one
thousand words daily
(I chose these paintings above because I liked them yet...
chose the ones below for other, much stronger reasons)
Featured Artists: Tim Brandt, Oakie Protege, Richard Bernstein, Samuel Obiri and the awesome... Theopphilus Bateng Kwaku Sarpong
Day: 10 – respect and
belief
Let us
be reminded by sister Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” and much more how
important it is to stand up for who you are and what you believe. Today I was at a church feeding when one
gentleman of the congregation offered a sermon. He first began with hello, well
let me get through this sermon so we can get to this food we’re about to eat,”
as if it was a chore and not out of heartfelt love. It was one of those “fire and brimstone,”
sermons that suggest that “if you don’t know Jesus, and that if you don’t
accept him than you are going straight to hell,” type of preaching. I almost completely stood up and cut him off
yet I held my tongue, yet I did let out, “It’s my responsibility as a Christian
to say something,” but I let him finish and waited for the prayer.
the old, not so effective
western way
I
explained to my fiancé that this is the typical, western, white way of
preaching that was first done in this country and that this is the type that
often turns folks away from Christ and churches in general instead of to Him. I
read and was taught that God, the Creator, Yahweh, The Great Spirit, judges us
all accordingly. There’s also a Mormon
church that serves breakfast yet I won’t go there. Sometimes we have to seek to look at the
system of things to either gain appreciation or some type of understanding for
ourselves. Sometimes the struggles we
experience along with what we learn help to lay the foundation of what we
believe.
Whatever
the case is, it is of utmost importance that we consider others in our actions
and what we say. If close to family or
in a relationship, how well do you listen?
I have also read and believe through experience that “the power of life
and death resides in the tongue,” broken down as “there is power in spoken
words.” Do we respect and believe
everything we are told depending on the source or do we question until we
figure our own truths for the matter? When
someone we love and respect tells us something, do we take it as face value, or
do we automatically seek our own answers and solutions due to our mistrust and
skepticism? I must admit that I have
been the skeptic and I can use much improvement when it comes to listening to
others.
being able to bend
I am
told that I am stubborn, that no one can tell me shit and that’s pretty much
true. What I do now try is to improve
all facets of communication and understanding and I also need to learn to
apologize for being wrong more often. Do
we listen when the information and wisdom we are given is much older than us,
let’s say from our elders and leaders, or do we say “fuck it,” and run through
life on a trial by fire basis, constantly erring until we get things right in
our mind’s eye? Whether we believe what
we hear, or need more compelling evidence in order to sculpt a valid opinion,
we all need to consider the community and character building morals of
consideration, sensitivity and Respect!
I’ve been told respect given is respect earned, treat others how you
want them to and things from my own neighborhood such as “Real recognize Real,”
and “Game recognize Game.” I can go even further using African Adinkra Symbols
as well as some through acculturation, Sicilian as well as Italian symbols
which share similar meanings.
the messengers and the
messages
If I
talk about famous folks that spread the messages of Respect, Dignity and openly
shared their beliefs, Aretha Franklin automatically pops into my head. Perhaps it was her signature song, first
created by which gives me the feeling
and that “I’m Every Woman,” with late Whitney Houston and soulful Chaka Kahn that also leave me with a
feeling of “You go’n respect my Black woman!”
One thing for certain is that their reminders will always be remembered
through their actions as well as their legacies in song and words left
behind. For instance, look at these
quotes by Aretha?
“We all require and want
respect, man or woman, black or white.
It’s our basic human right.”
“Sometimes what you’re looking
for is already there.”
“Be your own artist, and always
be confident in what you are doing. If
you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.”
Aren’t those words powerful
or what? I feel confident in the words
and thoughts I choose to share with all of you that something good and genuine
throughout all of the anecdotes, stories and wisdom resonates deep. I also think about other woman such as Sojourner
Truth, Dorothy Dandridge, Oprah Winfrey as well as men that have left an impact
such as Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Muammar Gaddafi (yes he was a dictator
but he loved his black people everywhere and loved Africa, look into his great
Man-Made River project that the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Bombed) and Kofi Anan that recently passed a few days ago. Kofi Annan, from Ghana, was the first black
African to Head the United Nations as The Office of Secretary General of the
United Nations (1997-2006) and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. His words and ways of keeping peace will be
remembered well after he is gone. He was
so dedicated to world peace that in 2016, he was appointed as Joint Special
Representative for Syria by the UN as well as the Arab League yet resigned
after being frustrated about the UN’s lack of progress in regard to conflict
resolution.
Respect is something we either receive or give.
Most of us hope that we are respected on
some human level, to a degree in which we feel comfortable around others and
even comfortable of what others perceive about us. Without being self-conscious and utterly and
completely aware of every facet of the world around us, what I have repeated
and what I will continue to remind is that we can choose to change the bit of
planet around us in regards to how we treat the natural earth as well as how we
treat and serve those we come into contact with on a daily basis. I feel compelled to write a little poem and
so I shall do so! Enjoy y’all!
While men lie with demons speaking for their every whim,
decision and move
Only the swift winds know the truth
As exceptional individuals leave impacts known Better than
the names of the largest crater
Known to give life, remind meaning and to build…
Instead of destroying what one and all should inherently
protect
Proven the basic instincts within us to nurture, care, dare
to and to succeed
Gifting remedies in song and actions made beyond music notes,
speeches made and the page
Now knowing that we too, deserve through birth-right,
dignity, peace
A right to hold on to what we believe the base of
communication for every person and nation, respect!
Dignity, Peace, Belief and Respect
8-22-2018
Sources: The brainy quote.com, un.org, kofi
annanfoundation.org, and yes, this time I used Wikipedia as a last resort.
