The Power of Love: Read It & Don't Weep

With Valentines Day come and gone, some of my readers have broken hearts, others are full of love and some of ya'll didn't even notice right? ...(or that's what you tell yourself to help you sleep at night). Let's be honest: Love is a powerful part of our everyday lives. We love friends, family, and ultimately long for true love from a "significant other." At Church this past Sunday, the preacher told us that we could not have love and power at the same time. That was interesting to me because I have analyzed my friends relationships, my parents and my own, and come up with an interesting conclusion: No one wants to lose. No one wants to give up power. What does that mean? It is a very basic concept really. For example, if Sue really likes John, and John really doesn't, who do you think has the upper hand? Who loses? Exactly. John has the power to manipulate, to stress, to control. But the power of love is so strong, that it becomes a struggle between Sue's mind, heart and soul and she may be unable to walk away. Now, if John loves her back, that part can be beautiful. Their love can flourish and they can be happy together. Every relationship has their problems, but I believe that when two people love each other and keep God at their forefront, it could very well work out. My personal views are as follows: Lets just say, I'm not an expert in relationships, and honestly, never been in love. But as I grow and mature, it becomes more apparent to me that love does not have to be a game of wins and loses. Society has negatively warped our images of relationships. It takes two mature individuals to come to a conclusion that they have feelings toward each other. You have to be ready spiritually, emotionally and mentally to take on another individual in that capacity into your life. What do you think readers? Are ya'll ready for love?

May 8, 2010: Freedom Song...Or Doom's Day?

The Countdown Continues... Class of 2010 across the WORLD! Are we ready?? We are about to be done! Finito! College was probably THE best 4 (or 5... hey, it happens) years of your life. You've grown and matured as an individual, joined organizations, made friends and connections. And now its bout to be over. Dang, how does that make you feel? For my mighty Bison at Howard University Graduation is.... 11 Weeks, 6 days, 10 hours, 35 minutes and 59..58..57, you get my drift. While some may be singing the 'Freedom Song,' others are call it 'Doom's Day.' Why?? Just think about it... Most of you have been in school EVERY year since you were 4 or 5 years old. That's the past 17 or 18 years of your life! (Go ahead, inhale and exhale.) Exactly...that's how I felt. Since last semester, the goal for many of us has been graduation. Just keep pushing. Just keep grinding. We could see the light at the end of the tunnel, the white tape at the end of a marathon, the Oz at the end of that doggone yellow brick road! But now this "figment of our imagination" is starting to become a tangible reality, the anxiety starts to set in. I can't tell you how many graduating seniors I've spoken to ,that when asked what post-grad plans are, I get a blank stare. I even think I saw a tear in the eye of one person. Its a scary thought. In this economy, (oh boy, I never thought I'd be the one saying this) its hard out here. And who can forget those rack of student loans and debt that we have built in 4 years? The recession is real, and its one UGLY son of a *&%^#!! But I digress. The reality is, some of us really don't know. There are just so many options. "Should I go to grad school?" "Try to find a job?" "What am I good at?" And the question that I know is on every body's mind... "How can I make some money?" How much will your piece of paper be worth in the real world? I find myself at a crossroad sometimes. Thinking long and hard about what I should do next.I have a dream that I definitly plan on following. I find that the worst thing to do, is think too hard and take no action. Then you'll just be stuck. Don't wait for opportunities to pass you by because you've been spending all your time just "thinking"... Do some research, reach out to mentors, but ultimately the decision is yours. Justttt don't wait too long, cuz before you know it, allll of those private institutions that loaned you that money?? Yeah they're gonna want it all back.

7 Days: The Water Works

I'm thirsty...Very thirsty. And all I need to do to quench my thirst is... drink water. Ya'll thought this was gonna be about something else huh? lol. Sorry, not today. Today I really want to bring health to you all's attention. Water is seemingly the answer... To all life's transgressions. Not feeling well? Sluggish? Tired? Bump those sugary energy drinks; even the ones that promise no crash. DRINK WATER! I'm not here for promo. Not here to preach. I'm speaking the truth and this is serious business. My mom who is a nurse, used to tell me every day that I do not drink enough water and that I need to increase my intake. And she's right. There are a multitude of things that can change in your life via an increase in life's most natural element. Dry skin, brittle nails and breaking hair. I can almost guarantee that you will start to see some very big changes. So here is what Im going to do. For 7 days, I will be drinking NOTHING BUT WATER. For a week, I will replace all juices, teas and yes, even liquor with the fabulous H20. And in a weeks time, I believe that I will be able to measure the differences in my life. Of course i"ll have to make some additional changes. Just water isnt the cure for all things. A basic lifestyle change will promote a healthier mind, body and spirit. I charge you all to join me. One week, with one mission! Lets go!

The Chopping Block: Downsizing Relationships

I've never been in the business of "letting go". Interestingly enough, I've always found it hard to break ties with people; even those that proved to be no good for me. Never been in the game of burning bridges. I always thought to myself "what if I need that person one day?" But really folks, as I've grown, I've come to understand that cutting those ties and severing relationships are essential. SPECIFICALLY from those who cause you nothing but grief and stress. But to be honest as much as it seems like it may hurt now, Its really important to evaluate current relationships, friendships, etc. to see if they are really worth keeping. I've come to realize that there are a few things one must do in order to ensure their own tranquility, and sanity when it comes to dealing with other people. 1. Close that circle. 2.Separate friends from associates and 3.Recognize those who could care less about your individual well being.
Trust and believe ya'll, my circle is getting smaller as we speak. Okay, there are a select few that you call your "Dream Team". Those are the people who are going in the same or similar direction as you are professionally. Then you have your select few. Your road dawgs, ride or dies, etc. Everybody else... gets the boot. And that is THE real. Like it or not. We can be cordial and friendly, but so many people (men and women) make the mistake of not keeping their business,and relationships tight. I'm not saying don't network; for those of you that know me, know that I am the network queen. Take me for specific example. My friends said that they cant walk across the Yard with me without me stopping to speak to at least 10 people. I'm a social butterfly. But as one, I know which flowers not to land on, and which ones I can only stay on for a short period of time. It is all apart of a learning experience that I would like to share with ya'll. I've made my share of mistakes. TRUST. But with those mistakes, come experience. I know ya'll have probably heard this 1000 times before, but its serious business round here. Some people are just naturally FAKE AS HELL... You will be better off. This is the story of a champion. And you have to know who you can keep around and who you have to let fall by the way side. Such is life.