You really don’t know how much you love a person until their gone. But when their gone, we have to move on.
My grandfather died on November 27, 2002, it was the day before Thanksgiving and five days after his 66th birthday, which was Nov. 22. I was a freshman in college when he passed, he got up and drove me to school every morning and picked me up every evening. I couldn’t have asked for a better grandfather. His name was Winfield Akers Jr., his friends called him Pig.
That morning in Nov. was cold and dry. My phone rang and my grandmother’s name and number appeared on the caller ID, it was around 7am. I thought she was calling to tell me they (she and my grandfather) were on their way to pick me up for school. But instead I heard frantic sobbing and the words that stopped my heart for what seemed like eternity, “I think your daddy dead.” It was my grandmother, screaming and crying.
My grandfather was a very reserved yet friendly man. He was big in stature and in integrity. He loved his family and we loved him.
I know how hard the holidays can be for families who have lost loved ones or have loved ones that’s incarcerated or even both. And when going through these difficult times we tend to have regrets about what we coulda, shoulda and woulda did. While clinging to the dead we’re neglecting the living.
Understand that GOD don’t make no mistakes, so thank him for all that you have been through whether good or bad, happy or sad and know that if it don’t kill you it only makes you stronger. Your life was made uniquely for you and God don’t make no junk!
Let’s learn to let go of all past hurts, focus on the present and embrace the future.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Put the burden on your own shoulders!
We have elected the first black man to become President of the United States.
Now we see what happens when we work together and stand for something.
People really got out and fought to put Obama in office. Others to keep him out. Regardless of which side you were on, the hard work and dedication was powerful.
But does that stop now? We got him in office. He can do all the rest, right? Wrong!
Now is the time that Unity could not be preached more. We are going through so many things as a nation, not to mention our personal lives, that it would be detrimental to be divided right now.
We all have an important role to play. Just like we got out and registered people to vote, just like we walked and knocked on doors, just like we called people on the phone rallying up votes for Obama.
Let’s use that same dedication and determination to clean up our communities, become more involved in our children’s schools, become better steward of our finances, and, most of all, become better at uniting our families.
Remember, Obama can only do so much. W1e have to do the rest!
Now we see what happens when we work together and stand for something.
People really got out and fought to put Obama in office. Others to keep him out. Regardless of which side you were on, the hard work and dedication was powerful.
But does that stop now? We got him in office. He can do all the rest, right? Wrong!
Now is the time that Unity could not be preached more. We are going through so many things as a nation, not to mention our personal lives, that it would be detrimental to be divided right now.
We all have an important role to play. Just like we got out and registered people to vote, just like we walked and knocked on doors, just like we called people on the phone rallying up votes for Obama.
Let’s use that same dedication and determination to clean up our communities, become more involved in our children’s schools, become better steward of our finances, and, most of all, become better at uniting our families.
Remember, Obama can only do so much. W1e have to do the rest!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The New Breed
This is an article that was printed in the November 12, 1964 edition of JET Magazine entitled: “Black Man As U.S. President Prediction For Future Decade,” By John H. Britton
Though Irving Wallace, in his book The Man, dreamed a wild dream (his critics call it a nightmare) that placed a Negro President in the White House, the wide-awake author appears deadly serious when he predicts a Negro American’s succession to the presidency within three decades.
“I hesitate to say flatly that a Negro will be in the White House as President. But I will say that the possibility of a Negro Vice President is definitely not far-fetched. The world climate may be such that political expediency will demand a Negro in the White House. And even within the next ten years, I believe a Negro Secretary of the State is possible; and you know that’s up in the line of presidential succession.”
The whole fantastic ideas is contained in Wallace’s run-away best-seller, The Man, the story of Douglas Dilman, as a Negro President of the United States, struggling to think and act like a President, like a man, and move away from the ghetto-thinking that America and Americans have forced upon him because of his race.
Because of his admitted sparse knowledge about the Negro, Wallace balked at predicting the Negro who may finally emerge as President. He does speculate, however, that the man will more likely come from without the area of current Negro political leadership, “unless, of course, a new breed becomes dominant.” Said Wallace, still speculating to JET: “I don’t know many Negro politicians or civil rights leaders. I do think, though, that men like Franklin Williams (UNESCO Ambassador) or Whitney Young (Urban League director) would easily fit the job. Of course, there will always be political expediencies to dictate any selection. But men like these, I believe, are qualified for President.”
It was Williams, then a Peace Corps executive, who encouraged Wallace’s book idea because, Wallace quoted him as saying, Williams believes strongly that world political climate will soon demand a negro at the highest executive level of the nation…
Is Senator Barack Obama this so-called “New Breed?” And if he is, where do this leave us as black people? What do we expect to happen if Barack is the next President of the United States? We have gotten so wrapped up in skin color and making history that we don’t even see the problem at hand, which is Us! Barack can’t stop a person from killing their whole family, or from killing someone else’s family, He also can’t stop, a shoot-out at a club that leave several people seriously injured. Neither can he make sure that children are at home at night, instead of at a club (where they are responsible for killing another child), nor can he assure you that there will be no more deaths of children due to playing with guns. He can’t guarantee a decrease in the teen drop-out rate, teen pregnancy or the numbers of black men going to prison. And all of these things are happening in our neighborhood. If Barack is elected as the next President of the United States, that is a huge leap for American History and for African American History. But are we making history as a people?
Though Irving Wallace, in his book The Man, dreamed a wild dream (his critics call it a nightmare) that placed a Negro President in the White House, the wide-awake author appears deadly serious when he predicts a Negro American’s succession to the presidency within three decades.
“I hesitate to say flatly that a Negro will be in the White House as President. But I will say that the possibility of a Negro Vice President is definitely not far-fetched. The world climate may be such that political expediency will demand a Negro in the White House. And even within the next ten years, I believe a Negro Secretary of the State is possible; and you know that’s up in the line of presidential succession.”
The whole fantastic ideas is contained in Wallace’s run-away best-seller, The Man, the story of Douglas Dilman, as a Negro President of the United States, struggling to think and act like a President, like a man, and move away from the ghetto-thinking that America and Americans have forced upon him because of his race.
Because of his admitted sparse knowledge about the Negro, Wallace balked at predicting the Negro who may finally emerge as President. He does speculate, however, that the man will more likely come from without the area of current Negro political leadership, “unless, of course, a new breed becomes dominant.” Said Wallace, still speculating to JET: “I don’t know many Negro politicians or civil rights leaders. I do think, though, that men like Franklin Williams (UNESCO Ambassador) or Whitney Young (Urban League director) would easily fit the job. Of course, there will always be political expediencies to dictate any selection. But men like these, I believe, are qualified for President.”
It was Williams, then a Peace Corps executive, who encouraged Wallace’s book idea because, Wallace quoted him as saying, Williams believes strongly that world political climate will soon demand a negro at the highest executive level of the nation…
Is Senator Barack Obama this so-called “New Breed?” And if he is, where do this leave us as black people? What do we expect to happen if Barack is the next President of the United States? We have gotten so wrapped up in skin color and making history that we don’t even see the problem at hand, which is Us! Barack can’t stop a person from killing their whole family, or from killing someone else’s family, He also can’t stop, a shoot-out at a club that leave several people seriously injured. Neither can he make sure that children are at home at night, instead of at a club (where they are responsible for killing another child), nor can he assure you that there will be no more deaths of children due to playing with guns. He can’t guarantee a decrease in the teen drop-out rate, teen pregnancy or the numbers of black men going to prison. And all of these things are happening in our neighborhood. If Barack is elected as the next President of the United States, that is a huge leap for American History and for African American History. But are we making history as a people?
Friday, January 18, 2008
What about our kids.
Let’s take our children back to the good ole days…
When families ate and prayed together.
When children did not have a choice in what was cooked for dinner.
When children had to be in the house before the streetlight came on.
When children did not engage in adult conversations.
When the first thing you did when you got home from school was take off your school clothes and do your homework.
When children ate a hot breakfast at home each morning.
When children were actually scared of their parents.
When needs came before wants.
When children went to church every Sunday.
When parents knew their child’s every move.
Now let’s compare the old days to today…
Now everyone eats when he or she wants, and where he or she wants.
Now children tell their parents what they like and dislike.
Now when the streetlight comes on the children go out.
Now children join in adult conversations.
Now children are up at 10:00 p.m. doing homework, still wearing their school clothes.
Now children have to make it to school before breakfast is over in order to eat.
Now parents are trying to be their children’s friends instead of their parents.
Now the new Jordan’s are bought before the light bill is paid.
Now children only go to church on Easter to show off their new clothes.
Now when you ask a parent where their children are their response is simply “outside somewhere.”
Parents are giving children too much freedom. A child does not know what is good or bad for him/her, that is call. We are giving children the responsibility of parents.
We are now living in a society where teenage pregnancy is common, fatherless households are normal, drug addicted mothers are no surprise. Children today are practically raising themselves and it’s not fair to them, these children are missing out on the most important years of their lives due to poor parenting skills.
When I was coming up you never heard about child abuse cases better yet a parent killing their own child, now that too is common in our society.
Our children emulate rap videos and have dreams to become rappers, what happened to becoming doctors and lawyers? How did we get this way? What happened? Where did we go wrong? Of course we all have questions that we may never know the answer to? But this is my question to all “What are we going to do about it.”
When families ate and prayed together.
When children did not have a choice in what was cooked for dinner.
When children had to be in the house before the streetlight came on.
When children did not engage in adult conversations.
When the first thing you did when you got home from school was take off your school clothes and do your homework.
When children ate a hot breakfast at home each morning.
When children were actually scared of their parents.
When needs came before wants.
When children went to church every Sunday.
When parents knew their child’s every move.
Now let’s compare the old days to today…
Now everyone eats when he or she wants, and where he or she wants.
Now children tell their parents what they like and dislike.
Now when the streetlight comes on the children go out.
Now children join in adult conversations.
Now children are up at 10:00 p.m. doing homework, still wearing their school clothes.
Now children have to make it to school before breakfast is over in order to eat.
Now parents are trying to be their children’s friends instead of their parents.
Now the new Jordan’s are bought before the light bill is paid.
Now children only go to church on Easter to show off their new clothes.
Now when you ask a parent where their children are their response is simply “outside somewhere.”
Parents are giving children too much freedom. A child does not know what is good or bad for him/her, that is call. We are giving children the responsibility of parents.
We are now living in a society where teenage pregnancy is common, fatherless households are normal, drug addicted mothers are no surprise. Children today are practically raising themselves and it’s not fair to them, these children are missing out on the most important years of their lives due to poor parenting skills.
When I was coming up you never heard about child abuse cases better yet a parent killing their own child, now that too is common in our society.
Our children emulate rap videos and have dreams to become rappers, what happened to becoming doctors and lawyers? How did we get this way? What happened? Where did we go wrong? Of course we all have questions that we may never know the answer to? But this is my question to all “What are we going to do about it.”
Thursday, January 17, 2008
How To Keep Your New Years Resolution
We all have New Year’s Resolutions, but not all of us stick to them. The main reason we fail at keeping our resolutions is because we don’t have a plan. So I’m going to give you 10 easy steps to help you keep your resolutions.
1. Start Small
Instead of giving something up completely, try cutting back.
2. Remember nobody’s perfect so set realistic and achievable goals
Trying to look like a super model is not realistic for the majority of us, but to include daily physical activity in our lives is.
3. Understand that slip-ups are not the end of the world
Everyone makes mistakes. Resolutions can be set at anytime.
4. Create a plan
People forget, paper remembers. Write your resolutions down and put it somewhere you will always see it, that way you will be constantly reminded of the goal at hand.
5. Patience
Everything takes time. Remember great things come to those who wait.
6. Reward Yourself
Whether you buy yourself a new outfit or treat yourself to a full body massage, reward yourself after each week or month of keeping your resolution.
7. Do not spread yourself too thin
Don’t pile yourself up with resolutions limit your number of promises. Trying to make multiple changes in your life will only result in the failure of all your resolutions.
8. Don’t be afraid to seek help
Whether it’s professional or just friends and family. Let people know about the changes you are trying to make in your life that way you will be constantly reminded of what you are trying to accomplish.
9. Embrace change
Understand that things happen unexpectedly and just embrace it even if that means your resolution is altered.
10. Keep a journal
Write down your achievements and your slip-ups so you would know exactly where you stand with your resolutions.
Good Luck!
1. Start Small
Instead of giving something up completely, try cutting back.
2. Remember nobody’s perfect so set realistic and achievable goals
Trying to look like a super model is not realistic for the majority of us, but to include daily physical activity in our lives is.
3. Understand that slip-ups are not the end of the world
Everyone makes mistakes. Resolutions can be set at anytime.
4. Create a plan
People forget, paper remembers. Write your resolutions down and put it somewhere you will always see it, that way you will be constantly reminded of the goal at hand.
5. Patience
Everything takes time. Remember great things come to those who wait.
6. Reward Yourself
Whether you buy yourself a new outfit or treat yourself to a full body massage, reward yourself after each week or month of keeping your resolution.
7. Do not spread yourself too thin
Don’t pile yourself up with resolutions limit your number of promises. Trying to make multiple changes in your life will only result in the failure of all your resolutions.
8. Don’t be afraid to seek help
Whether it’s professional or just friends and family. Let people know about the changes you are trying to make in your life that way you will be constantly reminded of what you are trying to accomplish.
9. Embrace change
Understand that things happen unexpectedly and just embrace it even if that means your resolution is altered.
10. Keep a journal
Write down your achievements and your slip-ups so you would know exactly where you stand with your resolutions.
Good Luck!
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