Remnants of hot summer days
Remain in my heart
Days of double dutch, tag
Jacks, dodge ball, have made a depart
Lessons of friendship, community
Acceptance, family and humility
Still lovingly lingering
Hardships, trials of life
Showing no immunity
Gratitude, compassion, thankfulness
Rising steadily
Remnants of Childhood was written in response to the W3 #164 prompt.
Life is a series of learning experiences, events and emotions. In this video message, I talk about choosing to have a good day when you may not be in the best of moods. If you have absolutely no reason to be ill, ask yourself why. This might be a good time to talk to yourself and talk yourself into a better disposition.
Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Music is a universal language. Jazz, rhythm and blues, rap, gospel, house, soul, rock and roll, disco and go-go. Some of these styles of music are a fusion from multiple genres. While some don’t want to admit that, just read the credits and you will discover. Groups that you thought might have been considered a “black” group, have some origins from other cultures.
Nonetheless, June is Black Music Month or African American Appreciation Month. President Jimmy Carter declared it in 1979. However, it wasn’t until 1998 that it was officially acknowledged.
Music has a way of getting a message across in song. Some people use it as a way to express their feelings. A way to release and purge. Music also brings about feelings of happiness. Others use it as a way to promote consciousness or bring awareness to the injustices going on in the world. Music has a way of uniting and bringing people together, no matter where you come from. It is so uplifting to hear the right song and it gets you singing along or dancing.
It amazes me how much music has changed over the years. New styles and artists emerge. Languages change too. Meaning the way artists enunciate in their music, sometimes you can’t understand a word. Some songs sound like the chorus is just on repeat and not many lyrics to it.
The one thing that I noticed is that songs in today’s time are much shorter. Back in my day, songs were an average of 8-12 minutes. Today, songs are averaging less than 5 minutes. To me, that is a snippet! Oh well, what do I know right?! Music can make you dance, cry, sing, smile and so on.
What is your favorite genre of music?
Thank you for reading. Stay well and be blessed! 💕🙏
Tears of Understanding- A poem about judgments and cultivating relationships. Building relationships with people can sometimes be hindered by unfair judgments. We can avoid assumptions about each other by taking the time to have a conversation or simply asking a question.
Please don't misunderstand
what's that you hear
yeah, smothered
tears tears tears
Please don't misunderstand
not being heard, but seen instead
seeing me me me
Please don't misunderstand
seeing me is not my clothes
not my hair
and definitely not my face
nah nah nah
Please understand
my brotha, my sista
Black woman I am
Boricua I am
My complexion mine
your complexion yours
my inflection mine mine mine
your perplexion yours yours yours
Please understand
you will never understand
the whys, I give benefit of doubt
because it was not given to me
Underestimated
Misjudged
Misunderstood
Even hated
Please understand
my silence, my strength
to the underlying slick tongue
the slick tongue that takes jabs at my person
Please understand, no overstand
my shoes you cannot walk in
they were not made for you
your shoes not made for me
Even still, you hold your truth
I hold mine, the same but different
tears tears tears, of not sadness
Tears for you you you
Judgments you hold for me
are really for you you you
Understand?!
Thank you for reading and watching! 🙏
As always, stay well and be blessed💖
Yesterday is gone and today is here. Whatever happened yesterday, don’t let it weigh you down today. It was in the past and is now behind you. Now is the time to look up and look at today and ahead. We can choose to be happy. We can choose to have a good day. You decide on the fate of the day you want to have.
Thank you for reading! Stay well and be blessed🙏💞
Trying new things does wonders for the brain. It helps us to grow and challenges us to break out of the comfort zone. Adding new skills helps to keep our brain sharp. Also, it can be scary to try something new.
All kinds of thoughts go through your mind. You question,
can I really do this? Why do I even think I can do this? Am I crazy, I can’t do this. Be careful not to talk yourself out of it. If you are thinking about changing your mind about trying something new. Just ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen?
If you succeed, great! If you fail, at least you know and can say that you at least tried. The failure is only when we do not try. Discovering whether or not we can do something is valuable information.
As you can see, you don’t have to try something that is outrageous or outlandish. Start with something on a small scale then expand it to as big as you want. The important thing is to enjoy yourself and expand your brainpower.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The video message is about showing humility when blessings come our way. Be humble and grateful for all your blessings. Boasting and bragging is not the way. Just as quickly as God blesses us, he can taketh away. Celebrate and be happy for others the same as you would want them to be happy for you in return.
If this message resonates with you, please share with someone who you think may like the message as well. If it is on your heart, please leave a comment on how this message has changed you in some way or given a new perspective.
Thank you for watching! Stay well and be blessed! 🙏💖
Taking those pieces and
Remnants from life's experiences
And using it for
New purpose in life's journey
Shapes the way
Forward and forges
Opportunities for growth
Rebirth of the mind and soul
Makes room for the body to
Adhere to its natural order
To fall in line with the trio
In which all alignment
Originates and keeps everything
Nice and smooth
The acrostic poem, Morphing for Mind, Body and Soul, is written in response to the W3 Prompt #156: Wea’ve Written Weekly – The Skeptic’s Kaddish 🇮🇱. Thank you, David and Carol Anne.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
How do you get your doses of happiness? Whatever brings a smile to your face and puts some joy in your heart; do that! Life is hard enough.
Thank you for watching! I have attached a previous article titled, Canopy of Protection. Where Do You Find Peace? Hopefully, you can find something that will help you if you need calmness in your life. As always, thank you for reading🙏💕😊
How do you connect to your true self?
Do you get back to an old hobby? Maybe do the things that once made you feel most alive. The list below are some things that come to mind. Can you relate to any of these?
Saying no and not being a people pleaser
Taking time out for self care
Checking in on how you are feeling, really
Being intentional about nurturing relationships
We have to be connected with ourselves before we can begin to connect with others in a meaningful way. ☺️
Stay well and be blessed🙏💖
Thank you for reading!
The way we think about money determines how we move in life. If you feel that you should spend every dollar you make maybe it is time to change your attitude. Prices are skyrocketing on just about everything and this trend does not seem to be slowing down. Spending for housing, food, education and definitely commerce with the tariffs being assessed, puts a strain on finances.
With that in mind, it never hurts to have some kind of financial cushion. Do you save every time you get paid? If so, then you are heading in the right direction. What about investing? This one is a little tricky. It depends on whether or not you are willing to risk financial loses, along with returns.
Are you a chronic spender? Purchasing things that you don’t really need but want, just because you have money. Spending this way leaves you vulnerable in times of an emergency. If you spend, spend, spend and have no savings, try to work on putting something aside. Some people feel that they worked for their money, so why save it.
The best way to ease financial stress is to first create a safety net. If you know that you have money set aside, you will not be so overwhelmed and stressed when those emergencies arise.
Living paycheck to paycheck is a reality for some people. A shift in attitude can turn that around. Start to budget your money and eliminate things that you don’t need. Before making a purchase, stop to ask yourself if this is a necessary expense.
The tax return refund is often a missed opportunity. Use the refund for saving and put it towards your safety net/emergency fund. Instead of spending it before you get it, put the money aside. At least, most of it. You would be surprised how this can jump start your savings journey.
Look for other ways to cut back on your spending. Little things add up and quickly. Start to keep track of your daily spending for two weeks. Review it and see where you can cut unnecessary spending. The economy is so uncertain in today’s time. If banks are unfavorable to you, do what works best for you to find alternative means of saving.
Yes, it takes work to change our financial situation. Attitude is the ingredient to making the change we want to see. No one else can do this for us. Start small and build from today. You can do it!
Image by muqadas Muqadas from Pixabay
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. Hate injures the hater more than the hated. “-Coretta Scott King
Life is so precious. Why live with hatred in your heart?!
💕 Stay well and be blessed🙏
Do you prefer to network in person or online? Maybe a combination of the two is more like it. Of course, the more connections you make the more opportunities present themselves.
Are you a people person who prefers the more personal one-on-one approach? Some people find that the in person strategy is most effective because you can look at the person you are speaking with and gauge from their response, if they are interested in your collaboration or not. Another clue would be their energy. The person may not seem enthusiastic in what you are saying and unsure about how to let you down easily or relay the disinterest.
On the other hand, some people find great success in networking online. I think it depends on the kind or business you have and are trying to grow. Building your brand and networking online gives you a reach of people that in-person networking cannot achieve. The trick is making sure to align with people interested and building in your field of interest.
So, what is your networking style?
As always, thank you for reading! Stay well and be blessed🙏💕
—Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. —
🦋🦋🦋
Change is upon us every day. Whether we are ready for it or not. It happens. Sometimes in that changing, we get stumped. We may not know what direction to take or what exactly we need to do.
It is not easy to change things about ourselves. The uncertainty and not knowing what will happen next. I just implore you to follow your heart. Love yourself and others.
Stay well and be blessed. 🙏❤️
You see her walking down the street
Purpose in her eyes
Meaning in her walk
Strut like you have never seen
Delicate flower, she be
Wearing her armor of protection
The look in her eyes lets you know
Back up or I will cut you
A face that tells you she means business
She ain't here for the games
Delicate flower, she be
Like the weeds that grow in your garden
The dandelions that grow in the empty lot on the corner
Growing in between the cracks in the ground
She rises up
Delicate flower, she be
Having the nerve to go where you wouldn't expect
She stands tall and firm
There are years that ask questions and years that answer
Looking at her reveals both; question and answer
Delicate flower, she be
Hard pavement of the concrete
Matches the hard look on her face
Meeting your gaze she stares back
Not a smile anywhere to be found
Delicate flower, she be
Inside she is just waiting for someone
Someone that sees her and brings out the smile
Simultaneously holding her delicately and firmly
In full bloom as delicate as can be
Delicate flower, she be
Delicate Flower, She Be is written in response to the W3 Prompt #148: Wea’ve Written Weekly. Violet Lentz asks us to write about elements of the human condition and include at least 1 of 3 quotes in her guidelines.
Human condition elements I wrote about are emotions, social interaction, resilience and growth. How people can look so hardened on the outside but are really loving and kind on the inside. A smile is just bursting, waiting to come out at the right circumstance.
The quote I chose is by Zora Neale Hurston, “there are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
Image credit: by Josch13 from Pixabay
As always, thank you for reading! 😊💖🙌