Merit

I used to be a Girl Scout. I loved earning merit badges. They were like my own little trophies across my chest. I would collect a few and my grandmother would sew them on for me. It was our own little thing. After she died, I just stapled and pinned them on. In life, we don't get to wear our accomplishments across our chest. We don't get to parade around all the moments we are proud of in our lives, but they still have merit. They still have meaning. They still matter. Take the time to appreciate all your merit badges. You earned them!

Move

What moves you? What's your motivation? When was the last time you moved? When was the last time you were moved? Movement requires action. Motion. Forward motion. I recently moved and the whole packing and unpacking process has required a lot of reflection. I had to decide what I should keep and what I should throw away. What can I give to someone? What have I outgrown, but I'm still holding onto? What still works, but is unnecessary in my new environment? Moving required physical activity. Moving allowed me to see the space I existed in for years and truly see how blessed I really am. It also let me see the hidden mess. Moving exposed the things that were tucked in corners and crevices that were untouched by a surface clean. It's time to move. It's time to shake up some things in your life. It's time to get rid of some stuff. It's time to deep clean and give away things that no longer serve a purpose in your life. Move! 

Life

Life is meant to be lived. We don't get to choose our family, but we do get to choose our friends. We can't always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. Life is full of ups and downs. Perspective is everything. Most importantly, life is a gift. Every day is a gift. Open each day with expectation and fresh eyes. Live your life!!!

No Limit

I grew up listening to Master P and singing No Limit Soldiers. Percy Miller was a tangible rags to riches fairytale. The older I get the more I believe that limitations are mental. I never thought I live to see a Black president nor a Black woman marrying a British royal. Anything is possible. We create our own limitations. We speak defeat in our lives. We doubt ourselves and our abilities. In the words of Israel Houghton, "take the limits off." Live your life with no limits.  

Be Kind

Yesterday, an old lady grabbed me, kissed me, and gave me a big hug and wished me a Happy Mother's Day. I never met this woman before. She didn't know me. We weren't friends. She was a stranger. I did give her a free cup of coffee, but I had no idea she would respond the way she did. It caught me by surprise. Truthfully, I was a bit startled. I appreciated her gratitude. I smiled and wished her a Happy Mother's Day as well. She was affectionate. She was kind.

In a day and age when personal space can become a sexual harassment issue, I understand you can't just go around hugging and kissing strangers, but wouldn't it be nice if you could get a hug when you needed one? Wouldn't it be nice if we smiled at one another, and paid it forward? Wouldn't it be nice if we were kind to one another? Imagine that. Imagine truly loving your neighbor. Imagine what the world would look like if we were to be kind. 

Journey

Every journey begins with one step. Every step is a decision. Every decision is deliberate. We are not aimlessly existing. We have a purpose even if it is undiscovered. We are not here by happenstance no matter the circumstances of our creation. We are not a mistake. We are not lost. We are not without hope. Sometimes, life distracts us. We lose focus and forget that nothing takes God by surprise. God is the architect. God is the designer. Have faith. Trust and believe things will work themselves out. You are not forgotten. You just have to keep moving forward. One step at a time. 

I Am

We write affirmations in my house. I always tell the girls in addition to whatever they write to include "I am" statements. I tell them don't worry about if they aren't currently true because they will be. I understand that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I understand that words have the power to create our reality. I understand that generations before me spoke my freedom, my literacy, my liberty, and my ability to thrive and survive. I am because they were. I am because God created me. There is power in the great "I am" and there is power in knowing "I am."