Soul Expression

As we prepared for Thanksgiving, time families and friends spend partaking in delicious meals and engaging in exchanges catching up on events, it also a reminder of how far we’ve come. These recent years have been one that tests our resilience and faith. It doesn’t matter who we are; no one has been exempt from the challenges that have confronted us in recent years. Yet, because of a global pandemic to nature’s assaults and manufactured crises, we rouse above and find directions to focus on what matters most, starting with those dear to us.

 Several households will have an empty place or places at the dining-room table, but somehow there’ll be solace in this new reality. It is never easy to celebrate a holiday, especially when a loved one is missing. However, somehow we find the strength to move forward one day at a time, and this time is no different. Therefore, we extended to each other our collective energy so there’ll be renewed strength. With prayers and well wishes, we hope there’ll be comfort in knowing we are because they were, and within the advent of time, God will lighten the hurt in this journey of life we share. So, as we all prepare for Thanksgiving, let’s begin with giving thanks for each other and others in our lives, remembering family isn’t limited to those we share DNA with but those with whom we found love and acceptance. So, from my home to yours, I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving!

I came across this poem by Ms. Sophia Lyttle, who happens to be one of my favorite poets. Her work is available on Amazon.

Love Is Only A Breath Away!                                  

Today, love woke you as you took your first breath,

Today, love will keep you lovingly in its tender care

Today, love will wait for you as you hurry through the day

Today, love will find you and whisper in your ears, for you, my dear, I do care,

Today, love will protect you from dangers seen and unseen

Today, love will teach you wisdom through knowledge, even in crafty schemes of life,

So, don’t forget to thank Him for walking with you patiently through the day

And remember, do all things according to His will and in His name

Because, dear one, God loves you beyond today!

By

Sophia Lyttle

Have a blessed day!

Life comes in ebbs and flows, and within those dynamics, we become who we were meant to be, and it’s comforting knowing each force of change, good or bad, fosters growth. I haven’t been posting as before, and it’s not by choice; I am transitioning, which means focusing on being at my best. Unfortunately, this past year has been one for the history books. My history book! Therefore, It’s a time to be quiet and refocus within that place of silence, and introspection, to gain clarity toward advancement. I see that some of you still come here daily, and it’s appreciated; God bless you all for giving me a voice through your continued support.

My Potential                                         

Stripped down to the bare essentials is my potential

Ever conscious: Staring straight into my face,

Demanding that my intellect skillfully enhance and reflect

The wonder and beauty of God’s grace

So it’s not enough to just spit out rhymes

That consciously does not challenge minds

Life requires much more than this

Like a plethora of uncharted suggestions

Perspectives and even possible advancements,

That can benefit the earth and all humanity

And heal our nation of its’ divide

See, my potential is unleashed yet anchored in humility

Always exceeding the concept of my abilities,

For after a venture has finally ended

I’m in awe of the realness of what God teaches, that

“All things are possible to them that believe,”

My desires are matched by what I achieve, and

Even in those seasons of stagnant progression

My potential stays conscious

Staring straight into my face

Demanding that my intellect

Skillfully enhance and reflect

This wonderful grace bestowed upon me

Making each day an opportunity,

To develop and fulfill that which is within

God-given! My potential!

By

Sandra Jackson 

As you know, Mrs. Jackson, I am one of your admirers, and as you recuperate, I wish you God’s continued favor.

We’ll be greeting another new year a few weeks from today. I don’t know about you, but I’m taking time to be introspective while working towards the ultimate way of being, not on anyone’s terms but God’s. It can become exhausting to find oneself in basically the same situations as being on a bridge. Tackling familiar problems with even the same people. The practicality of bridges is to be crossed, not to remain there. It’s liberating to admit when we are at that pivotal place in our lives, on those bridges of circumstances that need avoiding at all costs. On gaining insight and tenacity to pull those pieces of our lives together away from what depleted us, motivation to honor God and self becomes a priority. The process can be difficult, but the results can be most gratifying. Most of us have been through many challenges this past year. Some of us are yet to recover! However, in the grand scheme, we did survive and are the stronger. So, in the coming weeks, be mindful of how strong we are and having the power to do or be whatever brings us peace and fulfillment. Therefore, let’s not sweat the small stuff. God has furnished us the canvas (our lives), and what we create it’s up to us; make sure whatever it is, we’ll be at peace and proud, knowing we have done our best.

Live, Love, Breathe

The breath of life

Fill your lungs with the air of Love, breathe,

Draw in Love and expel fear, breathe,

Breathe in this new identity, blow out the past,

Breathe in, and believe your future pain will never last;

Let Love fill your heart

Let Love give you a new start, breathe

Inhale the air of life, and become one with all that is good

Breathe!

By

Astoria Nickerson

In this transitional period, which we go through at some point in life, re-reading Ms. Nickerson’s poem speaks to me in an uplifting way. It’s another reminder of what’s most important, and healing and rejuvenation begin with facing life, no matter what it brings, and casting out fear. As she suggested, exhale and inhale the source of our strength, and breathe life afresh while nurturing the soul! Have a blessed weekend, and stay safe.

Coming into who we hope to be in life’s unpredictability, to arrive at where we expect to be on a specified timetable, usually doesn’t always manifest as planned. Fleeting as time is, it gives room for do-overs; adjustments to accommodate whatever changes are necessary to achieve our goals within time and patience. Our tenacity and resilience are both catalysts that propel us toward those ends once we stay the course and have a supporting system if needed; besides the drive, the heart has to be ready for the expected results.

On a path toward upward mobility, there are achievers and non-achievers, but both are winners in the eyes of God. The nature of God is different from the nature of man. God loves us beyond reason, even if we are illiterate! God deals with man’s heart. If you have as many degrees as a thermometer, that doesn’t impress God. It’s having compassion for Him, self, and others. So, when all is said and done, whether we achieved or failed by world standards, the ultimate critique doesn’t lie with us but God. We are all travelers here and are predestined to experience the same type of exit at the end of our journey, with the only difference being our destinations unsure. May I be so forward in stating, ‘Coming into who we hope to be is best begin with the heart,’ because it is where the processes of life’s issues dictate who we truly are or hope to be, and, in response, we can lift or tear down; however, nothing happens in a vacuum? We may not see it, but in the scheme of life, its domino effect always brings outcomes to the forefront of whatever is done, and those results are determined by whatever the cause is. Have a blessed week!

Peace

This week has been unusual; strangely, nothing occurred out of the ordinary, but something kept pulling at me. It began with enthusiasm, and like an inflated balloon, the air quickly escaped, leaving me unable to blog despite several attempts. There was something that I needed to know, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Two days ago, I googled some names of people I interacted with for seven years. When we spend time with people in a family setting, even when we are not of their clan, we blend in over time, especially if they embrace us with fondness and generosity. My position as a personal assistant/nurse of the family’s matriarch brought me into their space. To my shock, I discovered an integral part of the family, a senior male, had died. And what made it so painful was he died two years ago, and it was on that Christmas I didn’t receive a gift which had been ongoing since my client’s death, their mother and grandmother. I believed at the time that nothing lasts forever, and they decided it was time to stop gifting me. I was devastated to learn of his passing yesterday. I never thought to reach out to the family before because these people and I operate in different circles and, at times, a different world, and we didn’t stay in touch; our only exchanges were around the holiday. However, when I was among them, I never was made to feel out of place; instead, they made a conscious effort to make me feel included. It was a great shock that this great man died so young. It was a relief to speak with a family member who filled me in yesterday. What a loss?! The world has suffered a great loss!

It was an honor to know Mr. Nussdorf. He had a heart for those easily overlooked and went out of his way to help whenever asked. His mother, Esther, who I called my Jewish mother, has been gone for several years, but she remains with me in spirit. Now, with her son having joined her, I cannot begin to imagine the loss the family is experiencing. How do you find the right words to comfort those grieving? Saying you’re sorry seems so cliché, but what else can one say? The loss goes beyond the immediate family, but the family suffers the most pain from such losses. I’m sorry, so sorry, is the best I can do! May God give you all strength!

Nature’s beauty, with its allure, can evoke a sense of awe during its observance, rendering our approach and response as one of appreciation. Those who reside in places where nature’s mystiques and mysteries are ever unfolding are blessed with treasures to behold worthy of mentioning. Those of us exposed to those environments often embrace their beauties with a childlike curiosity, readily expressed with gratitude. In addition, those moments experienced fired up the senses with wellness, which become hypnotic while being therapeutic in its result.

As seasons have now changed into fall, the coolness of the breeze is a welcoming change after an unusually hot summer. Days being more comfortable now give a deeper awareness and enjoyment of activities when partaking in them without the discomfort those hot days had imposed. And in places where nature’s color palettes seem to burst into bright hues that are spellbinding, there lies another view of its beauty during its change, and what a gift to witness such a sight. So, wherever you are, take time to observe and be thrilled by what nature offers; it will positively change your perception while providing an escape from other areas of life that can become overwhelming. So, enjoy your weekend, and stay safe. The beauty we see outside of us usually heightens when we recognize the beauty in ourselves! Peace!

                                                           

Jury section room

Murder is the case,

Sitting across from the defendant

All that separates us is grace

If God hadn’t intervened

If His love hadn’t embraced,

I could be sitting in his place

I cannot boast or brag; oh no!

That I’ve passed life’s tests,

Keep judgment far from my lips

For I am no better than the rest!

Only by the grace of God

Do I stand today untethered,

Let me ever acknowledge

Only grace separates me from others.

By

Sandra Jackson

Taken from “Proof of Life,” available on Amazon.

I apologize for the error I made yesterday in correctly naming the recent Hurricane that hit Florida. The correct name is Hurricane Ian, not Ivan, as I’d stated. Thank you for being understanding! M Delores.

As I lay in bed trapped, restricted, movements that had been second nature were suspended by what caused me to be there, a knee that threatened my quality of life, now replaced. Observing and analyzing my new surroundings and those I would depend on for care in the coming days made me whisper a prayer for God’s favor to find grace within that setting. Then, quickly, my thoughts reverted to the hurricane bearing down on us. The sounds outside the building intensified as the wind’s strong force aimed to take control of everything in its path. The roof gave off crackling sounds buffered by structural ingenuity, which allowed the building to adjust in movements that gave them enough room to withstand the wind’s force.

It was almost midnight, and we were now in the eye of the hurricane. I was on the edge of a panic attack. I began to recite bible verses from memory and, at intervals, spoke to my neighbor, who was not in the mood for chit-chat. I refused my attention to the doorway, then I heard a loud bang; it was the door to the side entrance to the building, of which I was only about forty feet away. The banging went on for a while, which terrified me. Images of the door being blown off and me becoming sucked out into the elements was frightening, to put it mildly. I tried reverting to that woman who trusted God; I kept communing with Him within my spirit to calm myself. Finally, I asked an aide who happened to be seated across the doorway. What was going on, and why the door sounded like it was about to be blown off its hinges? To my horror, she replied, “The nurse is trying to go out in the hurricane!”

“Please, tell me, me, you misspoke?! The nurse is doing what?!” She repeated. “He is trying to go out into the Hurricane!”   Although I heard her clearly, I was shocked by what I heard and began sounding like I needed additional meds; a psychotropic cocktail of sorts, unbelievable!           

“He is attempting to go out into the Hurricane.” Immediately I felt my pulse quicken, and the Island woman in me was ready to go ballistic. “How could anyone sane even consider such a thing? And worst, placed a building of sick people in harm’s way? This situation goes back to the idea that once we aim for gratification, irrespective of what those outcomes could be, to hell with others and let’s take leave of our senses and do it! How can people like that become entrusted with the lives of others when they don’t even honor their own? Sadly, this isn’t a unique occurrence; it is fast becoming commonplace. The question that needs an answer is where this will take us as a whole. I guess it is fitting to title this hurricane Ian and Mr. Stupid. Peace!!