Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Trade Ya!

I've traded my Friday nights for Saturday mornings

I've traded gourmet dinners for PB&J sandwiches

I've traded trips to the mall for trips to the playground

I've traded leisurely strolls on the beach for building sand castles

I've traded my cat walk for the school bus dash

I've traded beautician appointments for soccer practices

It wasn't a fair trade... 

How blessed I am




Friday, August 24, 2012

Dichotomy


I am rock 
Rigid stable predictable


Baptized by the sea
You consume me


You cover me
Slowly changing me
You break me down...


Your tide drifts in and out
At times you bring gentleness


At times you attack with ferocity
Oh the unpredictability of you


I am influenced and affected 
But I am rock, my essence remains the same





Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Are You Going To Eat That Part 2

So I am around 95% meatless in my eating habits now. It has been a fun ride and I am really enjoying it. I think my physique (which wasn't too bad in the 1st place) is looking even better also. It's a very good lifestyle change. My husband is completely on board with me and he is happy with the way things are going too. Forks Over Knives documentary has revolutionized the way we feel about food. We are not forcing our children to participate. They are however finding it to be a pretty cool thing (since we're not making a big deal of them joining). They are now bragging about the meals that they eat with us that are meatless. I'm very proud of the choices they are independently making. I look forward to writing about further developments on this topic.

Monday, August 20, 2012

If I Could Give My Younger Self Advice

I just saw a question posed that really got my brain wheels turning: I thought I would take a few moments to process it off the top of my head...

I would tell her to always always ALWAYS follow your heart. Of all of the things you may regret, loving will not be one of them. Love and it's effects are something that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. Even if you didn't "love right" or you weren't loved right, it will inspire you to do better and be better in the future.

I would also encourage myself, to walk away from anyone that does not respect you. Disrespect is not an option. Do not allow it to be a factor in any relationship in which you take part of. Parents do not have a right to disrespect their children. Siblings don't have a right to disrespect each other, nor do friends and lovers. There is a simple theme that makes the world go 'round. It's called common courtesy. It is a precursor to respect. If you come across someone who does not follow those basic rules of engagement....walk away before any type of personal relationship has an opportunity to bud.


Hmmm re-reading this.... It seems as if love and respect are to foundational building blocks in my life. Now,  I think I will spend some time thinking about some of my weaknesses and challenges. Growth is a life long challenge for me. Thanks for stopping by my blog :)




Friday, August 17, 2012

It's a Big World

There is nothing like a trek into an enchanted forest . It reminds me of how small I really am. I fluctuate  from feeling like I am largely important, to feeling tiny and insignificant.


Both perspectives are necessary for me at any given time. When I am feeling large and powerful, it's like there is no limit to what I am capable of doing. My self confidence and motivation have fueled me toward accomplishments I never expected to achieve. When my feelings of importance dwindle, humility allows me to see my flaws, and strive for improvements.

As a spiritual woman, I of course, believe there is divine order in our lives. But, things don't necessarily just  happen to us. We have a role to play in accomplishing our purpose. I also believe that there is a design even greater than we often perceive at work. We are a part of something larger than our personal ambitions.


  I see a parallel concept in this tree growing out of the rock. It was a seed that was supposed to grow, because that is the natural order of things. However in order to do so, it had to bend and acclimate to maintain it's existence. Be that seed. Hang on, push, persevere, inspire, live.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Beauty is...

What is beauty? Who is beautiful? Growing up in the midwest all of my life, I have never been the embodiment of what is considered beautiful. (Thank goodness I had a decent sense of humor so as to draw others to me). As a small child, this had a tremendous effect on my self esteem. I remember rubbing lotion on my arms after bath time and hoping that the white cream would stay on top of my skin and not absorb so that I could stay white.

Growing up with parents who struggled through the civil rights era, saved me from drowning in self defeat when it came to matters of racial equality. Heading into adolescence, and even my teenage years, I had a much more well rounded sense of pride for my heritage and my "beauty".  I enjoyed defining my own sense of style. I stopped looking to society to define what was beautiful and decided to carve it out myself. I distinctly remember being studied by other girls and then watching them try to emulate what I was doing.

In my travels abroad I am always so impressed by the Caribbean society's pride of their own beauty. They flaunt their own black and brown people. Their natural hair styles celebrate their desire to conform to no one, but who they are. It warms my heart and makes me smile to walk into an environment that celebrates who I am and what I look like.

Here are 2 pictures that were in my hotel room in Montego Bay. This is an area known to receive visitors from every corner of the earth. I am so glad the hotel owner chose to highlight beauty according to the Jamaican cultural standard. And let's face it, these two lovely depictions deserve to be viewed, admired, and celebrated.

Monica Stewart


J.C. Bakari 2001

Sunday, August 12, 2012

These Rocks Rock

In some languages my name (my real name) means rock. It symbolizes a rigidity that may almost be a self fulfilling prophecy in my life. In some ways that rigidity has been helpful. In other ways it's been harmful. Perhaps I was drawn to these rocks at the beach for the above stated reasons. Enjoy the pictures for now. I'm sure I will be writing something in the future and using some of them...







Thursday, August 9, 2012

In Our Hearts To Stay

This is probably the most personal thing I have ever blogged. It feels right, so I am just going to go with it. I just eulogized my brother in law. And while I could go into the range of emotions I felt prior to standing up to address a foreign congregation, I would rather shift my focus... to him.

Rannie was one of my favorite people on the entire island of Jamaica. I knew him to be a very kind hearted gentle person. He was great uncle to my children. His soul was just very attractive and welcoming. Over the past 13 years I was always happy to see him come, and sad to see him go. But the thing that always stood out to me was that he was imperfect.

 I heard stories of various mistakes that he had made in the past. Most of them were pretty typical nothing horrendous. They were just the types of things that happen that you are judged for, and people never forget. To me Rannie typified a very important life lesson. You can struggle with issues, make snafus, and still be a wonderful person. It reinforced the fact that you must rise above other people's opinions of you. Regardless of our struggles and blunders, we all can bring a positive impact to others around us, if we choose to. Thank you "Bredda Rannie" and Rest In Peace...



Thursday, August 2, 2012

brb

Sun glasses...check
Camera...check
Itenerary...check
Tickets...at the check in counter

I'm leeeeavin' on a jet plane :) I hope to clear my mind, and then have an opportunity to look at life from a fresh perspective. Hopefully, I will have something to share when I get back. *blows kiss* TTFN- Ta Ta For Now! Xox.