I, too, believe that everyone on this earth moves by the power of God, which makes it even more important to understand why some were created to be the slaves to money and others were not. I prefer to be guided to show a different vision and use for the energy of money, rather than condemn a creation of God.

I am happy for Mr. Smokey that he has gone through his life without a slave master, which also explains why he has not created a way to set himself free. I have been a slave to many beliefs in my few 2 score and 10 years. Some were imposed on me by well-meaning adults and others were ones that I embraced just to fit in with the crowd. The biggest slave master for me to overcome was Fear, and he still shows up from time to time, but I have experienced setting myself free, and I know it may not always be easy, but it is always possible.

What is easy is for someone else to tell me what I should have done different, or look at my life and tell me whom I should blame for my problems without them ever knowing my personal journey. ?Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.? I have lived by this quote for a very long time without having the benefit of knowing who said it first. It helped reinforce another popular quote ?If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.? Where do you fit, Mr. Smokey?

I don?t have to know where my parents are to live by the values they taught me.

Maxine Strand, Global Citizen

(Ed. NOTE: At some point, we may have to set up an opportunity for some of Smokey Joe?s readers, some of whom do not understand everything he writes, to meet him. We believe that those who are ?real,? will love him. For sure.)