Today is the day for us to choose a side, A or B. But first we need to take a look at the two sides. Side A has many benefits and here is a list once you are accepted:
- You get a red matching jacket in your size so everybody knows your side and devotion.
- You get to wear the traditional male or female Side A haircut.
- You get the protection of Side A from Side B.
- You get to attend weekly and holiday meetings with members.
- You can move up the ranks as you get older and/or complete specific tasks for your Side.
- Higher ranking members can choose who is accepted into their side.
- Higher ranking members can discipline lower ranking members for infractions.
- Everybody has the ability to move up in the ranks to President.
- You are rewarded for bringing new members to the group and making it grow.
- You will get friends for a lifetime.
Now for a list of benefits from Side B:
- You get the unconditional love of Side B.
- You can choose any side you want and still get unconditional love.
- You are free to not choose a side.
- You are free to wear whatever you want.
- You are invited to events like lunches, dinners, holidays and are free to invite anybody to your events.
- You are free to be yourself. If a member disagrees with something you are doing, they may tell you about it, but will ultimately respect your decision.
- You are free and encouraged to discover yourself.
Now for the LAWS of Side A:
- You must wear your red jacket at all times in public or you will be disciplined.
- You must wear the traditional male or female Side A haircut or you will be expelled.
- You get the protection of Side A from Side B if your rank is high enough.
- You are not protected from higher ranking Side A members.
- You are required to attend weekly meals and holiday meetings with members. Missing these will demote your ranking. Repeatedly missing these will eventually get you expelled.
- The lower your ranking, the more tasks you must perform for the higher members.
- The President sets the rules for accepting new members.
- The only way to move to a higher rank on Side A is for either a member to die, or be expelled.
- You must do whatever the President says or you will be expelled.
- You cannot associate with Side B in any way or you will be expelled.
- Many of the rules are unspoken yet must be followed or you will be disciplined. It is up to you to figure them out.
- You will get the love of Side A if you follow all of the rules.
Now the LAWS of Side B:
- You must respect each and every member for who they are, or who they are trying to become.
- Be honest with yourself and others or you will be called out on it.
It seems we are constantly being forced to choose sides which have benefits and rules that go along with them. And if this doesn’t ring a bell, here are some of those times: Religion, war, gangs, political parties, sexuality, race team, sports team, clothing brand, car manufacturer, computer OS, neighborhood, university, friends, family, and the list goes on and on. The sides tend to divide us when this world really needs us united. Can you imagine a world united instead of one fighting against each other? The purpose of many groups is to divide. And much time, energy and money is spent on defending one group from another. Sure it’s nice to find people with common interests. But when they start telling you how to live your life, and it SERVES THEM, you might ask yourself, WHY?
- Do these people love me unconditionally with all my faults and the mistakes I’ve made or will make?
- If they find out the truth about me and everything I’ve done, will they accept me?
- Do they want me to conform to fit their molds?
- Can I be myself?
- Does their LOVE have an agenda?
Once I discovered that many people’s love for me had an AGENDA, I changed the way I listened. And when I listened to people talking to me with the question, what is their AGENDA?, ringing through my mind, their intentions became transparent. And this at times was quite difficult to handle. How can this family member, or friend, have this agenda wanting me to conform to their ways, ways that serve them? That is not love, that I know in my heart.
So something you might ask yourself, am I the member of Side A somewhere in my life? And if so, why? How does it serve me? How does it serve them? What is my agenda? Who is Side B? I can tell you that my family is Side A, to a tee. And so was my Catholic religion. But now I am on Side B, not by choice, but by exclusion. it is who I am, and who I once was a long long time ago, a whole person. And as we speak, Side A is calling on the phone, but I choose not to pick it up today.