CONSCIOUS STREAMS OF CREATIVITY

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Today I woke up feeling wonderful. I'm not sure why, other than it's good to be alive. With all the turmoil the world is going through with holy wars and political unrest, not to mention natural disasters, and the latest shootings at a mall in Utah on Monday....thank God I was able to rise up and start my day. Thank you Lord!

Today is Valentine's Day and I feel loved...loved in so many, many ways. Not just the love I get from family and friends, but a real love that keeps me strong and keeps me wanting to succeed in life. I know that kind of love is heaven sent.

Even though loved ones are far away from me this day. I am not alone. I feel the strength and power of their love. It is always with me no matter where I am, or what I am doing. The best thing of all is when I do get a call or an email and I see those words..."I love you!" What a joyous phrase. And I know they know how much I love them too.

Valentine's day is a day to love whomever, wherever, however....and I will do that! It's a time to reflect on past relationships, and future relationships in our lives. I will always cherish those who truly love me and have loved me all of my life! Especially when we are too quick to forget what is really important in our day-to-day goings on.

Where would I be if I didn't acknowledge a God that blesses me everyday? What would my life be like if I didn't pray for salvation and forgiveness? How would I rise each day and face all the evils that are waiting to attack my spirit if I didn't believe that God's love and his Angels are there to protect me? I would be a sad individual with no hope...that's where I would be. I see these people every day and I wish they knew what I knew....they need God in their lives.

"I GOT PEOPLE"

We always believe that we have to see the physical in order to believe that something exists. A guest preacher at church said to us..."open your eyes and your ears". God is all around us. He even went so far to remind us that "We've got people." His take on the HR Block ad that has clients spouting, "I've got people" (because HR handles their taxes and bills) relates to all of us having God and our family. We've got people like our ancestors who paved the way for us. He said if Sojourner Truth can make it, so can you. If Fannie Lou Hamer can make it, so can you. If Frederick Douglass can make it, so can you. And it's so true. These pioneers didn't have nearly the resources and high tech and intelligent clout we have these days. They were smart, geniuses even, but today....we have so much available to us - we should never fail at our attempts. We, ourselves, are our only drawbacks and that's the truth of the matter.

On Sunday my choir dressed up in 1960's attire for Black History Month, and it was so much fun to see the variety of clothing we all came up with. From the preacher and dainty church ladies, to the bobby-soxers, onto the militant Black Panther Revolutionists. We covered the entire spectrum. I felt so proud when our Liturgical Dance Ministry performed a victorious dance number incorporating our African heritage. I have heard many times that as African-Americans, we do not really have a heritage, no bi-cultural connection. But that is not true. It doesn't matter that I can't speak the language of Nigeria, Benin, South Africa, Burkina Fasso, Angola, Somalia, Ethiopia or any other African nation - I AM CONNECTED, and I reveled in what we African-Americans hold dear even though we weren't born in those countries. We can eat the food, wear the clothing, dance the dances and study the languages just like any other language we study. Why are we so eager to speak French, Spanish, Itlaian or German? Because the world is biased against Third World Countries...especially our Mother Land. But it's OK, because we will never forget where our ancestors came from. It is up to us, each and every one of us, to continue to bring our heritage to the forefront. With that said, I am going to incorporate more and more "Afrocentric" clothing into my wardrobe...beautiful Kente and Mud cloths whenever I can. I LOVE THE AFRICAN IN ME!

THE PRICE OF FAME

Everyday there is Divorce, Death, Separation, Greed and Despair. The Playboy Playmate, Anna Nicole Smith died last Thurs. and four men have claimed they are the father of her newborn daughter....FOUR!!! Not to mention that rumors are circulating that the man who has the baby, Howard Stern, is looking more and more suspicious as the two people he has been connected to are now dead - that being Anna's 20 yr. old son, and now Anna herself. It's a nasty battle for her estate and the daughter between her mother and these men. Just a tragic state of affairs.

Then there's James Brown's legacy and current state of affairs. This man still has not been buried, because his daughters and current wife are fighting over his estate. What in the world are these people thinking? Everyone is only thinking of themselves and not what's important...not tarnishing this man's memory. It's just very, very sad.

When you look at this kind of celebrity lifestyle...who the hell wants to be caught up in that kind of drama? You have to also say be aware that drugs and bad decision making led to Anna's downfall and untimely death. It's like selling your soul to the devil for this fleeting thing call "FAME". I don't want it if I even thought I had to compromise who I am, and my moral values. Every time you look up, everybody's posing for Playboy and humpin' half naked in the latest video. I am not a hypocrite, as I would welcome the opportunity to show all sides of my feminity, but at that cost...I don't think so. I do not want to be looked at as another video ho! I believe I've said this before. If at my age, I can pull of some sensual photographs for public viewing, I might give it a shot. But they would definitely be tasteful...not the kind these young women are dying to be seen in.

I wish there was some avenue that I could help lead these young ladies down to make them understand that the people in power will ruin their lives in a heartbeat and dump them and go on to the next victim. I wish they understood that if they don't stand up for themselves, no one will. I often ask myself...where are these young women's parents?? Why is everybody so willing to sell their goods for fleeting fame? Because the famous people we see on tv, in the news and in the magazines make us believe that it's all glamour. glitz and good times....until we see the ugly truth. But it doesn't matter, because we still want it. We believe it won't affect us the same way...we're different, and we'll remain the same people we are before we got famous. I'm beginning to realize that we can't remain the same people because it's a natural evolution to change and grow as our world expands and we are exposed to more. It's been said that money changes every thing. It certainly does. Can we determine how much or how little it will change us? I think so. But it looks like it's so hard to do.

When all is said and done, we should be happy with the life God has given us. If we are supposed to have fame and wealth...then it will happen. What is for me is for me, and every day I am accepting that. My life is what it is, and I am happy to live it...one day at a time. And if I embark on some journey that takes me into a world of celebrity...God will remain first above all else, because he is the one who made me...not man.