There are no perfect lives. It is a given that we will veer off course from time to time, but our search for a sense of purpose and commitment keep us anchored to our inner sanctuary of divine love. Treading troubled waters, feeling estrangement and pain are some of the chores we have to work through in our journey. When we commit ourselves to Thinking Big the ordinary can become extraordinary: the morning sunrise, birds in flight, the beauty of a flower and the ritual of a morning prayer or meditation can nourish and replenish our journey. In a divided world we need people who Think Big.

As people think so they will be

Thinking BIG supports the strengths of
others as well as our own.

Thinking BIG focuses on solutions rather
than problems.

Thinking BIG seeks to address anger with
a dialogue of patience and reason.

Thinking BIG recognises life as a changing
experience whereby failures may
become successes.

Thinking BIG. helps to maintain a balance
between compassion and
confrontation seeking justice
rather than revenge.

Thinking BIG makes the negative voices
less audible promoting peace
and healing.

We get high on life as we acknowledge
another's strength and reinforce our own.

In a cynical world we need people who
THINK BIG

Imagine being a link in a chain of
. Thinking BIG
- healing links across the world.

Our greatest source of strength
and renewal lies within

Often times our lives revolve in circles-
family, friends, work and so many other details.    
It is difficult to remain centered when these          
forces compete for our attention-                           
finding a rhythm between these pressures             
and our solitude is the key.                                     
 
Solitude...a quiet time to think             
pray, listen, meditate; need not be but a                
short time-a few minutes or longer.                       
An oasis that lifts us from the demands                 
of our lives restoring our balance and integration.

Solitude...allows us to shed                  
some of our masks and layers so that we               
can hear our inner voice, the quiet in the storm;    
inner harmony moving to outer harmony.               
We must learn to be alone;                         
to tap into our reservoirs,                
a flowing source                  
of strength and renewal.
 
           

             If you love yourself you can give and
                         receive love from others without
                         feelings of guilt
                                   Because
                         Loving yourself is assuming
                         responsibility for your behavior
                         and being responsible to loved ones.

                         Loving yourself is having self-respect
                         and respecting others feelings.

                         Loving yourself is being productive -
                         letting go of destructive tendencies
                         which hurt others but
                         most of all you.

                         Loving yourself accepts and forgives
                         your shortcomings and those of others.
                         Loving yourself nurtures your positive
                         strengths, renewing you, reflecting
                         harmony with others.

Give yourself and others
                         the greatest gift - LOVE

Over the next few months I will be sharing some of my popular prose poems which I hope will
give you a sense of renewal This poem was written before I had any intentions of writing a
book. Self love generates feelings of confidence and well-being, helping us to be flexible as
we learn and grow. Then we are able to discard the old negative tapes and move to a new
dialogue of positive interactions, building on our strengths.  Let us accept this challenge…

 ​In September 2014, I was fortunate to attend the Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend in Newark, NJ.  Somehow I knew this experience would be helpful in my journey to reduce the pain of fibromyalgia. This disorder was something I knew I had almost from the beginning in 2009, even though it took many tests and months for the specialists to make the diagnosis in 2010.  I read as much as I could about fibromyalgia and bought DVD's from John Hopkins and began using them as well as pain tapes from practitioners of natural medicine. With my daily prayers, yoga and meditation I added Qigong and Pilates. With the help of two Qigong masters I received external treatments from them and attended several of their group workshops. I began to learn what worked for me and decreased my pain through these many modalities.
      But it was my recent eye surgery that put me on an unexpected path. Going into my eye surgery in July 2014, I had the utmost respect for my specialist, but within a few months my confidence in him plunged.  Somehow an ordinary cataract surgery was marred by my Doctor's unintentional mistake.
     I completed eye surgery in July 2014 and the healing process was slow and it was getting me down.  When my doctor questioned me about taking anti-depressants, I said "I don't think so this would be my last resort. I had to admit I was still grieving about the death of my sister in January 2013 and another sister as well as my niece and nephew who passed on later that year. All of them had faced debilitating illnesses over several months, and I accepted their deaths as part of my journey.  All of them had lived full lives and were in better spaces. I knew that my depression was primarily related to the outcome of my surgery and the realization that I could no longer continue under the care of my eye specialist.
      I made my way to this huge facility surrounded by large screens. I took my seat, and although I was not physically near the stage, I felt Oprah's presence as did the women sitting around me.  I am not a huge television fan but I knew this gathering was something I was destined to do. Throughout the sessions with Oprah and the other presenters I found it comforting to share tears, hugs, sweat and new visions with the people sitting around me.  I looked at some of my fears and knew I had to make peace with some of my broken pieces and focus on my inner light. I had to reclaim the pieces I had allowed to stray so that I could become whole again and claim the life that I deserved and wanted.
     I left the conference feeling blessed that I could make choices that would enrich my path. I had the inner strength within to heal. I just had to open my mind and heart to new experiences. I left the stadium with Oprah's important message. "... With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas -thought by thought, choice by choice.''
     Each day I began to journal about being grateful. One of the things I needed to get back to was my daily exercise regimen, even though my energy level was not where I wanted it to be. I knew that by going to the gym I would practice Pilates and decrease some of the pain I had. I was grateful that I could manage my pain with natural remedies and as my energy increased I began doing more of my household chores. I continue to look for new directions and paths to follow and am grateful that I can put on my smiley face each morning.
     After listening to Oprah's last tape, I am grateful for so many ordinary things that we take for granted - the sun after the rain, the sunset and even the full moon. One of my favorite places to visit is near the ocean and to hear the waves rushing to the shore. It is where I can listen more to the whispers.
      The whispers began to take me on a journey to New Mexico to learn more about natural healing for the eyes and  in November 2015 I made my solo journey. There I met a group of people with an array of eye problems. Within the first day we bonded and became partners in learning together in the sacred waters at Ojos Caliente, New Mexico. We were all about claiming expanded visions to take on new paths. I am grateful to have met such amazing people including Dr. Berne and Liz Koch who were our teachers. We are painting our own canvas choice by choice.

#gratitude #innerlight #oprah #choices

image may be subject to copyright by HARPO INC

Patience will allow you to make progress on your path of self-discovery.  It is easy to be pulled in by the tides of discontent. When you affirm your positive thoughts you lay the groundwork for new horizons.  Positive affirmations committed to the printed page raise your consciousness to a higher level.  Yes, know your weaknesses, but show others your strengths. Sometimes we adopt a persona that we want others to see, crippling our landscape.  As we peer out our windows it is difficult to distinguish between the "real me" and the "imagined me."  Our distorted visions keep us on a treadmill that is exhausting with no room for growth.  A person who is out of touch with the inner self needs constant approval from others.
     There may be an uneasiness resulting sometimes in self-abuse or neglect. This crippled landscape may blame others for our negative behaviors.  Ultimately we are responsible for what happens to us.   One of the benefits of committing your voice to a journal is reinforcing and expanding your vision.  You are stretching your mind to new horizons and the rainbow of regeneration.  You won't need the approval of others to make a statement.
    Patience is steady as time, staying on course through life's hills and valleys.  Patience is fortitude, courage and untiring.  Yes, it is difficult but over a period of time it will bring mental calmness that will help you master negative feelings such as fears and indecisiveness.
     With patience "I can't" becomes "I can."  This does not mean that you become egotistical, instead you develop a wholesome self-respect; feelings of inferiority make you feel weak and ineffective. They may begin in childhood, but these feelings are something you can overcome.
     We begin to heighten our awareness and explore our higher consciousness.  As we listen to our higher selves we begin to develop the healthy side of our minds.  But how do we overlook people who are critical no matter how much we try to circumvent their insinuations and make peace?  Sometimes we have to retreat from the company of that person or persons and avoid the temptation to attack them and maintain an attitude of grace.  Know that you can be at peace even when there are cross questions and crooked answers.  When we are vigilant and patient there will be "angels" or a guiding light to assist us in beating back the demons and remove the thorns placed in our path.
     Keep journaling and living in the present. To live in the present is crucial because the joy of life is looking for the blessings to come.

PATIENCE
 
is steady as time, staying on course
through life's hills and valleys.
 
It is investing time and energy
concentrating on your faith;
silently structuring goals-
allowing the plant to grow at its own pace.
 
Success comes to those who believe
wait and work as they wait.
 
Every seed is a miracle.
Plant the seed of patience,
nourish it with faith and love
and the tree will become strong and steadfast
 
from Lifting Voices: Voices  of the Collective Struggle c1999 

    ​I have been on my journey into meditation and yoga for over forty years but I still consider myself a student. Why? Because life does not accommodate us.  There will always be roadblocks and detours to throw us off balance.  When I was in the quicksand of a depression I found yoga or it found me.  Within a few weeks the muse sitting on my shoulder led me to a sign in the window which read "Transcendental Meditation" and within a few days of my practice I began to ascend from the darkness of sleepless nights and the denial of my pain with the multiple masks I wore.  Once we become anchored in the center of our divine soul, no longer can we be pulled along by the debilitating tides of anger and despair.  Sometimes the darkness of pain is necessary before we can transform the light within us, renewing and giving unconditional love to ourselves.  
     There are many forms of meditation and I have experienced several methods, but the one common thread and the most important thing we can learn from any form of meditation is self study.  We begin this journey in our solitude. It is a temporary exclusion that can last for 10 minutes to 30 minutes or more.  Once you begin this retreat over a sustained period you are on a path of light that empowers you. In the silence of your mind you can observe your demons and we all have them, but you can learn to move away from them.  We can return to this power source of love, faith and hope on a daily basis to realize the changes we need to make.  For this moment in time, tune out to the distractions of TV and the ever present cell phone.  Self love enables us to move forward by taking responsibility for making positive changes in our lifestyles.  It sounds easy, but the four-letter word WORK is the biggest challenge.  Think Big, but start small.  The rewards of staying balanced in a world driven by social media and materialism will try one's strength and endurance.  One of the things to be mindful of is each person is different, do not compare yourself with other people. When you stumble, know that you can return to your healing path any time. It is your choice...

            It was twenty years ago that I sat looking anxiously at my television as the men assembled and boarded buses to attend the Million Man March. My son-in-law with some of his friends headed from Philadelphia. Like many watching, I prayed that they would be safe. There were vocal and publicized fears of violence but it never happened.  Instead there was order, discipline and spiritual goodwill. One of the major highlights was Maya Angelou's speech: "Clap hands, we can make ourselves whole; Clap hands and invite joy..." It was an impressive time, and this event found its way into my first book: Lifting Voices, Voices of the Collective Struggle.
            A call was heard in the States and around the world for a million Black men to converge on the National Mall. Some said it could not be done, but a million Black men marched from all points to one point in Unity-fixing the foundation. Shining hours of renewal and bonding lighted the way back home. Some of the men were active before the Million Man March and so their convictions were reaffirmed. Others became energized transforming words into deeds, infusing our communities as activists. Each day then and now we are reminded that more are needed to climb the uphill journey. The only passport required is the four letter word WORK. Persistence, patience and perseverance are the key words.
            On a personal level, I was moved to join the Million Women March on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia one year later. The theme was Celebrating Sisterhood, in the spirit of peace, freedom and justice. These events mobilized my support for some of the organizations that I saw as active participants facing many of the problems in our communities.
            This new gathering of thousands, on the twenty year anniversary of the Million Man March, was more diverse with women and children, symbolizing the need for a sustained collective struggle on all fronts joining hands, walking side by side, shoulder to shoulder en masse, sharing, renewing and transforming. The theme was "Open Mind." I was unable to watch this on CSPAN, because I was attending a yoga conference. I have been looking at some of the comments made in the media and listening to some of the comments on WURD, the only Black owned and operated radio station in Pennsylvania. One thing that many people agree on is the logistics involved in moving thousands of people in and out of the National Mall is an awesome feat. Within hours after each event, the Mall looked as if no one had been there. But I am sure that energy and peace filled the empty spaces. Sometimes we don't agree with the messenger or the message, and some of the rhetoric may have sounded harsh, but for many people this gathering was special.   
             Keeping an "open mind" I am energized and hope that the positive energy released is filled with self determination and purpose raising images that reflect the great survival skills of our people. Remember we had a remarkable history before slavery. It is my hope that this message of unity and strength can be explored in our homes and communities with a sense of purpose. We can plant the seeds in our younger generation to embrace each other and work towards solutions for the magnitude of problems facing us in education, jobs and the criminal justice system. Each of us has been endowed with a gift or reason for being here. Let the momentum of this gathering be shared, not only in our homes but in our places of worship as we move forward.
            I continue to support the organizations that deal with hunger and services to our youth, but have had some roadblocks and detours this past year which have prevented me from attending many of their conferences and workshops. I look forward in the near future to working more directly with our youth, especially those who have been involved with the justice system. This is a part of my purpose and my humble dream.