~~~~~~~~Blogger Appreciation Moment~~~~~~~~

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Bloggers, Blogging appreciation, Blogging my fanny off.., Fellow bloggers appreciation, Inspire, Life, Love, Poetry, Reading, What motivates a writer, WordPress, Writing, Writing from lifes experiences

>Taking a break 2night from my normal blog a day adventure 2 give thanks & appreciation to my fellow bloggers…Never in a cazillion years could I have anticipated the many likes/blogging love/warm reception I’ve been shown in my brief time here as a blogger & comments /comment responses when I’ve interacted on your blog sites. This blogger appreciation *award* and post is dedicated in your honor..>YOU ROCK/OMG ya’ll have been fabulous!/& sincere thank you’s for the love & support

You’re all great-wonderful-SO talented as writers-poetically inclined poets-comical yet wise political watchers-pretty dang cool folks!

>>>>     FOOTNOTE= 4 anyone out there that thinks blogging IS easy, it is NOT. It takes a certain personality , concerted effort, time invested, somewhat steady focus, confidence! & in my case a sincere desire to want  to reach out 2 others..Plus loving to write helps a great deal. I can’t resist the itch 2 write..Inofitself its a form of self-therapy for me. Many times when I’m blogging I’m writing to myself almost as much as to ya’ll..I think it, free flow it, and when I write it I’m feeling it..when I read it it sinks totally IN. Even with the colorful, confident, vibrant, in-your-face-I’m-here! type of personality I’ve got it still takes MUCH confidence 2 feeeeel what I’ve got to share is special enough to share with the entire WORLD. And what most don’t know? I learned of this website while helping a friend while she constructed a blog site here for our church. Yep! as I was learning this site@ WordPress while blogging 4 our church Faith site..I fell in love with the site and decided to do what I’d long wanted to do. Start my own blog site=which I had to 1st quickly learn how to navigate this site and build my own page. WOW. As I’ve traveled and browsed the blog sites here I’m  WOWed so often by my fellow bloggers that in a quick minute? My list of fave blogs 2 read might as well just say ALL. Ya’ll continue to keep ME inspired, ya’ll teach me so much with your outstanding writing skills!, ya’ll continue to touch my HEART with your depth. In my heart of hearts I know I wasn’t led here by accident and thus wanted U all to know I appreciate each & every one of U ; you’ve made my experience here more than worthwhile. And? Until I write/read ya’ll later 2night stay UPlifted & blessed! 4ever sincere Berna(the 1 & only..)

*VIOLENCE*The New NORMAL in America?!? It will always beget VIOLENCE

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*DP Challenge*, *DP Challenge*Post A Day, America, blogging, civil rights, crime, DP Post A Day 2013, Gun control, gun violence, Guns, human rights, martin luther king jr, NRA, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, Rant, sandy hook, Violence, WordPress, Writing

Why IS our country so obsessed with guns?!? And why does NRA have SO much pull it can toss loopholes(and has…) into even the best laid out plans to fix the gun issues in America like the Brady Bill? Mind you that was yet another time in history folks got all wound UP and decided to make a change to the guns laws…due to a violent act , by gun, against James Brady(was shot by Hinckley, Jr during an assassination attempt on Ronald Regan) WHY does their (..NRA’s) say or voice matter more than OURS; aren’t WE the people the ones whose VOTE is our voice?! And WHY does it take a violent act, by gun, against groups of children or government official to inspire politicians to do the RIGHT thing? IS the NRA paying off politicians or what?!?? And THIS question truly begs to be answered: WHO are all these Americans(including NRA members) stock piling guns UP to hunt ????? Hmmm think about that for a minute…

**And I know its out of desperation to save lives BUT..what a SHAMEful day it is that has come when WE there have to be ARMED guards in American elementary schools! A very SAD day indeed when parents have to be fearful when sending their young ones off to school..*shaking my head* After I cried a river of tears over the recent incident of “babies” slaughtered; my 2nd thoughts were THANK YOU GOD my sons are grown and finished with public schools(And yet! my sons are in college and I’ve lived to see folks NUT up and go shooting sprees on college campus as well) ..Who would’ve thought an American parent would ever fear sending their young one off to LEARN? Is this still America? Land of the free and my country “tis of thee ; of milk and honey. A country that boasts proudly of being the BEST place on earth…

Should it only be the parents of innocent children SHOT that speak UP for what is right and just? How many more shootings are going to take place before WE the PEOPLE stand UP and say ENOUGH is ENOUGH..Don’t we all deserve to feel safe while doing random things?!? Like walking into a movie theater to watch a movie. Like walking into a Walmart to shop. Like sending young children off to school.  Like walking through a neighborhood wearing a HOODIE.

And then! 2 add insult to injury NATIONAL GUN DAY this year..was the very same weekend as Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. A man known for nonviolence who was himself gunned down & assassinated by a rifle. Talk about blantant-in-your-face-don’t-give-a-dayum-BOLD-moves…What did we do to try to nip it? Where was the outrage?!? Have we forgotten that multiple voices are amplified in great volume? Have we forgotten all that was accomplished during the civil rights movement by the masses?!? Has the majority just become a bunch of mute, drones going through motions of life but NOT trying to change things for the better? If things continue forward in this manner what will the next generation have to endure?

When will America wake UP? Or have we become a society that has accepted unanticipated & unprovoked violence with guns as the NORM? Do YOU feel as safe today walking about minding your own business; as you did even 5 years ago? It apparently can happen anywhere…from college campus to elementary school and anywhere in between. Land of the free? Truly home of the “brave” to walk about and feel free/secure/safe  these days..Do NOT sit out on voting and or getting involved in YOUR/OUR country; get UP and do your part. Go to City Council meetings/learn the legislative process for heaven’s sake!/write to YOUR congressman to speak your disgust! with the lack of present gun laws/MAKE THE POLITICIANS WORK FOR THE SALARY/CUSH BENEFITS WE PAY FOR!..Many great changes took place right here in America from grass root efforts. Lest WE forget that ONE voice/one person! can start a momentum rolling…It only takes one very small spark to light a fire folks. Things are so OUT of control….but one can never lose HOPE that we can’t once again make AMERICA the great country it has the potential 2 B . WE can do this. It is time to help our President change things for the better. America has become the #1 spot in the world for obesity…Get OFF the couch and keeeeep it moving. WAKE UP AMERICA your children are dying far before they’ve lived their lives…Senior citizens who worked ALL their lives have to pick & frigging choose which meds they can afford..Working class folks have to WAIT to tend to medical needs..The American Dream of owning a home has become a distant dream to MANY..WE can do better! And we must…Our children/future grandchildren are watching & depending on us to do OUR part

 

^The way DOWN is the way UP?^ Makes perfect sense 2 me..*Wordpress DPChallenge

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blogging, Books, DP Challenge *Post A Day, DPCHALLENGE, DPpostaday2013, ephiphany, Err, Falling UPward, Life Lesson, Mistakes are human, Personal Growth, Reading, Religion and Spirituality, Richard Rohr, WordPress, Writing

**No worries..IF the phrase@The way down is the way UP doesn’t make sense to U yet; it is because you’ve NOT  entered the 2nd part of your spiritual life. Least according to the author, Richard Rohr, who penned the book ‘Falling UPward’.  A recommended read by one of my spiritual advisors & also one of the BEST books I’m glad to have read. Ever…and ever is a very long time. Are ya’ll ready for the way I see IT? >

**I was simply going to do a review of the book,’Falling Upward’by Richard Rohr(also penned ‘The Naked Now‘which is also on my reading list) then I decided to write my thoughts on his book. Which is SO aligned with the phase of life I’m in right now..feels as if I could’ve written it! Ever read a poem/quote/book and said ‘Dangggg I could’ve/should’ve written that first?!?

The message conveyed with the phrase@The way DOWN is the way UP is simple and clear. >A person can NOT avoid sin or making mistakes in life! I tried waybackwhenIwasstrugglingtobeaperfectionist…IF one tries too hard to NOT sin/make mistakes ; it can (and usually does..) lead to worse problems. Trip on this for a  minute…cause I had an AHA moment when I read this in the book . Remember the story about the prodigal son?!? Who had done everything in his life totally wrong? And the other son had done everything totally right in his life? Who ended UP being God‘s beloved?!!!

**ONE of the best-kept secrets of the soul  is this concept…One more example before I truly dig into this..Sleeping Beauty! We’ve all heard that fairy tale story told , right? Hows that for an example of LOSS and RENEWAL? She has to sleep for a hundred years! before she can receive the prince’s kiss..WOW thats a longgggg time to wait for some loving! But the question that begs to be answered is WHY is it this concept a secret of the soul?!? Or is it that we make a deliberate choice not to see it? When we see we’re heading into a down spiral we kick and scream against the flow; who wants to go down or what is perceived as backwards? Or worse at a standstill? Why do we “fear” feeling bad for a minute? Especially when in actuality “during” and once pulling out of those awful times…the clarity achieved during the seemingly “stand still ” positions is mind blowing. Or least it was for me. I knew I’d grown in major leaps and bounds when I could finally! glance back(for a brief moment) and see clearly the lessons I was supposed to GET during the awful bad times. One such case in particular my divorce so long ago. I never thought I’d EVER want to love again after that..Divorce to me then meant failure. And failure wasn’t an option for me at that point of my life. Such a perfectionist I “used” 2 be

>In a nutshell its my belief now that NOT only are we to learn from our mistakes in this life journey; we are SUPPOSED to make mistakes. It is a part of the human experience..Isn’t victory sweeeeeter after having attempted , again, after first failing? Don’t we appreciate the things in life that we did NOT take for granted? And the “suffering” periods some of us have been through..often I’ve said I had to learn the hard way alot of times. Could mayhaps that have been the only way I’d finally get “it?” I once said, after divorce, I could NOT wait to get to the “other side” of the funky feeling I felt. And felt that funky feeling for years and years..A friend quoted me on that in one of his published books. But when I finally did get to the other side?! WOW I can’t stop smiling. And smiling. And laughing..for there were a few years I’d forgotten how to laugh. I can smile and laugh because I made it through and crawled my way through alot of shiiiiite tunnels. Would life have been this sweet to me now if I hadn’t had to wade through “ish” to get here?

What I know for sure is for the past couple years I don’t have many rainy days. Maybe a handful…not because crap hasn’t happened. But because I began to change MY entire way of thinking. Entirely. One must learn to find beauty in everything. Even the bittersweet things. The good times wouldn’t be as good; IF one hadn’t also experienced and survived bad times. And that is the way I see it every single day now. From the moment we “wake” up each day we’re blessed! And in my opinion if we look at the fresh start of each day with that positive thought..the entire day can’t be all negative. We only have all bad days if we want to. The choice is ours<

 

>>BLOGGING is…<< WordPress DP Challenge*PostADay*

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Appreciation for life, blogging, Creativity, Daily Journaling, DP Post A Day 2013, DPCHALLENGE, God, Life, Trust in Gods plan, WordPress, Writing

Blogging IS something I’ve quickly grown to love…Not only that I couldn’t have picked a better place to begin my new venture than WordPress! I’ve had an amazing 3 months here and of course I’ve got a few things to say about it. This is the way I see IT..

Deciding to BLOG isn’t an easy decision..least it wasn’t for ME. I was going to expose my most intimate and innermost thoughts/ideas/feeeeeelings. In a sort of way like being butt-naked and walking into a formal event! Can you imagine?!? Anywayz its been something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now..for several reasons. To first & foremost share from my lifes’ journey with the youth..the good, the bad, and yep! the ugly. To nuture and share love is part of my natural DNA. However, I wasn’t quite sure how I’d be received or what I’d encounter..for I can be quite blunt and at this age say pretty much what I’m feeeeeling. Just flows off my lips and now my fingertips. And after all this is the internet! Took cajones(not literally for I’m all woman..) to join a website, with NO prior knowledge of how to even design a page(still learning; I can’t tell you from day 2 day what color my font will be lol!) and share parts of ME/my thoughts/my experiences/my original poems/my emotions  with the entire world. To be precise  I’m ONE in 60, 593,723 bloggers on WordPress. And to receive comments from even ONE person in the midst of such outstanding writers?!??? I am humbled , almost, beyond words…I’ve had people from alll over the world hit my blog page: Canada, Cambodia, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Argentina, England, France, India, and of course my country the United States. I’ve interacted on blog pages with people from all countries, all creeds, all backgrounds..pretty much the same as I do offline. I’ve invested alot of my spare time into what I share here…proof reading over and over after I let my thoughts flow freely from my fingertips. I’m always COGNIZANT that this is a permanent carbon copy of my words. Of parts of me…Who knows? My future grandchildren might one day read this! My parents read this. My church family/family members & friends read this. And recently my hair was blown back! when I discovered co-workers actually print what I’ve written here as a momento! OMG and WOW..talk about humbling. So, I say all of this to take a brief station break from posting a topic to say THANK YOU to ALL of YOU.  You’ve made my first step into the blogging world a BEAUTIFUL learning experience. And as I further work on my writing skills I aspire to reach the level so many of ya’ll here are..ya’ll keeeeep the bar raised HIGH here. I love IT. As always stay UPlifted & blessed until I read/write ya’ll again…4ever sincere Berna (the 1 n only)

**KARMA. **DP CHALLENGE *PostADay*Berna’s Way..

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*DP Challenge*Post A Day, blogging, book, DPCHALLENGE, Hindu, Hinduism, Intake, journal, Karma, Law of cause and effect, light, Martin Luther King, Philosophy, Positive, positive circle, Real Talk, WordPress, Writing

~~I’ve  decided to post a ‘Thought 4 the Week’ .  Going to jump start things by starting with one near N dear to my heart. It is my true BELIEF that what we intake (whether it is what we hear, see, or ingest into our bodies..) can and DOES have an impact on us! That includes what we see or hear from others. What we see or hear in our environment.(including what is on the BOOB tube ) It only makes sense that if one intakes alot of negativity; it can impact even the most positive of people. In a negative way! And negative vibes will seep out in some form or another. So what is Karma? This is the way I see IT…I’m currently reading two books; one of the books is a reference guide @Philosophy by Steven Law. I’ve always had an interest in the Hindu concept of Karma. I’ve learned quite a bit more about it(as well as opposing viewpoints & concepts) by reading an array of books. But, before I go further just one more quote that I feel is relevant.

>>>Karma= the Moral Capital. Karma=the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence. Karma=Effect from Cause; from one’s own actions. Karma=Whatever we do with our body, mind, or speech will have a corresponding RESULT.

*Recently I’ve found myself saying that GOD makes no mistakes; no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. Could then some of that “reason” be based on our very thoughts, our actions, and our WORDS? Of course…If one believes that such a things as “karma” exists; then they also believe that nothing happens by accident. From that line of thinking it can stand to reason that; there are cosmic influences at work that determine our lives. Thus good deeds bear sweeeet  fruit . Bad deeds bear fruit that is beyond bitter…One has to have an open mind ~N~ think far outside of the box to even begin or want to grasp this concept. Having said all of that what could it hurt to THINK, ACT and SPEAK in a positive manner? Especially when the results of doing so have such potential to yield positive things?!? Don’t we all benefit more from positive light than negative darkness? The words inof themselves@ light and dark have great meaning. Objects are ATTRACTED to light! Like a moth….Objects can not been seen in the dark.  Hmmmm. One more quote …

“In simple terms, what does karma mean? It means that whatever we do, with our body, speech, or mind, will have a corresponding result. Each action, even the smallest, is pregnant with its consequences. It is said by the masters that even a little poison can cause death, and even a tiny seed can become a huge tree. And as Buddha said: “Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain.” Similarly he said: “Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel.” Karma does not decay like external things, or ever become inoperative. It cannot be destroyed “by time, fire, or water.” Its power will never disappear, until it is ripened.”~Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

>>TRY again N again..Because WE can! DP CHALLENGE PostADay 2013 Berna’s Way..

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*DP Challenge*, *DP Challenge*Post A Day, Aaliyah, blogging, Daily blogging, journal, New beginnings, Parenting, PostaDay 2013, Try Again, WordPress, Writing

**I’m jumping back onto the “Post a Day” DP Challenge horse’s back…Shared sentiment with another WP blogger not too long ago how difficult it truly IS to post a day..And it IS..Especially when offline obligations take priority and when catching UP on sleep becomes a MUST. I squeeeeze alot into my days..loving every minute of life..but even I had to put the breaks on some things last week. But thankfully it is a brand new day! And week! There is a song by Aaliyah, an oldie but goodie(those are the BEST) that I adore and it is called try again…

“If at first you don’t succeed
Dust yourself off and try again
You can dust it off and try again…”

*Not that I’m complaining about not having enough time 2 do all I desire doing..I really LOVE being busy/staying busy/BEing productive doing PROgressive things..I was chatting with my youngest the other day on the phone..And regarding something we were discussing he said, “Mom you know how it goes. And you taught it to us..Just keeeeeeep it moving forward!” From the mouths of babes and I dig it when it just happens to be someone I was blessed to have co-raised. Life is truly a wonderful “trip” and ride. One of the beautiful things about life is WE can all try again even when we fall short of our own goals. So! Later on 2day I’m back on the postaday challenge kick. Not yet finished having my say N telling it my way…Going to try this one “mo” time. Write/read ya’ll later on tonight.

~Neo Vibing~Seeking Poetry Partners~DPCHALLENGE*PostADay*B’s Way..

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*DP Challenge*Post A Day, blogging, DPCHALLENGE, Heartfelt written words, Love, Love notes collection, NeoVibing, Poems, Poetry, Poetry Collaborations, WordMeshing, WordPress, Words, write, Writing

IF this catches on here N I’m hoping it does; I’ll make a separate blog post just for this section. Trying to integrate all facets of writing that I enjoy into my blog spot..Slowly but surely I’m getting there! Few years back I had the pleasure of being a part of a unique online poetry venture. From coast 2 coast aspiring poets came together virtually and linked up (collaborated) on joint pieces together. It was an AWESOME experience..I found that I write far better poems when I’m challenged to match the work of another poet I’m wordmeshing with. WordMeshing is a word I use to describe this type of poetry collaboration..Later as it got really gooood 2 me I began to call it NeoVibing(basically because I listen to Neo R&B music when I’m writing it..) I’ve kept those poems that were created at that time with 2 very different poets I was linked up with..So, I’m calling all poets to come and try it out! The only rules are all work must be your OWN. Also, this works best when on a call N response basis. Which means of a 2 party collaboration one person leads(calls) and the other person responds. To keep a good flow N momentum going it is best 2 respond within a couple days ..Since we’re all grown folks some of the poet pairUPS can lead to sensual poetry results..I ask that it be kept tasteful..There IS a way to be sensual while using word manipulation but with taste. (I know because I’ve done it & will post an example later when I dig it up) Last but not least have FUN and…

>This is the introduction to a collaborated collection called LoveNotes..All fiction and just going with the creative joint flow.

ITS THE WOMAN WHO SETS THE PACE

THERES NO LYRICAL RUSH ~ NO POETIC RACE

I WANT 2 SLOWWLY ENJOY OUR “VERB”AL SCENE

ALMOST 2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE ~ A POETIC DREAM..

I DIDN’T MEAN 2 TURN U ON~CERTAINLY WASN’T INTENTIONAL

PERHAPS I FORGOT 2 MENTION ~ I’M TRULY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL

MUCH MORE 2 ME THAN MEETS THE LYRICALLY  TUNED EYE

DIDN’T U KNOW? METAPHORICALLY I’M A BLACK BUTTERFLY

MORPHED BY LIFES’ EXPERIENCE FROM WHAT I USED 2 BE

WHAT AT THAT TIME I’D HAVE 2 SAY WAS JUST~ORDINARY

N

THEN..

A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING SO MINDBLOWINGLY DEEP

 REVEALED TO ME WHAT MY PURPOSE WAS 2 B

I

COULDN’T DENY IT..BLAME IT ON A DREAM..CUZ I WASN’T SLEEP

IN AN INSTANT I SAW MY LIFE FLIPLIKEPAGES  WITHIN MY MIND

WHY..

 I’VE ALWAYS BEEN UNFEIGNEDLY  NICE..EVEN SPECIALLY KIND

WHICH

AT

TIMES

WAS

MISTAKEN

4

WEAKNESS

ALL OF MY INNER STRIFE WAS LAID 2 REST THAT SWEET DAY

I FINALLY LEARNED 2 LOVE WHO I WAS ON  THAT SIGNIFICANT   DAY

INSIDE

N

OUT

FLAWS N ALL..

SO IF I APPEAR LYRICALLY COMFY WITH MYSELF

ITS CAUSE  I REALLY AM..

NOW I’M RELEASING VIBES I LONG KEPT ON A SHELF

I AM A BLACK BUTTERFLY!

FROM TIME 2 TIME MY NAKED POETIC CORE

MIGHT SNEAK OUT..

AND HAVE U YEARNING 4  MORE N MORE N MORE

LYRICALLY

LINGUISTICALLY

MENTALLY!

POETICALLY

AS… I TRY 2 GRACEFULLY TUCK IT BACK INSIDE

JUST KNO I’M 4 SURE  ENJOYN OUR LYRICAL RIDE

SO PLEASE XCUSE  MY BRIEF LITTLE SLIP-UPS

ITS PART OF THE FREE SPIRIT THAT I AM

JUST LOOK AT  IT AS A LIL  LINGUISTICAL HICCUP

FOR MY PASSION N  SENSUALITY  IS A STRONG PART OF WHO I AM

BUT THATS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT I “NEED” FROM A MAN..

INTIMACY WITHOUT MENTAL!VIBIN MEANS NADA  2 ME

SO  LET ME TAKE IT BACK 2 OUR LINKIN UP POETICALLY

FOR AFTER ALL ITS THE WOMAN THAT SETS A 2VIBE  PACE..

THERES NO LYRICAL   RUSH ~ NO POETICALLY AMPED  RACE

I’M SOOO ENJOYN OUR “VERB”AL LOVELY SCENE

ALMOST 2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE ~ A POET’S DREAM..

 

>>I can’t post the response to this(without the consent of the other party) ; but it was from a very good poet. Left this as an example/sample actually N if anyone out there wants to link up poetically..feel free to hit it and we can go from there.

 

~150th Anniversary*Jan.1,2013* of the Emancipation Proclamation~DP PostaDay..Berna’s Way~

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*DP Challenge*, *DP Challenge*Post A Day, 150th Anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation, African American Culture, African heritage of Blacks in America, American History, Black Culture, Blacks in America, blogging, brave souls, Chains, Culture, descendants, Family, family tree, FREE, freedom, Heartfelt written words, homage, Inspire, Letters to our Ancestors, Letters to our forefathers, Postage stamp marking 150th anniversary emancipation proclamation, President Lincoln, President Obama, Progress, Progression, Progressive, Rev Dr Otis Moss III, ROOTS, Separation, Separation of family, Shackles, Slavery, Slaves, subjugation, The ITCH to write can't be resisted, Tinko, tribute, WordPress, write, Writing

~Did YOU know that January 1, 2013 marked the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation?  Me neither. I slept it and as a Black American, American period!, that is awful..Thankfully the date is NOT too far past to pay tribute to it here on my blog. I am a very proud Black woman. I am a very proud American. I celebrate life daily and in doing so pay homage to my GOD, my ancestors , my parents, and myself..There is a project in the Black Voices section of the Huffington Post(I’m a subsciber and read it on a regular basis) that is called “Letters to Our Ancestors” It is in tribute to the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Huffington Post asked leading members of the Black community to share their own letters to their(our) forefathers. With these letters, it is hoped to look back on the progress our community has made & give thanks to those who paved the way for US…They were a generation of BRAVE souls who embarked into a NEW world after hundreds of years of subjugation…You’re free to pull up the Huffington Post site and read the many letters there in the section of this project. For the sake of this post and tribute in my blog I’ve selected a letter from The Rev.Dr . Otis Moss III to post. He is a descendant of enslaved African named “Tinko”. I found his letter to his forefather very inspiring and heartfelt..So I chose it out of all the other letters I read there. This is an excerpt from the actual letter…

….”Dear Tinko, …..Much has been achieved in these post-emancipation years, however, what has been achieved has been hard won by named and unnamed men and women of courage.

I wish you could visit Harlem and hear the songs and sounds of  who took the genius of your contemporaries and created poetic works and literary songs of a new “Negro” renaissance. I wish you could walk the campuses of Tuskegee, Morehouse, Spelman, Howard, and Hampton, and witness ideas blossoming in the mind of the grandchildren of slaves yearning to be men and women . I wish you could witness Marcus Garvey speaking to us as God’s children and not “the wretched of the earth”, or read the essays of W.E.B. Dubois, as he reflects on life post-reconstruction, or sit in on an organization meeting with A. Phillip Randolph as “Pullman Porters” claimed their dignity through organized labor. Atlanta, Georgia the citadel of the genteel south produced a prophet named Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., who forced the Constitution to repent and America to reflect upon her creed.

I know I am leaving out much more:yet, the triumphs are too vast and tragedies are too numerous to count. I must also share an unbelievable moment in our history. Our current President and First Family are people of African descent! As unlikely as it may sound, democracy and history collided and produced a moment you or our ancestors only dreamed was possible….

There are those who claim we live in post-racial society and others who claim we still live in a racist society. I say we live in a race-consciousness society, fearful of class and apprehensive about color. We are NOT post-racial, nor are we soley defined by the social construction of race. We are post-emancipation, but, we are still a pre-promised land nation still looking at the future from the mountain-top and not the plain of realized dreams. Gains have been made in this nation, but the beloved community still waits in the harbor of our prophetic imagination. Maybe ONE day we will reach it but as of now we still dream….

I thank you for your courage this day, and look forward to meeting you one day in our Father’s house, when time and space cease to be weights upon our temporal existence.

Sincerely,

The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III(Descendant of enslaved African named “Tinko”)

**I found this letter to be close to what I feel to this day….I’ve read books from every single author he noted(starting when I was a child in my own Daddy’s house..) I’ve read in history books, NOT the ones I was given in school, on dates/events the Rev. Moss speaks of..Reading his letter has inspired me to follow up on the family roots(he has done extensive work on “my” family tree:maternal & paternal sides)  that my own Daddy  has  worked on for over 30 years!(collecting data from records from long ago isn’t easy by far)..And I’m hopeful to also encourage/employ my 3 sons to help with completing the task. One needs to know  where their  roots begin. Yep,  including me!/my 3 sons/my future grandchildren. How many of us as Blacks here in America(born & bred here..) know IF we are descendants of slaves? How many of us as Blacks here in America know with certainty we hailed from Africa? Stumbling upon this tribute to the 150th anniversary of the emancipation proclamation re-awakened an internal spark inside me to know.  Mayhaps it just might have also done the same for one of ya’ll reading this. Until I read you/write you stay UPlifted N blessed. 4ever sincere Berna(the 1 N only)

FRONT ROW SEAT<

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At peace with self, Berna's VIBE, Confidence in words, Confident, content, Express, Expression, Flow, Front row seat, Peace, Poem, Poetry, Quiet place, Serene, Serenity, Vibe, Writing

FRONT ROW SEAT ..An Original Berna Poem

Excuse me if I get a little too deep

No telling where my thoughts will creep

I’ve reserved for you a front row seat…

Allow me to provoke your mental state

As my words  penetrate your ear lobe

May they also invoke you to mentally probe..

Deeper

When did living life as a facsimile become cool?

Doesn’t originality & uniqueness still rule?

I’d really like to try to fully express

So no need for U to wonder or guess

Whats on my mind

Allow me to unwind..

Deeper N deeper

While manipulating my A,B,Cs to the MAX

Your mind nor mine am I attempting to tax

Lets rewind back a ways in time

When chillaxing  didn’t cost a dime

Virtual world didn’t even yet exist

Life was simpler then ooooO I can’t resist..

Reflecting back for a just bit N taking U with me

Remember the time? as MJ sings it so sweeeetly

~We ride oh! we ride as Mary J says; back in time~

Weren’t  things felt N shared then more intense?

Deeeeeper

When did the UNauthentic phase commence?

I want 2 go deeeeper

Backinthedays just as Al Green crooned For the Good Times

Attempting 2 grasp a  retro vibe phonetically thru my rhymes

Can I ? GO deeeeper

Please! As I lay down my floetic flow at your feet

Sitting ever so comfortably in your front row seat

Allow me to freeeeely do what only I can do, as I do, what I DO

Sashaying my *words*  onto paper while 2 myself still staying true..

Weaving my way into your cerebral mental table

Just know that I’m oh! So capable N able

2

Do

Just that

Matter of fact

I don’t require an audience or applause

Bcause I’m sincerely writing for a cause

4 vibing phonetically for me is a releaseee

When penning my flow I’m truly at peace..

Exclamation mark ~ Period

@Writing IS..therapeutic 4 me as well@

Tags

art, Carlos Fuentes, God, Learning from life experiences, Learning from lifes lessons, Life journey and lessons learned, The ITCH to write can't be resisted, What motivates a writer, Why writers write, Word, Writer, Writers Resources, Writing, Writing and also reading it oneself, Writing Exercises, Writing to encourage others

Words (Photo credit: sirwiseowl)

Ya’ll ever wonder what drives a writer to…write?  I can only speak for this aspiring life long writer. But first let me quote a couple people who are infamous for their thoughts on this topic. ” Writing is …a struggle against silence” Quote by Carlos Fuentes. ” And Oprah has a quote , that I can’t find the exact words to right now, but it goes something like this..’Be careful what words are uttered from your mouth or what you WRITE. For the 1st person to hear/see what you say/write is YOU; so don’t limit your ceiling by uttering/thinking  anything but positive things..” I tend to heed or try to learn from people that I admire/respect N Oprah certainly falls into that category for me. I wrote something yesterday that moved me to write this piece..What did I write? I wrote these very words while I was writing something very deeeeeep to someone I care deeply for. “Thank you for reading my vent; for when I write to you(or to anyone ) I’m speaking to myself  probably just as much as I’m talking to you” WOW ..Not sure about other writers but often more than not I’m shocked sometimes by  my OWN flow of thought as I let it flow from the pen or my finger-strokes. I honestly had never realized those very words until I’d..typed them. Mayhaps its because I type so very fast. (about 98 wpm) Mayhaps its because I’ve been writing SO long(since I was a young child) that I’ve forgotten the actual reasons that I..write. It is such a part of who I am and that I just do it; that I’d not stopped to think about the whys. It is simply something I love to do. Even more than talking! N those who know and love me know I loveeeeeeee 2 talk. Ever these dayz on a quest of fully knowing “self” I’ve pondered the above statement since making it. I realize  now that writing is  very N totally therapeutic for me. Especially as I write on topics that I’m pulling from my personal lifelong experiences…Often as I do that trying to encourage someone else or motivate them by sharing; I actually relive N feeeeeeel the emotions/feelings of the experience I’m explaining! Quite often I feel emotionally..spent after writing on those topics. I can’t explain it any other way. And yet more-often-than-not after I’ve written something that I know I’ve said “well” the feeling after writing it is close to ..euphoric. A type of  euphoria I’ve not yet in 49 yrs experienced the same type of  wonderful feeling from(different levels of joy I’ve experienced but not the same..) Thus is one of the main reasons I write. 2 -repeat-that-same-feeling-and-to-always-strive-to-reach-higher-N-higher-levels-of -that-euphoric-feeeeeeling. It feels that GOOD to me.  And as I’ve said before, but I’ll say it one more time, the need within me to touch others in a positive way from my written word is something I can not fight or resist. Took me many moons to come to the realization that my God given purpose was/is to “attempt” to “touch others in a positive ways via spoken N written words…by sharing my personal life experiences. I’ve come to believe N feel it is the primary reason I’m still standing. Intact physically  and with the majority of my marbles still up there. There is an inner child inside of all of us. And that inner child, the very core of who we are, remains consistent even though we evolve and mature. Or least this is my belief. My inner child needs to be stroked , alot! Needs to be told they’re appreciated. Needs to feeeeel loved. Needs to know what she does  is productive and useful. Needs to know she’ll never be alone or abandoned. She is me. N I am her..I am she. I’ve recently become her very, very best friend. I now try to “fulfill” her “needs” myself. Which is what I’ve come to believeeeee is  the way its supposed to be. It is called Self  Love..loving one self from the inside out. Makes one glow! I am finally there..and in doing so a person, in this case me, doesn’t look to others to fulfill those needs. Anything else gained from others in fulfilling those needs is..extra. A bonus! What I wish for other young girls/teen/women reading this is that you possibly learn from my “words” 2 do the same…for you. Why? Because it will mean that you won’t constantly reach out to others, and sometimes others that aren’t good for you, to fulfill those needs. Think about that for a minute for that is a heavy statement. Always when I write and share what I’ve written , AFTER I’ve written I wonder how it will be received. And yet once I release it from my possession. Once I push submit online I feel a sense of ..release. I hope these “words” of mine have touched you reading it in a positive way. I hope you can feel the sincerity in what I’m trying to express…Stay UPlifted N stay blessed. 4ever sincere Berna(the 1 N only)