Inner Strength

I'm a pretty open person. I have a giving and kind personality. I'm also a very grounded person...at least right now at this stage of my life. With that said...I am glad for those traits because a few weeks ago I was attacked by a friend. Well, I thought the person was a friend and it really made me sad. Especially, especially because well...the person is Lao. We are a part of the same group of people within the community and in all my years that I have known this person, I always thought...I know them. We are family. Together as 1.5 generation Lao-Americans we've created this "family" and what unifies us is the yearning to grasp our lost history. The yearning to find fulfillment alongside fellows who understand the experiences we've gone through AND are going! Well, unfortunately a different side of the person came out and it really was ugly. This person has a PERSONAL PROBLEM with ME; accusing me of self promotion, egotism and thievery. Riddled with F-bombs and cuss words and filled with emotion this person attacked the work I do, my commitment to the community, and my determination to succeed in a complex industry. My initial response was "You gotta be joking me?!" but after rereading the email I realized the seriousness of this person's emotions. I was flabbergasted. Not only because it was a surprise to know that this person felt this way but also because the person had the audacity to share their thoughts publicly with others on the list! Knowing full well the email was and should have been simply directed at me. So...what did I do? THANK YOU TRAITS! I could have easily flamed the fire and responded back with defensive and accusatory thoughts of my own. But instead...I took a moment to contemplate my response, to which I simply reached out to this person and asked them to consider a dialogue and discussion with me, wherever and whenever. So far...I've not heard a reply.

So...I asked myself WHY? Why in the world? In 5 years after hanging out, sharing stories, eating meals, taking road trips, making new friends, TOGETHER. Where in the world was this litany of pain coming from? Knowing this person and after reading the email again I had an inkling. The hurt was due to the economic hardship, the lack of opportunity and a deep emotional depression. It's a sad state of affairs. I know...I've been in the same boat. I still am. Life is what you make of it. I want you to know that I am here for you when you are ready to connect with me. You've got my info.

Why is it that the LAO community, OUR community, MY community finds it such a challenge to unite and support one another as one solid unit. Well circumstances like these, that's why! The crabs in a bucket mentality, that's why! Jealousy and Envy, that's why! Ego, that's why! We've got to stop this cycle of bashing and beating down on each other. It does us no good as a community. It is better to support, praise, validate, recognize, help one another to move forward and get to the next level. We've got to EDUCATE each other. Young and old. Friends and foe. Mistrust in the community is such a big problem, especially for the generation that has seen the ugliness of humanity in war. Our parents, our grandparents who have a very powerful voice have lost it to fear. Who can you trust? You can't even trust your own family! Well, it's time for us to shift our paradigm. Shift our perspective and be open to dialogue and discussion. Be open to help improve each others lives by coming together and building a new link of trust. We've got too. We need too. United we stand, divided we fall. Lao'd and Proud.