Today's MOZEN: Not The Boss of Me.

F LoBuono

I have been known to take on "The Establishment" a.k.a. The Dark Lords of the Universe. And, more often than not, I have come up on the short side of the ledger - to put it mildly. I have been disciplined, ridiculed, isolated and even deprived of making a living in my chosen profession because of my "attitude". I do my best to be an open, caring individual. But, I have a temper and a BIG MOUTH - I often say what I feel, much to the chagrin of my many bosses. And, they have made me pay for it.

But, you know what? Despite the consequences, I don't give a shit. For, in the end, no one is the boss of me.

I know that I have no power in the traditional sense. I was not born into privilege. I am not physically imposing. I don't have a lot of money. I don't occupy a position of authority. I know that if I wasn't so damned loud that I would hardly be noticed.What I DO have is my integrity. And, that, my friends is worth more than gold and will never be taken away from me.

Some might say that it is foolish to continually beat your head against a wall. And, that is true. So, I have mellowed with age. I realize now that walking around the wall might be a better alternative than trying to smash through it. So, now, I try to measure my responses. It seems to be effective as I have had no major conflicts in some time. However, that does not mean that I have been reduced to a quivering mass of jelly. That's just not my style. If something, at least in my mind, needs to be said or done, I'm going to - regardless of the consequences.

Of course, I have made errors in judgement. Who hasn't? But, I have always felt that my mistakes were not nefarious ones. Often, if your intentions are pure, I feel that it is more important to be true to ones self than it is to be "right" or safe. This can often lead someone to be cast as an outsider or troublemaker. In some instances (maybe most), that is a good thing. Contraians are the catalysts of change. However, to be this way, one must be prepared to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. And, believe me, they can hurt!

My ultimate goal is not to be a Rebel Without a Clue. There are plenty of those in the world. Rather, my aim is to be true to myself and what I hold dear:

• Respect yourself first, then all others.
• Challenge authority - it's good for the soul and it gets shit done.
• Learn ALL things in their time.
• Never strike anyone in anger.
• Do not allow anyone to touch YOU in anger.
• Let the wisdom of compassion be your compass.
• Live with passion.
• Have integrity - always.
• Try as hard as you can for as long as you can.
• Appreciate the wonder of simple things.
• Enjoy your life to its fullest
• SPREAD the joy.

I have done my best to live by this code. Despite the challenges of living with independent thought (remember, people FEAR rebels), it has served me well. Besides, I wouldn't have it any other way. I simple would not know how.