability, uniform character as of motion or surface; mathematics, a statement that two quantities are equal. Here we are with the definition of the word and I can honestly assume that most of us don’t really understand the meaning of equality. We are all so quick to point fingers, judge and pass status on each other that we never stop to think that we are all just a like in one way or another. I say this because I can admit that I have done that on more than one occasion. I’m guilty of being imperfect myself and finding the imperfections in someone else.

As many of you know and those of you who don’t… Yes! I’m Mormon. Born and raised Latter Day Saint of the Church of Jesus Christ. I’m not ashamed of my heritage or my religion. It’s a part of me and has truly helped shape me in to the person that I am today. Being LDS I have had the gracious chance to see good things happen and beautiful light be provided. And with all things I have also seen the bad and maybe even been apart of the not so great moments. Either way what I have learned is that it’s not the person who makes the religion; religion is a set of beliefs, a set of guidelines. You may choose to act upon those stepping stones that your religion has laid out for you or you can go your own way. With this said… Those who have been offended, hurt or left out keep in mind that it was not the religion that did this to you but the person or persons who took the time to insure you leaving with such feelings. No man is perfect, we all have times where we could have handle a situation better but didn’t. We are all guilty of being imperfect and because so we can not judge but only try to understand. If there is anything that I have learned is that you just never know where someone has been or what they have gone through. And sometimes by understanding a person you come to understand why they may have done what they did or said. Does this mean you become best friends with every single person who has wronged you in some way and trust them to never do it again? No or course not, what this means is you trust yourself enough to forgive, forget and move forward. You can love others from a distance and part of the way of doing that is not continuing the hate, the hurt or ill feelings. You have the choice to end it and leave it.

I’m sorry to those of you having been offended because of something someone might have said or done and they happen to be LDS. I’m sorry that in some way you feel unaccepted or not wanted because of my church. Please know that the foundation of my religion is Christ like love. We may not agree with everything in this world but that doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t love another or go out of our way to help someone, these are the whole building blocks of our beliefs, to love one to another.


Equality is to love each other with out finding fault, to help one another without finding blame and to give to each other without expecting something. It is to see past the imperfections and find the beauty with in. It is to care enough and hate less… Equality is to agree to disagree and understand that just because someone may not share your beliefs does not make them a bad person, it is to be able to let go of your pride and open your heart. Equality is to understand that no man is perfect, we all share imperfections, and that our lives are meant to be shared. Equality takes at least two. You can not be equal with out a second member.

I ask you a question, who are you to judge another? I think the answer is pretty obvious for each of us. We are no one. We have no standing, no footing to judge another according to what we think is right; it is not our place to do so. But, it is our place to love when needed and care when called. No matter where you come from, where you are going, the color of your skin or how you pray we are all the same in some way or another, and we share imperfections. Equality is a choice we make every day and it is up to us to remember that we set the rules of who is our equal every day we pass judgment – meaning we set the expectations on each other and when someone doesn’t pass we only have ourselves to blame.