Keep calm, don’t worry, stay alert, and listen. What is the higher calling required of me, to serve my purpose right now, right here? What will I face today? Where will my path lead? What difference can I make that is positive, encouraging, and uplifting for someone who may not even know that they need it?
I can’t get thrown off being distracted by the distractions where worry replaces calm like deeply pitted pains of contractions as I look inward deciding the approach to my reactions the things that don’t fit aren’t additions but subtractions.
There are so many men and women who hold no distinctive positions but whose contribution towards the development of society has been enormous. –Nelson Mandela
Many of us are hitting the pause button for the next several days to take a hiatus from our regularly scheduled writing posts. Now, while this does not mean we have stopped writing by hibernating completely from our writing, art, crafting, or photography, we are simply stepping away to regroup, revamp, and revive.
As we pause from posting, we are taking a moment to heal from the hurts that herald open wounds of pain and focus on restoring our health and well-being. That is important to do year-round, and you don’t need an excuse to do it. So, whatever your reasons are for taking a brief or extended hiatus, relax from the stress, release those signs and chokehold of toxicity, and relate to that inner peace that surpasses all understanding.
We often think about acquiring lots of things instead of fulfilling essential needs. We tend to focus on our wants, not giving much thought to the needs of others suffering by the wayside. We sometimes boast about self-reliance instead of a collaborative effort to improve the quality of life that others may benefit from. Yep, at times we can be a little selfish. Yet, sometimes being a little selfish in certain situations can work to your advantage and be your saving grace.
In this moment we have the opportunity to…
Don’t buy into the propaganda that in order to be somebody special or to be accepted, you must come from a specific zip code, township, financial background, or a particular tribe to make a difference in society, and to be an asset, not a liability. You are already somebody, a mover, a maker, and a shaker. No more wasteful spending to allow misinformation to persuade you to misrepresent who you are and what you can become.
At this moment, you have the opportunity to…
* Embrace joy * Love more * Intensify your humanitarianism * Make a positive difference in someone’s life and in the world * To create a safe haven for the least appreciated
Right now, at this moment, we have the opportunity to…
Be better than we were yesterday. Make a change that will “make” a change. We hear the use of wasteful spending in terms of governmental spending. Personally, no more wasteful spending on the frivolous. Spend your time wisely. Use your time productively.
Yesterday, what turned into a celebration of life for one of my first cousins, who happened to be the oldest on her maternal and paternal sides, was of course a sad occasion, but turned into something more amazing. My cousin Alice was a walking, talking archive of history, and a well-rounded humanitarian. I’m not just saying that because we were related. We shared commonalities but there was so much I never knew because we didn’t talk about each other’s monumental accomplishments when we got together.
My dear cousin began her professional career in education, first as a teacher, then as an assistant principal, then as a personnel administrator. Guided by unwavering faith, she was a distinguished leader in the community. Her accolades could not be measured because there were so many things she did so unselfishly for so many and never boasted about them. But, as people shared their memories of her, it blew my mind how much she served others and the sacrifice she made for so many, never complaining about it. She wore some BIG shoes, and oh my goodness, what big shoes she left.
When we say, “Those are some big shoes to fill,” we don’t talk about the shoe size someone wore, but how hard the next person would have to work in order to match the previous person’s standards because they raised the bar of achievement. But we can never fill someone else’s shoes. We have our own shoes to fill. We have a divine purpose in this life. Of course, our days won’t always be a bed of roses because there are thorns among those blossoms. But the impact we make and the work we do, let it speak for us. As novelists would say, don’t just tell your audience the story, show them.
We have been given gifts, talents, and tools to use in order to contribute to mankind and womankind that will lift up and produce fruitfulness. What is it that you can do to fill your shoes in a positive and productive way?
So, as we stood at the Beaufort National Cemetary yesterday, where my grandfather and so many of my elders who served in the military are buried, I am reminded of the incredible lineage I come from and the big shoes these teachers filled. A line on my cousin’s obituary read, “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise.” So I am encouraged to remain committed to the purpose I must serve, and become a better person. I ask myself this ever-evolving question, “How will I leave a positive impression and contribution to society?” As I walk to the beat of a different drummer, I have my own shoes to fill but don’t we all?
There is no need to make this philosophical and complex. The message is simple. That is not to say we won’t have issues that try to complicate and stress us out. When the time comes, we will deal with those issues the best way we can and. Now, while you probably think it’s not as simple as it sounds, you never know, depending on the circumstance. Try not to get yourself in a tizzy and make it worse than it actually is.
Don’t forget that each of us is embued with a purpose and a mission. Sometimes we are too busy looking at someone else and their mission or purpose, and then we compare ourselves to them. Inevitably we transform into something different, and then we are stressed more than we should be because our eyes drifted from our purpose to theirs. Keep it as simple as possible, and enjoy the ride of life! 🏍
Change. We talk about it all the time, but we fizzle out at some point, and then ask, “What’s the point?” Do we abandon change when it doesn’t come at the exact time when we want it? The point is, that each of us is here for a purpose, not to just suck up oxygen and plop down to exist in the same spot on a different day.
There are many variables that create change, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet what we do in spite of those variables depends on our mindset and our actions. You can’t expect to get into a vehicle and have it get you to a different destination if you don’t have gas in it and crank the darn thing up. Explore something new and different today. If you do, then you’ve made a change today, no matter how small.
The chambers of change always with constant newness are never the same.
What do we expect on a day like today where teams go at it like “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots” just for the chance to take ownership of a championship trophy? Obviously, between the two, there will only be one who rises victoriously. Regardless of who walks away with the Lombardi Trophy, they have more work to do in order to stay on top.
These teams are just that…teams. This is not a solo performance because each position has its role to play in the grand scheme of things. While you may have some who will have an outstanding performance and be named MVP, that couldn’t happen without their team.
Each day, it may look like we are out here alone, on our own, fighting a battle that we are not sure whether we will win or not. We just have to be mindful that however things may be, we are not alone. We can’t do it all by ourselves, without the help and support from someone or something. Whether or not we want to admit it, we are a team because each of us is responsible for the position we play and hold in life.
In our family, we have a team, and we serve a purpose within that team. On our job, or being members of organizational affiliations, we are on a team even if we work independently. Even as we post our stories, articles, videos, and blogs online, it takes a team to get us uploaded and published, whether we see that team behind the intricacies of our software and hardware usage or not.
Each day is a game day for us. Some days may suck and set us in a negative mood, and there are other days when everything seems to be going our way, and we are whistling merrily with big smiles and happy spirits.
Just know that our lives, even though we may do things by ourselves, are not solo performances because there is a team behind us whether we see or recognize them or not. We are the puzzle pieces that bring the picture into clear focus.
You can have everything but wind up having nothing at all.
So often, society dictates our mood, attitude, what we have, what we do, what we accomplish, where we live, how much money we must have to be successful, how many kids we should have, what organizations to be a part of, what schools we should attend, or what we should drive.
In my much, much younger years, I actually bought into that line of so-called “By any means necessary” way of thinking and fulfilling my dreams. Oh, how hard that was. Too much stress and not enough self-evaluation on what joy truly meant to me, and not someone else.
You can have everything, then risk losing it all, and have nothing at all. Just remember,“No one can see your visions and dreams as clearly as you can. Purpose is the key to creation manifested through vision!”
Oh, The Golden Girls! How I loved watching this sitcom and hated when it ended. They tackled some tough and controversial subjects sometimes, but there was always a teachable moment amongst the laughter. Women and many men talk about which character they depict the most. I can connect with Dorothy because when you go through some things, y’all know what I mean, you have to toughen up and not allow life’s occurrences to break you or make you wimp out.
All too often, so much is going on or not going on, and many of us never realize how parallel our lives are. While our experiences may differ, our lessons become the building blocks of our foundation. The takeaways from our construction are priceless.
Yesterday, I spoke to a dear friend who lives on the opposite side of the country. We spoke on the phone for two hours, and if we didn’t have other tasks calling us, we probably would have talked longer. Our conversation felt like a church testimonial. It’s interesting how a simple conversation can create a storyboard that practically mirrors or mimics your life. Our brief, two-hour conversation was emotional, joyous, humbling, and brought some unexpected eureka moments. This type of friendship is definitely a keeper!
Many moons ago, I read an inspirational message that said people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Many people come into your life for a season, and sadly as much as you want them to stay, they move on. Yet, once their purpose is served, you won’t remain complacent from their injection of inspiration during their season with you. Then some come into your life (good or bad) for a reason. Whether they are/were a boss, a toxic friend, a marriage, a good samaritan, a colleague, or even a bully, these individuals will spark a fire under you that will serve as a motivator to make you look inward, will teach a valuable lesson, and influence you to make a change, whatever that change may be.
Through our various platforms (art, music, photography, dance, food, music, poetry, literature, short stories, hobbies, motivational and spiritual messages, or crafts), I want you to know I appreciate the kind and heartwarming connections I make with you, my friends. While most of us have never met each other in person, we seem to have created an alliance of kindness, encouragement, and support that nudges us into exploring ourselves within and pulling out some special ingredients that will enhance our purpose.
I appreciate the kind and thoughtful comments many of you leave after you have visited this site. You have no idea (or maybe you do) just how grateful I am, and the heartwarming or comical comments you leave, mean so much to me. So on that note, I want to thank you for being my friend! Have a FANtabulous day everyone!
What you do when no one is looking says a lot about your character. Yet, what you do when people are looking, exposes what your character is made of. -Kym
From Behind the Pen 