Hope everyone enjoyed a great Labor Day weekend. This holiday was always bittersweet for me because it is considered the “end of the summer”. As a parent it signaled the start of the hustle and bustle of sending kids back to school. Buying all of the supplies. Preparing the new weekly schedule. Helping with projects and homework. Attending games and activities.
As a youngster I recall the disappointment of returning to school the day after Labor Day. I dreaded the thought of the summer ending. Long lazy days at the pool or the basketball courts. Walking or biking to nearby communities to flirt with the girls. Staying out late at night with no worry of waking up early the next morning. Unlimited leisure time with friends. All coming to an abrupt halt on Labor Day.
Back then I couldn’t see far enough ahead to know why Labor Day was so important. Celebrating the efforts, sacrifices and contributions workers made to the U.S. and its economy. How fitting. How appropriate that, in the current state of the country, that we celebrate the workers and not take for granted the role they play in making this country an economic force. Take a minute to appreciate your own contributions to America’s workforce. I’m quite sure you deserve it.
Labor Day Weekend 2020. It’s been a long nine months already this year. In a world filled with uncertainty, anxiety and pessimism I wondered what I could do at this time to restore some semblance of balance and optimism for myself and my family. My wife suggested that we visit the MLK Memorial since we had yet to do so. It’s been some time since I last went to D.C. so I let her talk me into it. Glad I did.
First of all the weather was perfect. Secondly, traffic was light as I suspect many people headed to beaches and resorts for the holiday. We drove to the New Carrollton Station and caught the Metro in. Literally had the ENTIRE train to ourselves! And lastly, the MLK Memorial did not disappoint. The dimensions of the statue are befitting for a man of Dr. King’s stature and the expanse of the entire wall display includes some of his more noteworthy quotes. If you haven’t been already add it to your to-do list.
As we traveled to D.C. I began to think about what it really means to be black in America. I didn’t want to focus on the challenges (done a lot of that during the last few months), rather I asked myself if I had maximized every opportunity presented to me. In addition, I asked myself how often I gave back and helped a fellow Black American maximize his/her opportunities. In either case, the answer is “not enough”.
So, not to make this political, but the visit to the MLK Memorial awakened some ideas and thoughts that I’ve had for awhile but never made a priority to share. We, as a people, need to use EVERY resource and opportunity to make OURSELVES better. We need to use common sense approaches and grass roots initiatives to raise our collective knowledge, education, health, finances, businesses, communities and families. No matter who is in the White House (get out Donald Chump!) we need to do what is best for OUR houses!
Final point. America is for all of us! Black America don’t be discouraged. This is yours! THE CITY YOU LIVE IN IS YOURS. THE COUNTY YOU LIVE IN IS YOURS. THE STATE YOU LIVE IN IS YOURS. WASHINGTON D.C. BELONGS TO ALL OF US. POLITICIANS GET TO LIVE THERE AS WE VOTE THEM IN, BUT THE CITIZENS OWN IT. So let’s act like it. Turn off the news and go do something. Let’s appreciate all that America has to offer. Dr. King fought for the right for us to do so.
A week can be a very long time. Or a very short time. Depending on how you look at it. Either way, a week lasts for 168 hours if my math serves me correctly. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT HOURS. What could you accomplish in 168 hours? Well, recently I had a week where I got nothing done. NOTHING! I had some doctor’s visits scheduled and then my hand decided it wanted to see what tendinitis felt like. Been a long time since I was so limited in what I could do. Made me realize just how much a week’s worth of time is really worth. I often ask my family this question: are we better today than we were yesterday? How much better can we be a week from today?
Today is September 1, 2020, first month of fall. I like the fall. Football, cool weather and family Holiday celebrations (Corona might have something to say about that this year…..). Good weeks ahead and I intend to make the most of them. Starting with this week.
Hey America. Can someone please ask ALL of the RNC speakers who is this Donald Chump that they speak of? They are using adjectives such as love, compassion, honesty and truth. Do these words apply to ANYONE in this administration? I sincerely want to know. Tough on crime? How many criminals did Chump just pardon? As a matter of fact how many criminals has his administration enabled? Somebody talk to me. Vote wisely people. GOD SAVE AMERICA!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEak4coH5zA/?igshid=oj5eqfdybzw
With all due respect Mrs. Melania Trump, please do not insult our intelligence. Please do not try to convince us that Donald Chump has compassion for anyone but himself or HIS family. Your speech was, in the words of your husband, FAKE NEWS! None of the WORDS you used to describe your husband reflect his ACTIONS over the last four years. You say he cares about Corona virus victims? How many times has HE said that? You say he wants to bring people together? What has HE done to prove that? He cares about our country you say? Why does he marginalize our federal law enforcement (CIA, FBI, DOD, Ambassadors, Military)? Why does he LIE about democratic politicians and those who oppose him? Why does he name-call and belittle people? Why is he so disingenuous? BECAUSE THAT IS WHO HE TRULY IS. ONE 20 MINUTE SPEECH CANNOT HIDE 70 YEARS OF TRUTH. The real Donald Chump revealed himself even more so during the past four years. Now you have to accept it just like the rest of us! And by the way, if you want to stop the rioting and shooting, either you or your husband should tell the good cops to keep the bad ones from killing and shooting! REAL NEWS! We’ll be waiting……
P.S. Eric Chump, if you don’t support freedom of speech for ALL AMERICANS, LEAVE our White House and LEAVE OUR COUNTRY!
Have you defined what greatness is for yourself? Have you achieved it? Are you pursuing it? I ask these questions because I have long admired people who’ve achieved above and beyond the norm. Whether it be educational accomplishments, financial success, personal enrichment, contributions to society/humanity, philanthropy, discovery, invention or sports, those who rise above the crowd captivate our collective imagination and allow us to think outside of our self imposed limitations. In other words they allow us to dream bigger. I like that.
Just like most of you, as a youngster I had an idea of how I wanted to live as my life progressed through the years. Also just like some of you I had no idea what I wanted to do or how I was going to do it. All through junior and senior high I was conditioned to think “job” after graduating. I knew that I had to work to support myself and lessen the financial burden on my family. I needed a starting point. So at 18 years of age I did something that most people would consider unusual. I went back to my childhood home and asked the current owners if I could visit. They did not know me. Almost 10 years passed since I’d lived there. But I felt compelled to go there to refocus my starting point. They obliged. While there I went to the back yard to one of my childhood hiding spots, a tree about 30 yards away from the house. I climbed that tree a few times as a pre-teen because it provided cover from the other kids when I wanted some alone time. I would sit up in the branches laughing to myself as I saw them looking for me and asking where I was. On this day however, I climbed for a different reason. I wanted to talk to God, “if he was listening………”
I didn’t grow up in the church, but I understood religion and spirituality. The way I grew up I had lots of reasons to believe in God and some reasons not to. I chose to believe but I wanted to know for myself. So that day, the last day I ever climbed that tree, I said this: God, if you’re really there, I need you to talk to me. I’m 18 and I’m ready to start my life. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO START! (Yeah, I yelled at God. A brother needed answers man!) PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO. RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW! Then, after praying quietly for one of the few times as a teenager, I promised God, if he was listening, that I would do my best to represent Him and my family if he gave me the guidance that I desperately sought. Then, remembering my fear of snakes and knowing that snakes like to climb trees, I jumped out of that tree and hauled-ass out of those woods!
I had a renewed sense of spirit after that experience. Although my life path had not been cleared completely, I had a sense of strength and purpose. Instead of uncertainty I developed an urgency about getting my adulthood started. So I decided to swing for the fences and if I struck out I would deal with the consequences. I would work extra hard to make up for it. I started a business and followed my dreams. Gave myself 10 years to make it happen. The business failed. As a result I started my family a little later in life. I was over 30 when my sons were born. Another talk with God, in my own house this time. I asked God for courage, strength, vision and compassion as a father. I needed it! So what does all of this have to do with greatness?
Exactly! I never thought about my own greatness. I never asked God to help me define it. I tried to create my life on my own. I didn’t invest enough time seeking advice from those who were more experienced and knowledgeable than myself. So as I raised my family and aged toward my mid-life I constantly reminded myself to seek my personal greatness, God’s purpose for me. We all may have our own definition of greatness and I define it with this question: am I using all of my God-given abilities to achieve all of my God-ordained tasks? Am I fulfilling God’s promise with all of my potential? I know that answer for me. Do you know that answer for yourself? If you’ve been blessed enough to achieve your own definition of greatness I applaud you. If, like me, you are continuing to define and purpose your greatness don’t give up. Each day that you’re alive is a day to grow in your purpose. For me personally I owe it to my community to do so. Good luck in your pursuits.
AAAAAAAAAAAAH! YEEAAAAAA! I had to do that. It’s the weekend man! Glad it’s Friday! Today was a strange day for me. Not particularly challenging or busy, but for some reason I couldn’t stay focused. Really had to concentrate to get things done. My mind wandered all day. ALL DAY. Now that I am home I’m gonna make the most of this weekend, starting tonight! Ain’t wasting ONE minute of it.
Once I get settled I’m gonna turn on my computer and sign in to class, plug in my bass and amp, charge my phone and separate my clothes to wash. Then I’m gonna fall asleep! I’ll see how much GOT DONE once I wake up! In the meantime I have a question: have you found your personal “greatness”? Have you identified it? Have you achieved it? Let’s talk about it. See you when I wake up.
Family. Love. Simple. I had the pleasure of having my nephew and sister visit this weekend. Talked to mom, dad and brothers as well. Had a good laugh about motorcycles and old age. Simply family love. Left to right: the bass, the nephew, the son, the sister, the son and me. Enjoy your family.
When a person dies, those of us left behind struggle to use words and phrases that make the loss easier to manage. We may say things like “passed away, deceased, gone home to Glory, gone to a better place, God called him home”. These descriptive and appropriate words may ease the pain, but the fact remains that we’ve lost a cherished person in our lives.
I lost a cherished childhood friend recently. Out of respect for his family I will refer to him as “Cov”, which was the nickname given to him by his boyhood buddies, myself included. He referred to me as “Hamilton”, a play on my boyhood nickname of “Ham” (don’t ask…if you only knew how I got this name…). Cov grew up with the rest of our peers in Bywater (you know!) in the “Golden Years”. This is the era between 1972 and 1990. This is when the community was establishing its identity. Specifically from 1976 to 1985.These years split three distinct times: OGs (1972-1980), Bywater Crew (1978-1985) and Bywater Hustlers (1986-1995)
Cov was part of the Bywater Crew, the teens who were in high school between ’80 and ’85. These were my peers and let me tell you (because you just don’t know!), these were some of the coolest, baddest, nicest, purest, got-your-back, ride or die brothers you EVER gonna find in any fuckin’ neighborhood. Real talk! We were mentored by the OGs. Out of respect for their privacy I won’t name them, but man I want to. They protected us, taught us, supported us and showed us tough love. Many of us were raised by single moms and needed ANY male guidance we could get. We got good ones. Boy the stories I could tell!
Cov learned his lessons well. He was the first of the crew with a license and a car. Need a ride to the party down Crow’s Nest? Cov got EVERYBODY. Ride in town? Cov got EVERYBODY. Ride down Robinwood? Cov got EVERYBODY. Ride out Parole? Yep, Cov got you! Cov was the first with Atari. We all came to play. You the party type? Cov could get it started. Good hearted brother for sure. To be honest we knew how to find mischief when necessary too…one year I got a video camera and movie projector for my birthday. Any fellas or ladies remember the “movie nights” at my house..? I’m not talking
Cov and I lost touch in the mid eighties. I hadn’t seen him in about 30 years when one day out of nowhere I ran into him in a local store. We walked right past each other and paused at about the same time. We turned to each other, said our “what’s ups” and began to talk. Convo went straight to Bywater, the Golden Years…..
Fitting. Cov was living in his Golden Years when God called him home. I heard that his health had been failing recently. I cannot speak to who he became in his later years because we hadn’t talked. But I KNOW where he came from. I KNOW where he started. I KNOW he was one of the good ones in “The Bywater Crew”. The Golden Years. RIP Cov………
The Real Life Corner 