Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Endangered Species

With the approaching holiday, I cannot help but think of the plight of our community. Young, black men are dying everyday, many times by the hand of other young, black men. What is the solution? We need to rebuild our community but first we need to change our mindset. Our community has an enslaved mentality and for those of us who have freed our minds, we are largely outnumbered. We are jealous of each others growth and success.We "hate" on one another. But why? You are my brother--aren't I supposed to love you? We should be proud for each other and our accomplishments. We struggle against a system that was designed for individuals who do not look like us. We struggle against injustice. Did we not forget our past? We were once property, with absolutely no rights. Many of us do not know from whence we came. Your ancestors are not from Brooklyn, NY! Where is our pride? Where is the love? What happened to black power? So, when you are sitting at your table enjoying your meal, I want you to think about all these brothers we have lost. They will never again be able to physically enjoy the company of family again. They will never share good times with family again. They are gone from this life. They have transitioned without choice. Life is good--I just wish our brothers knew that.. RIP to all my brothers that lost their life to violence. I would name a few but the list is too long and to painful. But know this-you are not forgotten and I will continue to fight for you, this is my way to honor your memory. One Love!


Peace & Blessings,
A

Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Season of Love

It seems that so many people that I know are getting married or are planning on getting married. It is so sweet. The blushing bride, the proud and nervous groom, the décor, the preparation, the family and friends; all serve as adornment for the honored event. But, outside of the good feelings I have towards them and their future plans, there is sense of pride and hope. It takes a radical individual to dedicate themselves to another through marriage. The vows in essence say that you are willing to stay and fight with and for that person, through sickness, poverty,etc. I am, at heart, a hopeless romantic. These wedding pictures I see each day are full of joy, hope, and love. I am blessed to be able to see so many lovely people join with another. It is a sacred thing that has to be cultivated, cherished, and protected. The end of a marriage can be devastating. Honestly, even though I am a divorcee, I still have nothing but positive energy in regards to marriage. It is a beautiful thing. It gives me hope that all is not lost. True love and devotion still exists. I would just like to offer a tidbit of advice from my personal experience. Make sure that you share in the same vision and know that one person cannot make a marriage--it takes both individuals. On that note, I look forward to seeing more pictures and I wouldn't mind being invited to a few! May  these couples be blessed in their new union with joy, peace, and eternal happiness.


Peace & Blessings,

Andre'a

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Keep Focused, Be Clear

Life is a very complex thing.It is filled with ups, downs, triumphs, failures, wins, losses, etc. But, how can we as individuals be "winners" consistently. What defines a winner or a victor in life? Is it the amount of wealth he accumulates, is it that he worked hard for his family, is it because she gave everything she had to be a good person? One thing I have learned is that you are what you think you are. How is that you may ask? Well, we have the ability to affect our life, in either a positive or negative way. What you dwell on and are consumed with on a emotional and in your psyche will produce a physical manifestation. We must be mindful of how we think of ourselves, what we concentrate on , and how we see our future. If you want to overcome poverty, stop saying you are broke and never have anything. If you want a family, stop saying "I cannot have children". We must focus on our thoughts, be careful of our thoughts, and have faith that our desires will manifest if we believe. The universe is programmed to react to the impules of our thoughts and demonstrate in a tangible, physical way. All is never lost, unless you believe it. A friend used to say "If you speak defeat, you are already beaten." Remember this and apply the principle. Dedicate yourself to improving your circumstances and on becoming that which you were created to become. Your life will change! Be consistent. You can do this! You can be! So, until the next time....


Peace & Blessings,
Andre'a

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Turkey Day is on Deck!

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I have to say I am super excited! It has always been one of my most favorite holidays not because of the food but because of the family time. When I was growing up, my family used to have large gatherings at Thanksgiving. We would sit around and joke, listen to stories from the elders, eat, and just generally enjoy one another's company. I miss those days! One of my favorite people was my Uncle Otho Jr. He was the coolest cat around! He always wore a brim or one of the hats like Kangaroo Jack, Stetsons, cologne, and ride around in his old-school Chevrolet convertible with the white wall tires! The man had swagger that was just genuine and I loved to ride in the convertible with him and listen to his tapes which included the O'Jays, Al Green, Muddy Waters, among others. It is memories such as this that make me strive for my children to truly understand and enjoy Thanksgiving and their family. It is a requirement for us to be together on the holidays, no matter what. One of my children is almost grown, however, he knows the holidays are a must-attend event. And I have made a few traditions of my own that may sound familiar to you--we watch football, I only make my famous dressing twice a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas), we visit with family, and we chill. So, this year, we will do what we do; cook, eat, reminisce, and enjoy each other, because family is the greatest gift of all!

Peace & Blessings,
Andre'a

Saturday, November 9, 2013

The Importance of Honesty

Honesty according to Webster's dictionary has been defined as "the quality of being fair and truthful : the quality of being honest:. It has been my experience that people often view honesty as being relative to both who they are dealing with and the situation. "Little white lies", although often not life-altering, are still lies. Who enjoys being lied to? It is hard to say, but we do. When someone could tell us the 100% truth, but they spare our feelings, do we not enjoy the beautiful lie? When I had my children, I struggled with the feeling of despair of not having the body I once had. My family would tell me "Andréa, you look just fine" when I knew I looked a mess. I would starve myself and work out tirelessly to fit the misguided lie of not looking the part of a woman who had just given birth to an 8 pound baby. As I have matured, I have had experiences where lies have cut me so deeply that I did not know if I could go on. I had some of the people closest to me betray me. I have had people around me know the reality of what was going on but not even have the decency to tell me. The truth of the situation has brought me to a place of distrust and an inability to believe people 100%. It is sad really, living with the thought that no one will tell me the whole truth. And I still do not see myself as a victim. This is no pity party. I am simply shedding some light on this issue. It was said that the lie was told "to save me from hurt". But, in the end, it was a counterproductive and cowardice move. How could you possibly love me like you claimed and lie to me so easily? And how could you continue to lie for so long? No I am not 100% honest at all times-I do not think anyone is. But, when telling a lie could potentially change the course of someone's life--I am inclined to tell the truth, no matter how difficult and I would hope someone would treat me the same way. I have an uncanny ability of deduction of situation. I will analyze a situation and come to know how things occurred. I should have been a detective. There have been things that have happened that I figured out through my ability to calculate and put "2 & 2 together". It is because of this ability that I have found out so much about people in general. This has been a source of confusion as well as pain. One thing I have come to find is that with time, pain is not as heart wrenching and unbearable as it was when it initially occurs. I liken the experience of this type of pain to a cut, at first the cut burns and aches, after a week or two, the sting begins to dull. It is better to hurt a little now, than be ripped to shreds later. Be real. Be honest. Show empathy. What if it were you?

Peace & Blessings,
Andre'a