I found out today that someone I knew in college passed away. It reminded me, yet again, that life is short and not promised. So the natural next thought in my ongoing stream of consciousness is wondering if I’m doing what’s meant for me. Do I have the right people around me? Am I taking the risks I need to take to succeed or those I need to take to be happy? Am I leaving the mark I want to leave on this earth?
I think so. I’m in a place of unbelievable possibility, intentional activity, and high expectations for awesomeness. I’m somewhat content with where I am, while taking deliberate steps to continue growing and moving forward. How bout you? Are you living today and not just planning to live tomorrow?
If not, start right now. Tomorrow might never become today.
On Mondays, I will try to find an old post (I used to blog before it was the popular thing to do and I have tons of old posts) that is relevant now. Today’s post is from Sept 14, 2006, and I called it “Time to Talk”–please leave in the comments any new thoughts. 😀
my very best friend throughout high school sent me a text message today and it’s opened all kinds of cold case files. pleasant so far but i’m sure some negative ones are coming but i will say so far it’s been a really warm feeling. Here’s the text:
Finish this sentence: I have always wanted to tell you that… Text me the answer and send this to everyone to see what they have to say??
So far I’ve gotten these:
u inspire me to work harder on maintaining my friendships
u r one of the best friends I have ever had!!!
I miss kicking it w/you like we used to
i love u!
I love u so much
you are the prototype 🙂
you’re beautiful!
ur very intelligent abd i love that about u!
even though we don’t talk often you will always be “special” to me (from my spec :-D)
u r a great black eyed pea cooker. for real Ur a good person
Talk about a self-esteem booster!!! I have such wonderful people in my life, and I’m so glad Kenya sent me that txt cuz it’s just an opportunity to tell people something u wouldn’t normally think to tell them. those weren’t the only ones–i was also able to talk to a couple of people about stuff that’s happened in the past. i sent this to half the folks in my phone, so i’m sure i’ll be getting messages all day so i may come back and add some more later. 🙂 Send this to your friends, and see what happens! And to all my friends, I LOVE YOU!
So… four years later, let’s finish this sentence: “I have always wanted to tell you that…” But this time, leave your answers in the comments!
On Labor Day, I spent a couple of hours at the Carter Center paying attention to some special women who have worked hard for the black community. The Freedom’s Sisters exhibit is definitely one worth attending when you have a chance–it’s available until October 3.
The 20 women highlighted in the exhibit are: Ella Jo Baker, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Shirley Chisholm, Septima Poinsette Clark, Kathleen Cleaver, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Fannie Lou Hamer, Frances Watkins Harper, Dorothy Irene Height, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Barbara Charline Jordan, Coretta Scott King, Constance Baker Motley, Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, Sonia Sanchez, Betty Shabazz, Mary Church Terrell, Harriet Ross Greene Tubman, and C. Delores Tucker.
Now, I had heard of most of these women, particularly proud of Myrlie Evers and Fannie Lou Hamer, who I already knew hailed from my home state of Mississippi. I hadn’t, however, heard of Ella Jo Baker, Frances Watkins Harper, Constance Baker Motley, C. Delores Tucker, or Mary Church Terrell, so it was great to get a glimpse of these phenomenal ladies.
I took lots of notes, especially on events, organizations, causes, etc., that I had either never heard of or wanted to know more about. Here are a few highlights of the things that caught my eye.
You probably know that Mary McLeod Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman College, BUT did you know that in 1904, she opened a school for girls with $1.50, which eventually merged with a boys school to become the College?
Fannie Lou Hamer, who is known for saying “I am sick of being tired of being sick and tired,” also said this:
“…no nation can gain its full measure of enlightenment…ifone-half of it is free and the other half if fettered.”
Have you ever heard of the Young Negroes Cooperative League? It was an organization committed to black economic empowerment through consumer education and small-scale cooperative ventures. Inspirational? Well Ella Jo Baker, who wanted to heighten the social, political, and economic understanding of Black youth in the 1930s, served as the organization’s national director.
Mary Church Terrell was fluent in 3 languages (wowee!!). Also, she established mother’s clubs that helped black women with housing, unemployment, and child-rearing issues. How great is that?
We all know that Barbara Jordan was the first black woman from a Southern state (Texas) to serve in the House of Representatives. Here’s an awesome quote:
“If the society today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”
Here’s a very important quote from Coretta Scott King, who wasn’t just a trophy wife:
“Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it every generation.”
Lastly, Septima Poinsette Clark was a devoted educator and a major player in the Civil Rights Movement, so much so that Dr. King insisted she travel with him to accept the Nobel Peace Prize because she deserved credit as much as he did. Here’s a great quote from her:
“The greatest evil in our country is not racism, but ignorance… We need to be taught to study rather than to believe.”
Septima Clark with Rosa Parks, whom Clark inspired at the Highlander Folk School months before the bus boycott
Are you intrigued? Do you want to know more? Then check out the exhibit as soon as possible!!
I received the Kindle I won yesterday!! Can you tell how excited I am? I have already uploaded 72 books! I love love love reading. My first book will be Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa, who has asked me to read and write a review.
Want to Start a Revolution? Radical Women in the Black Freedom Struggle, edited by Dayo Gore, Jeanne Theoharis, and Komozi Woodard
Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedyby Peter Canellos
Thanks again to Faydra for hosting the contest and to everyone who voted for me! And for anyone who hasn’t read it, here’s my winning essay!
Travelling and reading are my two favorite pastimes. Exploring the world, considering new ideas, and expanding my mind, imagination, and consciousness are invaluable to me. Someone once said that to change how you live, you must change what you know—that we live our knowledge, so we must strive to increase our knowledge. I agree with that someone. We must read, study, learn, and understand. With a Kindle, I would have an easier time reading as I travel.
Currently, I take every chance I get to read. My reading list consists of hundreds of books so I try to read any time I have a free moment. I read on MARTA on my way to and from work. I steal away at lunch and read as I eat. In the evenings, I read before I go to bed. Sometimes, I focus on one book, but in any given time frame, I may be reading 3 or 4 books at one time. That’s where the usefulness of a Kindle comes in. Instead of lugging around 3 books at a time, I’d be able to stow away this device and read as many books as I want at my leisure. When I travel to new places, I will be able to read my books without adding extra weight to my luggage. I can just put my Kindle in my purse! How convenient for a book lover like me! Winning a Kindle will make my pastimes even more enjoyable!
My dear friend Hope has asked me to be more regular in my blogging. So to acquiesce, I am committing to at least one weekly staple: Feature Friday. Each Friday, I’m going to highlight and discuss some film, book, theatre performance, etc., that I’ve viewed/read/attended. As I’m sure you would expect, most of it will be related to the community or the black diaspora in some way, since that’s what tickles my fancy. I hope you guys enjoy and check me out every week. I’ll post my first later today! Happy Friday, folks!
So last night I posted a Miki Howard video just because that’s what I was listening to, but overnight it grew into a full-fledged blog post. Saturday, I saw this and it struck something inside me.
Of course, it wasn’t new to me. But reading it at that moment just sparked something that I guess finally came to a head when I listened to Miki crooning last night.
I’m definitely not a relationship expert, but I have learned some things over my few lil years in this world. Love, of all types, is one of those topics that covers so much that it’s hard to talk about. I mean, really… what is love?
My fave thing to say about love, though, is that it’s not just a noun–it’s a verb. To have love for people is to show love for people. If it’s love for the community, you need to be doing something for the community. If it’s love for your family, you need to be contributing something to their health and well-being. (And currently, I’m thinking of my mother and her love for my grandfather, which is a whole other post about the highs and lows of caring for the elderly.) If it’s a romantic love, it’s not enough to be woo-woo’ing in someone’s ear about how much you heart them–those are sweet little nothings until some actions are aligned.
One thing I’ve had to learn is that I have to be choosy (had to do that one for Aaliyah, R.I.P.) about who I dedicate my energy, my time, my patience, my love to. All that is so simply yet eloquently written in 1 Corinthians goes both ways. My love needs to be all those things, but I also have to remember that I deserve all those things. And if I’m not receiving that, I should love myself more and walk away. I mean really, we spend so much of our lives pouring ourselves into other people, not always taking the time to really evaluate if we’re giving out the right type of love to right people. And then we wonder why we’re so drained and bitter. What we’re pouring out, we should be getting back some kinda way. Love isn’t a finite thing with a usage limit. There’s plenty to go around and it multiplies when it’s shared. You don’t have to be a martyr for love. Give some, and make sureyou’re getting some.
So when someone comes around, whether a new friend or a new romantic interest, and is really positive and invested and caring, you have to be appreciative to the One above for placing that source of energy into your life. You can be thankful for the chance to give some of that patient, unselfish, hopeful love AND for the chance to recognize and receive it. So, sang it, Miki.
Experience is a good teacher
It takes someone like me to know
All the little games people tend to play
Some call it love: It never has a chance to grow
…
The closed sign on my door, I had to tear it down
A new world of happiness turned me completely around
Real Middle School Mom of Atlanta 