Conscious Syllables

[courtesy of google images] I attended a workshop back in the Fall where the presenters focused on vicarious traumatization experiences of African Americans via media protrayals. It was an interesting presentation, but what stuck with me most was  a tangential conversation that came up during the audience discussion. I forgot how it started, but there came a point when one of the presenters shared a story of how her son came to her with questions about why everyone at school was talking about Martin Luther King, Jr as if he is the only successful black person. The presenter concluded her disclosure saying that Black History Month just doesn't make sense in the context of today. The idea of talking about the first Black person to do this or do that limits the truth that many more than just one Black person has been successful. Therefore, she does not engage in Black History Month celebrations or acknowledgements. While I can agree with the notion that discussing the histo...

Happy New Year! Just like with any start, I am positively overwhelmed by the many possibilities that the sense of newness brings. In doing my best with keeping with the Kwanzaa tradition, I wrote in a my journal with the aim to  reflect on the three questions: Who am I? Am I really who I  say I am? Am I all that I ought to be? Interestingly enough, I got a call while writing from someone sharing an observation she'd made of me. As I listened, I initially felt inclined to defend and justify, but something told me to just listen. Listen and take in what was being said, for even if I don't agree with everyting, there may be something worth considering. At the core of her criticism was a reminder to be mindful of how my behavior may be influenced by those who surrounds me. Fair enough, right? Sometimes when people say something to us, we forget that they are only sharing one perspective of many. It is up to us to determi...

[courtesy of google images] The middle school I attended was steeped in the kwanzaa tradition. From the names of our class groups, to the call-and-response affirmation that got students motivated for the day, I was immersed in an atmosphere that encouraged me to learn about and love who I was and where I came from. I was even a dancer at the Kwanzaa family celebrations held during this time of year.  At the time, I simply loved dancing, but the performance was a piece of a greater whole. Now, a decade later, I have found myself trying to reconnect to these traditions. It started a couple of weeks ago when I was looking through Maya Angelou's website . I learned of a documentary titled The Black Candle that she narrates which details the history and traditions of Kwanzaa. In reading through the seven principles of Kwanzaa, I was immediately taken back to my middle school experience, where Kuumba, Umoja, and Nia were the names of the teams in which we were divided. Once I bega...

...is unfortunately a place I have yet to say I can throw down in :\ I'm working on it though! For the past 14 months, I have consistently had to grocery shop and cook for myself. I've managed pretty well, but I'm at my limit when it comes to penne pasta with meatballs or lentils and rice. So, I've recently decided to switch my style up. After weeks of smelling the amazing aroma of colleagues' lunches, I finally decided that I wanted what they had and needed to learn how to make it. About a month ago, I went to a friend's house to learn how to make her lunch: Red Curry and Rice. It took me awhile to finally attempt it, but Sunday was the day. What I realized about myself as a cook, and maybe about life in general, is that I prefer exact measurements. Therefore, this food adventure was a fun leap out of my comfort zone as my friend's recipe had very little measurements! To start, I got all my ingredients:  chicken breasts (cut up) mixed veggies ...

Sometimes the answer is simple: be good to yourself, first. Though I love Miguel's song--there's nothing like being showered in someone's love of you!--self-love has an important role, too. Sure, you've heard the saying, "you can't love someone else if you can't even love yourself". My point is a little different. I actually do think we are capable of loving others and not loving ourselves. It just so happens that the love we have for others isn't communicated as well as it can be when we haven't nurtured or developed self-love. For some of us, the question isn't whether or not we love ourselves. We can answer that question with a resounding, "Hell yes! How could I not love me?!" A better question would be, "When is the last time you've showed yourself how much you love you?" [courtesy of Google image] I had to ask myself that last week. For a while, I'd been so focused on others, that I forgot about me. I...

[Courtesy of google images] Interestingly enough, less than a week after I witnessed the start of a new marriage, I learned of the desecration of another. The David Petraeus scandal, and what could now be called, the Petraeus-Allen-Broadwell-Kelley debacle seems to be everywhere. Extramarital affairs seem to be the hallmark of politicians. Of course, I'm sure people all over this earth, politician or not, are unfaithful to their spouses or worse. Scandals amongst leaders just get more coverage because it's "supposed" to be something that they don't do, despite the multitude of ways our society condones this behavior amongst people in power. Needless to say, Petraeus' behavior conveniently opened the door to talk about this issue of infidelity more broadly. Put simply, I find it disgusting. Perhaps I haven't lived long enough, as some have put it. Regardless, I'm of the thought that what makes marriage so important and beautiful is the commitment...

I made an open wish to the universe that I wanted to attend at least two weddings before I had my own to plan. I figure the more weddings I see, the better equipped I'd be with determining how I want mine to turn out. As someone who enjoys watching shows like Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings , I've certainly seen a good amount of weddings and dresses. However, the experiential aspect is obviously never there in my living room. Last week, I got my first taste of the real deal. I had the wonderful pleasure of being a bridesmaid in my good friend's wedding. Forget about simply attending, I was involved from the inside out! As you can imagine, I was thoroughly intrigued with the whole process. For a little background, my friend is Bosnian and her wedding had traditional Bosnian themes all through out. To start the day off, the bridesmaids went to meet with the bride and prepare her for her day. It was fun to "dote" on her and take pictures. Isn't she gor...