Raze Racism

I came across an interesting post online written by a Filipino artist who stressed how spirituality affects racism.

Racism is not only a tool of discrimination but of exploitation as well. Judging a person by the color of his skin alone already poses a lot of problems in our culture and society. While much has been said about racism, this cultural phenomenon continues to grow like a cancer that kills out of unfair judgment, negative attitude and prejudice.

I was lucky to find a published book that would answer my curiosity on the matter. The Crazy Making Disease, written by book author Christopher Bear Beam, emphasizes how spirituality plays an important role in curbing the ill effects of racism to our culture and society. By going back to one’s own spiritual foundations and understanding them, then perhaps we can put a stop to racism’s concept of hate and ultimately lead to racial healing.

I couldn’t agree more. After all, this world would be a much better place to live in if people treat each other equally.

More than just plain awareness, I think there is more to discover about the mind-body connection in addressing this global disease which is racism.

The 5-year old Mother

A woman can never be too old or too young to conceive. For many people, the question on when a woman can have a child is not about her age but by her readiness for it.

But such is not the case for Lina Medina, who, much to my shock, became a mother at 5 years old.

Born in Peru in 1933, Lina was just like any other girl her age who loved to play with her friends, discover new things and enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood. However, Lina started having abnormal changes in her body, as in her breasts and hips. When she turned 5, her stomach began to grow larger.

Thinking that it was a tumor, her parents took her to the hospital. After a series of X-ray tests and biopsies, the doctors confirmed that she had been pregnant for seven months already. It was also found that she started puberty at 8 months. This condition would later be described as precocious puberty.

On May 14, 1939, Lina gave birth to a healthy baby boy through caesarian section. The baby was named Gerardo, after her doctor.

For ten years, the family kept it a secret from Gerardo that Lina was actually his mother, and not his older sister. Gerardo died in 1979 from a bone infection.

Who got her pregnant still remains a mystery today. In fact, Lina’s father was arrested for suspicion of rape and incest, but was later freed for lack of evidence.

At present, Lina lives in Lima with her husband. She also has another son who lives in Mexico.

I still find it hard to imagine something as this to actually happen, myself wondering what I would do if that ever happened to me.

I wonder if in our lifetime, I could get a chance to meet her and know straight from her how she had coped with such challenging ordeal, the fact that many pregnant women go through a lot of changes that may be difficult to cope with.

Lina really caught my interest that I started searching if there were any published books about her, but I couldn’t find one. It would be great to publish a book about her, although I’m not so sure as she lives a simple and quiet life now, shunning away from controversy as much as possible.

But this I have to say, Lina sure was one extraordinary child, and is one amazing mother.

Terry Moore reveals secrets to looking and staying young in self-published book

A very common remark I always hear whenever people celebrate birthdays is this: “I’m getting older.” More often than not, many people are not too happy with it.I still don’t get why many worry about getting old. After all, aging is inevitable and everyone goes through it. (Unless you have a similar serious case as that of Benjamin Button’s)

I think an important thing to keep in mind is that you can never escape aging, you only have to embrace it. It’s only a matter of loving and living the kind of life you have to the fullest.

A lot of people are so much concerned about aging that they go through all means imaginable, if only to look and stay young. This is especially true for models, Hollywood celebrities, many of whom resort to cosmetic surgery all in the name of youthfulness.

Age is but a state of mind. It’s no use slathering on anti-aging creams or going through invasive cosmetic procedures to look young if you just sit back and watch life pass you by.

Here’s something I found interesting while browsing for books online. I didn’t know actress Terry Moore wrote a self-published book with a title that only a few people get asked about – How Do You Stay So Young? What’s even more interesting is that she doesn’t look her age. In fact, she looks way younger. Make a guess.

Really, how does she stay young?

My admiration for Terry Moore grows because she is a living proof of a woman – a person who truly loves and lives life. She is not just a highly-respectable actress, she is also an accomplished and inspiring published book author too.

Lest you didn't know, she's turning 80.

The other day, my friend and I had an interesting conversation about Miss California 2009. He thought winner Carrie Prejean was shallow because of her answer to Perez Hilton’s question regarding same sex marriage.

I thought she wasn’t. Prejean had conviction and that should be respected despite of differences in opinion. It’s a matter of standing up for what you truly believe in instead of trying to get the approval of other people. I’m not sure though whether that kind of question was appropriate in a beauty pageant, though. The question was more political and raised too much debate and controversy.

I told my friend that Prejean wasn’t shallow. I guess it’s how beauty pageants are being celebrated that make women shallow. There’s the glitz and glamour in beauty pageants I know but it can get all too consuming to the point that a woman’s beauty is based on the superficial and the intelligence on the hypothetical.

My friend then cited his observations about beauty pageants, which I found amusing. I quipped by telling him that he might want to publish a book about it. He said he would if I was on the cover in a bikini and a crown.

I was at wits end.

Here's a self-published book you might be interested in. Satirical Americana contains light, tongue-in-cheek observations on things you cant find elsewhere. Think Miss America Pageant , Famous Writers , Child Beauty Pageants, Modern Art, TV Reality Shows, Liberals and Left-Wingers, Famous Talk-Show Hosts, Home Shopping Network, Pornography, Religion, Travel Articles and a lot more.

Written by Francis Murray, published with Xlibris.

Another Sort of Life

'A professor breaks free from the comforts of a secure life and joins the dog-eat-dog world.'

The United States has seen a terrible slump in almost all sectors of the economy in the 1980s. During this decade, the national debt ballooned, many industries folded and unemployment rate was at an all time high. Many families, especially from the poor and middle class, had difficulties making ends meet. This could be seen as the worst time in the US economy since the Great Depression.

Now, Americans are once again facing the brunt of yet another economic turmoil, what with the looming global financial crisis.

Set in the 1980’s, the Xlibris self-published book, ‘Another Sort of Life’ is where John Calvert shares the pains of being “down on one’s luck” as he joins many unfortunate others in a world where survival knows no right or wrong.

Breaking free from the comforts of a secure life in the academe, Calvert now struggles to make ends meet as he takes on different odd jobs – from car washing, door-to-door selling, janitorial services, field work to even selling his own blood.

Humorously written, Another Sort of Life gives you light of the dark side of the 1980s and a comparison of how poor and middle class people from then keep up with the pace with those of today.

Check out the Xlibris website to get a copy of Another Sort of Life, plus many other exciting self-published reads. Get your free publishing kit and start your own journey to becoming a published author.