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What Are You Going To Do Today?
Love
Today I’m going to sing like I’m in concert, and it don’t matter who’s listening. Today I’m going to dance like I’m on the set of the Thriller video, and it don’t matter who’s watching. Today I’m going to smile like I’m advertising toothpaste, and it don’t matter if I’m the only one smiling. Today I’m going to look you in the eyes and say hello, and it don’t matter if you greet me back. Today I’m going to speak broken English, and it don’t matter if you have a problem with it. Today I’m going to be happy for no damn reason other than the fact that life is beautiful, and it don’t matter if you get irritated with me.
Today I’m going to do some un-American things, like give thanks to God instead of my country, read the Qur’an and the Bible, turn off the TV and embrace life, be kind without ulterior motives, write an unstructured poem, converse with a homeless man or a woman without judgment, walk fearlessly with my head high and my heart on my sleeve, and be thankful for a freedom that came from God and not through drone missiles or military force. Today I’m going to say In God We Trust and Mean It.
Today I’m going to tell the world that you can’t be free if you live in fear of our children, of the terrorists, of the big black man, of my long bearded turban wearing Arab brother, of the white supremacist, of the Mexican mafia, of poverty, of not having a bunch of consumer goods we don’t need, of failure, or of being alone… If it is, it’s because God wants it to be.
Today I’m going to love you, even if you don’t love me, even if you don’t love yourself, even if you don’t understand what love is, even if you don’t want to be loved… Today I’m going to love you without expectations of reciprocity or the condition that you need to earn my love. Today I’m going to give my love for free because I’m free.
What are you going to do today?
Who Am I
These days life is taking me further away from my affiliations and bringing me closer to my family, friends, and love. I’m starting to find that all of the labels provide little insight into who I am and even less value to me personally. Poet, Christian, Que Dog, Black Man, Manager, Engineer, Activist, American, or whatever else I’ve been called.
Who am I? I am a child of God trying to use the gifts God gave me to walk in the light and to be a blessing to everyone I come in contact with. I am an incomplete work of art being painted one stroke at a time. I am a traveler who hasn’t yet reached my destination, therefore my story is incomplete. I can not change what I’ve done or where I’ve been, but every second is a new stroke that leaves my portrait slightly more finished.
Who am I? We’ll have to wait and see what the portrait looks like when it’s complete. Even then, the interpretation will be debatable to everyone but the painter. Even then, only God will know what he intended me to be.
Who am I? I am not an artist, I am a piece of art in God’s collection of love.
Sunday Reflection on Love
What is money? What is a degree? What is a good job? What is a successful career? What is a house or a car to someone that hasn’t learned to love themselves? Nothing. Nothing more than masks to hide the insecurity and ugliness that they keep hidden inside themselves.
I see them everywhere, damaged beings masquerading among us trying to hide their souls from us. Throwing their perceived successes in our faces as if we are blind and can’t see their self contempt and hate seeping through their pores… but I see them…
The should be Queen turned promiscuous slut who doesn’t understand her role in the cycle of life or God’s plan for our tomorrow. Instead of building brighter days she looks up in an alcoholic stupor from her backside. When will you learn to love yourself like the Queen you were created to be?
The could be King who mistakenly believes his power is his sexual prowess. A nomad creating broken bastard children all across the land. A magician, there for the magic show but nowhere to be seen when it’s time to do the real work of teaching our boys to become men. A clown, hiding behind your career, your money, your guns, and your sexual conquest. When will you learn to love yourself like the King you were created to be?
I see you, your family sees you, your friends see you, God sees you…. and we all love you… but none of that can save you from that hate and contempt you carry around for yourself. None of that can make you whole until you do the most important thing you can do for yourself. Learn to love yourself and then act accordingly.
Brighter tomorrows start with self love.
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