I RISE. Hello Love, Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth...before the difficult days come... Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "I RISE. Hello Love, Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth...before the difficult days come... Much Love, Ms. Jeanne"

Beverley McCarthy
5 years ago
Views:

I RISE Hello Love, We ve heard the song I Rise exclaimed by Andra Day.

However, I wonder sometime, Are we more in tuned to the rhythm or the cadence?

To rise implies once you were up, then down, maybe several times, and then up again.

In the end what will matter is the final rise for that particular situation.

Being down does not have to last forever. It s the winner (the riser) who doesn t settle for second best.

It s the riser who learns that better grades or acing an exam comes as the result of studying before the exam or class.

2 I RISE Hello Love, We ve heard the song I Rise exclaimed by Andra Day. We ve heard the poem Still I Rise so eloquently written and recited by Mia Angelou, and we ve fallen in love with each one. However, I wonder sometime, Are we more in tuned to the rhythm or the cadence? Do we really understand the message behind the words or lyrics? To rise implies once you were up, then down, maybe several times, and then up again. In this life we get up, rise, and many times fall back down again, to rise again. In the end what will matter is the final rise for that particular situation. It s been said for every step forward for good I make, I most often will take two steps backward for no good. Being down does not have to last forever. It s the winner (the riser) who doesn t settle for second best. It s the riser who never quits. It s the riser who learns that better grades or acing an exam comes as the result of studying before the exam or class. It s the riser that recalls words of wisdom that they heard from parents, guardians, ministers, neighbors and well-meaning friends. Yes, we all have valleys. They have been allowed to make us stronger. I am reminded of these words and I trust you will make them your life s mantra We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, caste down, but not destroyed. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth...before the difficult days come... Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

A Teaching Moment Thank You Michael Michael Jordan I was so intrigued and delighted to read the autobiography of Michael Jordan, the greatest NBA star that ever lived at least in my opinion up to now.

Jordan claims that the greatest would belong to the one after him the upcoming star that will take the game to the next level.

3 A Teaching Moment Thank You Michael Michael Jordan I was so intrigued and delighted to read the autobiography of Michael Jordan, the greatest NBA star that ever lived at least in my opinion up to now. It was so interesting to read that he did not consider himself as the greatest. He did however admit that he was encouraged by the title and appreciated all of the admiration his fans had for him. Jordan claims that the greatest would belong to the one after him the upcoming star that will take the game to the next level. He admits unashamedly that whatever talents or gifts he possessed on the court, evolved from greats like Julius Erving, David Thompson, Walter Davis, and Elgin Baylor. Without the talent of these great players, there never would have been a Michael Jordan. He asserts that he took what he had learned from Thompson, Davis and Baylor, and with his own personal touch, moved his athletic gifts to play the game to the next level. As I read this fascinating and humble story, my reflection drifted to a deeper lesson to be learned from it all. I thought about a deeper meaning that young people could gleam from the Michael Jordan story. I reflected on my early days of school. I was a late bloomer educationally, in part, because of poor study habits. I did not know that I did not know how to study. For some it comes very easy. Most of us have to be taught how to study. At o time I could not take tests. My friend, Eloise, always seemed to ace every test we took. Providentially I started looking at what she was doing. When it came to studying, Eloise and I were completely different. Eloise would come home from school with information fresh on her mind and would go immediately to her appointed area for the allotted time and do her homework. If she had no homework she would study her notes or study anything covered that day. Me? Well, I would put the books down, play, watch television, talk on the telephone and maybe in between I would look at my lessons. Interrupted study, I learned later, is not comprehensive study. When it came to tests, Eloise would create tests of her own (true or false, completion, essays, etc.). She would take her tests and then study extra hard the parts she may have answered incorrectly. Consequently, when it came time for the real test, she would pass with flying colors. I instead was sitting there wondering, I studied, what happened? I started doing what Eloise was doing paying closer attention to my teacher, taking good notes, designating a specific area to study in at home, having uninterrupted study and making my own tests and taking and checking them. I would then study extra hard the areas I missed. My grades dramatically increased along with my retention of the information. The greater lesson or teaching moment from Michael Jordan s autobiography is, if you want to do better, in anything, imitate someone who is doing better, add your touch and the rest is history!

ALL LIVES MATTER I m Black, Negro, Colored

Amendment right But arrested if I carry a

Immigrated thirty years ago And now there

4 ALL LIVES MATTER I m Black, Negro, Colored and African American Exercising my First Amendment right But arrested if I carry a gun. I m Hispanic, Mexican and Latino Immigrated thirty years ago And now there is a push for me to be on my way and go. Muslim I am, terriost I m not Love my country Not engaging in a plot. I m Jewish, survived the Holocaust My brother and I defended this country He willingly paid the ultimate cost.

I m Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese Don t try to distinguish the

I m African looking for my people Most died and killed by the

turned back Our tired and poor only touched the sand.

sold Or came by way of the border or by boat Just looking for a

5 I m Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese Don t try to distinguish the difference Judge me only by my character and deeds. I m African looking for my people Most died and killed by the Reaper I m Haitian I never was allowed to land One boat was turned back Our tired and poor only touched the sand. I m me, proud and bold Created in His image Whether bought or sold Or came by way of the border or by boat Just looking for a better life A chance to have hope. All lives matter. All lives were created the same. No one can take away your love for self. There s someone who loves you more. Make Him proud as you show thanks for who and whose you are. Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

6 LET IT GO Hello Love, I have said at different times that if I hear that song Let It Go, ONE more time, I am going to scream. But as I contemplate my thoughts for encouragement today, I keep hearing in my sub-conscious, Let it Go. So I began to examine what Let it Go means to someone who is trying to rise above where they are, or to someone who has baggage that they need to let go. The first step in the process of letting go is to admit there are things we need to let go, certain thought such as 1. I am in the foster child system. 2. No one cares for me. 3. I m not pretty or handsome. 4. My skin color is an obstacle. 5. I m not as smart as others. 6. Working on me is too hard.

7 7. The world expects me not to make it. 8. I can t talk like other people. 9. I m intimidated by how someone looks at me. 10. Nothing is going to change. 11. I have been abused. LET IT GO! We then need to develop a goal/mission statement. Let s say my goal is to acquire some training to land a good job, get my own place and become financially independent. Now I need to list each step and what I do to accomplish my goal. These may be 1. Pay attention in school and improve my grades. 2. Be consistent about my grades and improving by studying every night. 3. Don t spend time with associates who have no goals. 4. Continue to be encouraged by daily reciting your goal or mission statement. 5. Research writing a resume. 6. Reassess how I dress. 7. Research and practice good interviewing skills. 8. Keep your eye on the prize. More importantly, always take time to give thanks. You must want it bad enough that nothing or no one will deter you. Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

Overcomers should be the first to hail Hallelujah loud and clear. When you make up your mind to leave an abusive relationship that s the time to share you shout!

8 SHARE YOUR SHOUT! Hello Love, Normally when we shout we want to be heard by everyone on shouting distance. Our shouts are usually about events, accomplishments and other areas we want the world to rejoice along with us. Much too often we refuse to include others when we have Overcome. Overcomers should be the first to hail Hallelujah loud and clear. When you make up your mind to leave an abusive relationship that s the time to share you shout! When you admit that you encouraged being violated by your dress, your speech and being in the wrong place that s the time to share your shout.! When you accept your own behavior and commit not to feed their malign, embarrassing or gossiping about someone because of your own insecurities and being jealous of that person that s the time to share your shout! When you decide that using friends and family will no longer be your M.O. that s the time to share your shout!

9 I have to live with myself, and so, I want to be fit for myself to know; I want to be able as days go by, Always to look myself straight in the eye; I don't want to stand with the setting sun And hate myself for the things I've done. I don't want to keep on a closet shelf A lot of secrets about myself, And fool myself as I come and go Into thinking that nobody else will know The kind of man I really am; I don't want to dress myself up in sham. I want to deserve all men's respect; But here in this struggle for fame and pelf, I want to be able to like myself. I don't want to think as I come and go That I'm for bluster and bluff and empty show. I never can hide myself from me, I see what others may never see, I know what others may never know, I never can fool myself -- and so, Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free. MYSELF by Edgar A. Guest Making a clean sweep of the negatives in your life brightens your day, clears your outlook on life and causes you to cheerfully await the treasures that are laid up for you to claim. Want to be clean? Make that clean sweep and SHARE YOUR SHOUT! Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

10 WANTING TO BE SEEN All of us want our presence to be acknowledged. Much too often we accomplish being seen by acting negatively and then we wonder why we still don t feel validated. We don t feel validated because of the reaction of others to our negative, rude, loud, bullying, vulgar behavior. Vulgarity has no place with decent people. There are some people who use vulgarity as a defense mechanism. They feel they can t talk intelligently enough to make their point so they feel vulgarity gives them some type of advantage with intelligent people.. What actually happens is that decent people shy away from vulgar people. And we wonder why people are acting funny as we say. Remember, birds of a feather flock together. We associate and feel comfortable with people like us, people with whom we have things in common. I m not quite sure we really know what negative behavior is. Michael Jordan, the greatest NBA player ever (in my and many others opinion), after being asked what kind of girls is liked, commented, the ones I don t hear before I see them. There is a lot to be heard in that statement. Being loud is not attractive. It also sends the message that one needs some attention bad because they aren t getting it from the appropriate places or they lack self-confidence. Some people talk too much. Let me clarify that. I am the first to encourage young people to be articulate. But have you ever been in a conversation with someone who talked nonstop? Or when you begin to talk they cut you off? Or whatever some shared they interjected with words like No or But invalidating your input. That happens because the seen/scene seeker has not been taught that instead of words that invalidate, use statements such as in addition to that; or that s interesting; or I agree to a point. Yes, be seen, but in a complimentary way. More often than not, being quiet, reserved and polished is the best way to be seen. Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

YOUTH Hello Love, Oh what a word, Youth. Some of us wish we could go back to those days and some of us are glad our youth days are over, to never return again.

Others choose not to return to those days because it is too painful to remember the bad decisions they made as the years went by. Revisiting is too painful for them.

For every bad decision we contemplated and eventually participated in, we were to become stronger, wiser and more resilient against childish thoughts and the traps of this world that encourages us to

11 YOUTH Hello Love, Oh what a word, Youth. Some of us wish we could go back to those days and some of us are glad our youth days are over, to never return again. Those who want to return to their younger days may wish it because they chose to assume no responsibility for anything. Others choose not to return to those days because it is too painful to remember the bad decisions they made as the years went by. Revisiting is too painful for them. Youthful days are our molding years. We don t develop ourselves, but rather we are molded by a higher power. For every bad decision we contemplated and eventually participated in, we were to become stronger, wiser and more resilient against childish thoughts and the traps of this world that encourages us to fail...the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We can t take back yesterday but we can revisit those days retrospectively and make recommitments to avoid the traps set before us. We learn to make good decisions after making bad decisions. The unfortunate process is not totally in vain. My aunt used to say the bes kinna lerning (in her 90 year old vernacular) is the head against the brick wall kind. Think it over! Much Love, Ms. Jeanne

YMCA RAG/LEATHER PROGRAM STUDY GUIDE FOR THE BLUE RAG YMCA RAG/LEATHER PROGRAM STUDY GUIDE FOR THE BLUE RAG

YMCA RAG/LEATHER PROGRAM STUDY GUIDE FOR THE BLUE RAG YMCA RAG/LEATHER PROGRAM STUDY GUIDE FOR THE BLUE RAG My country is an engineering achievement, a bridge over which you can cross the chasm of despair. America is an architecture with which you can build the tower of your dreams. My country is a sculptor