Life: My Point of View

Dorothy's journey to find the Wizard of Oz has captured the hearts of many who have watched the movie or read the book. It was only two years ago that I decided to actually read the book and realized that this was a treasure of useful nuggets. The essence of the story was that Dorothy found herself in a strange place and she had to get back home. To accomplish this, she had to get to the Wizard of Oz and she must follow the yellow brick road. Needless to say, her journey--her yellow brick road--was riddled with challenges and distractions. That did not stop her. She kept her mind on her goal: she had to get home. Today, we all are on a similar journey. We may not be looking for the Wizard, but if we admit it, we are all searching for something or someone: the ideal weight, the perfect partner, the best career, happiness. Our roads may not be yellow, but we are all travelers through this life, on different roads, but a road nonetheless. Regardless of the color of our roads, we must ...

A few years ago I was plagued with a virus that I just could not get rid of. I prayed that it would go away; I even pretended that it never existed. Why didn't I go to the doctor? Well, I don't believe there is a medical cure for that virus. You see FEAR was my self-inflicted virus--fear of driving! I don't even remember when I got sick. It was a cancerous bug that ate at my very core: It seemed to attack me at the times when I had important tasks to undertake, when I had to take one of my children to the doctor on the other side of town--I was afraid to get on the highway. I remember once when I had to go for training for one of my first jobs in Georgia, my virus woke up, talked to me--and get this--convinced me that the site was too far, too much traffic and 'you don't even know the area.' Suffice it to say that I got out of it. Well, a way of escape was provided. I got another call for a job that proved to be the better option. You see, fear kept me from majo...

Think of a product that is easily identified without its label. Any luck? We know most products by the label they carry. Labeling is our way of putting things in categories, it allows us to make choices based on our preferences. Labeling sets expectations. When we label a child with ADHD, what are our expectations? When we label a person with OCD, we should not be surprised when they behave within their 'norm'. Even our clothes speak volumes--some louder than others--by the labels they carry. It's bad enough when people tag us as one thing when we know we are not. But I believe the worst tag is the one we put on ourselves--those that do nothing more than put us in mental shackles. What do people see when they try to read your label? Do they see 'woe is me' or do they see a victim? How about the 'I can't' label? It is never too late to change your tag. Today let's make a decision to check our own labels. Let's see what we are sharing about ourselv...

M-any have questioned how do you do what you do O-thers have tried to imitate you T-alking alone does not get the job done H-ow in the world can I be this good E-ach day I pray that everything I become is a R-esult of the love you've poured into me.

A fellow Toastmaster friend of mine challenges the members of our speaking network to move away from three feet of water. This was his way of pushing us to the next level in speech presentations. In other words, we should vary our speech topics and our style of presentation. According to him, standing in three feet of water symbolizes complacency in our comfort zones with little or no challenge. Nothing exciting and new is happening! His statement made me question myself. Am I standing in three feet of water? I believe that three feet of water looks like this: - a student who is satisfied with 'just passing' a class; -an employee who can only meet expectations; -a relationship that is just, hmm, okay; -an athlete who is so-so; - a person who is not operating in his/her God-given abilities. The challenge for us today is to recognize and acknowledge that we are standing in ----. Next, we must decide to reach for deeper depths and higher heights- to be that exceptional student; th...

Five months ago I decided to join the movement--transition to natural hair movement. Everywhere I turned, beautifully coiffed hair beckoned to me. I felt envious. I envisioned my head sufficiently greased and neatly groomed in the most exotic natural style. So I gave in...to an extent. Of course, one of the requirement was to cut off the relaxed portion so the new growth could flourish. In other words, start over. Well, that was a problem. I refused to cut off my shoulder length tresses! Oh no, the old and new must figure out how to co-exist. If the wheat and tares can grow together..... Then it hit me. How often have we embarked upon a new idea, an opportunity or a new relationship and the only requirement for us to seize the prize is to let go of the old stuff. Do we kick and scream because we don't want to give up the old- the familiar? Are we afraid to disconnect the old relationships? You see, dealing with the new growth requires deliberate and dedicated effort--a relationship...

Mother's Day is this weekend. Standing ovations and Emmy Awards should be given to each mother who has played a leading role in the lives of her children. A resounding applause to all those mothers who fathered a child. A shout from the roof tops of every Cathedral and Sky-scrappers to all mothers who ever lived. The greatest gift that we can give our mothers does not come from the decadent bakeries nor the best hybrid rose nurseries. No, the greatest gift that I would like to receive this Mother's Day and for the days ahead comes from within: the heart. I want my children to give obedience, respect and love. I want my children to display character, integrity and discipline. I want my children to love God with their very being. That's what I want this Mother's Day. I hope I'm not asking for too much.

Growing up I vowed never to be like my mother. For one, she worked too hard. She was the engine behind our home-made bakery; always travelling to the nearest town to procure flour and sugar that always seemed to be in scarce supply. Easter was around the corner and our Easter buns had to be out in time. Or there was the time when she was about 7 months pregnant and did not think that she needed to take a break. You could find my mother hopping on the next bus to find the best deal on getting supplies, again, for our bakery. Never mind the baby kicking for a little rest! Oh, I vowed never to be like my mother when I had kids. You see my mother is a shouter! That's how she got the attention of my siblings. I never did anything to upset her. Is it okay to honk my own horn? Hey, why not? It did not matter if we were in the kitchen together or we were down the block. She would get our attention! My mother has no idea what it means to rest. She gets up early for work, because "I wan...

When you look at a blank sheet of paper do you see an empty, unused sheet? When you see an unoccupied building do you quickly lose interest and move on? When you see a child that seems restless and lost do you shake your head and slap on a label? Let me tell you what I see. When I see a blank sheet I see a paper that is ready to be turned into art. If I were a painter, I'd paint the most vibrant colors that would leave everyone speechless. When I see an unoccupied building, I do not see emptiness, instead I see a building full of possibilities: the next great factory. The next apartment. When I see a child that is restless, I see a child full of untapped potentialities; The next president, the next astronaut, the next screen play writer, the next business mogul. That's what I see. Now, you tell me, what do you see?