“Just Mercy!” Leaving a Legacy of Love and Justice

About a month or so ago, a dear friend invited my daughter and me to a premiere of Just Mercy. After watching the official trailer the night before, I was eager to see the story unfold on the screen. And did it ever!It is imperative for everyone to see this movie. The story and narrative are powerful, and the film offers an intimate look into the state of our humanity. Before you read further, I must issue a disclaimer: I have no connection to this movie, except that I am a child of this universe, a citizen of this world, [...]

By |2022-06-10T00:58:47+00:00January 13, 2020|Thoughts|Comments Off on “Just Mercy!” Leaving a Legacy of Love and Justice

Create a Greater Vision of Who You Are so You May Walk in Your Truth

 Some years ago, I worked as a Domestic Violence Counselor at a Women’s Shelter where I conducted both group and individual sessions. I met several wonderful women and on one of my weekly visits, I worked with a young lady who made an impression on me. I am singling her out because of the topic I have chosen for discussion—and for how our sessions progressed.In our very first one-on-one, we met in the living room at the shelter, and I remember that the blinds were fully closed and it was early in the afternoon with the sun shining outside. She [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:04:49+00:00February 10, 2019|Thoughts|Comments Off on Create a Greater Vision of Who You Are so You May Walk in Your Truth

Eight Steps To Living An Empowered, Joyful Life in 2019

My elders from the Akan tribe of Ghana teach that: “Ka na ka bio yenkyi,” which means that repetition is not taboo! I  have chosen to share last year's message about joyful living again because a lot of us have been through insurmountable challenges this year—in our personal lives, politically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. By grace, we are still here on this planet, and the repetition will allow us to refine or perfect our approach to living joyfully. It is that time of year when we reflect on what we have accomplished so far in life and what we wish it to [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:05:43+00:00December 12, 2018|Women's Empowerment Coaching|Comments Off on Eight Steps To Living An Empowered, Joyful Life in 2019

A Poem by Mensimah Shabazz

Some years ago, I wrote the poem below titled "Tompala," and it pains me to think that, a decade plus later, women are still experiencing different levels of trauma through wars, sexual violence, domestic violence, and children’s hunger in this world. It also seems that when we speak out, our voices get muffled by the masculine shout to be quiet, to know our place, and just plain get over it.What I find most painful about all of this is that there are some women who idealize how men would prefer women to address or deal with these issues, and they [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:07:07+00:00November 12, 2018|Women's Empowerment Coaching|Comments Off on A Poem by Mensimah Shabazz

Giving it Your All So You May Derive True Success

I cannot start this conversation without mentioning Ms. Aretha Franklin. I was extremely lucky to be invited to President Clinton’s Second Inaugural Ball on January 20, 1997, at the Kennedy Center. If you have attended one of these events, you would know it is a long night, a lot of standing in anticipation of the arrival of the President and First Lady. They perform a dance and then they leave to the next destination. Then the real party begins. I am not attempting to throw shade at the President and First Lady. After all, they were the reason for the [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:08:14+00:00November 8, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on Giving it Your All So You May Derive True Success

Celebrating Old and New Friends—Just Because

I have put aside other topics I had wanted to write about and chose this one because last Monday I lost a dear friend in London. While my heart hurts deeply, I am celebrating the fact that I had a friend who brought love. This type of friendship is rare but when we find it, the connection endures all the tests, because it comes from that place of pure goodness and redefines what friendship is.This friendship was special because it was honest and without expectations. I didn’t have to do anything in order to be acknowledged or appreciated—I just was. [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:09:13+00:00October 23, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on Celebrating Old and New Friends—Just Because

The Fruit From My Tree: What Does It Taste Like?

The beginning of summer is just around the corner and I am ready for it! Are you?This season brings warmth, flowers, butterflies, colors, rainbows, sorbets, vegetables, and frolicking at the beach, just to name a few things. It is a harvest of goodness and abundance all around, including fresh, ripe fruits from our trees. What would the fruit from your tree taste like? This question is asked with the recognition that we put out what is within us.As humans, we can all agree that we have multiple personalities that are a direct result of our life experiences. We may have [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:10:11+00:00August 12, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on The Fruit From My Tree: What Does It Taste Like?

Living with Love: Understanding the Four-Chambered Heart

I start this month’s blog on love again and every time someone asks, “What has love got to do with anything?” I am often reminded of Tina Turner’s classic, in which she sings with such passion: “What's love got to do, got to do with it What's love but a second hand emotion What's love got to do, got to do with it Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken...” Looking at the context within which the lyrics were written, I understand the reasoning why some people may ask, “Who needs a heart?” Well, without one, [...]

By |2023-03-03T22:01:19+00:00June 23, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on Living with Love: Understanding the Four-Chambered Heart

Love and Poetry: Cultivating a Spiritual Practice that Connects You to Source and Sustains You Through It All!

I love poetry! So I chose love and poetry for the theme as I reflected on the past year’s events and my writings. It has been a great year in many respects, pursuing a new career at this age—but this change has aligned more with Pablo Neruda’s poem La Poesia (1975), in which he states that there comes a time in one’s life where one must yield to the soul’s yearnings and step into a path that fulfills a deeper longingIt is natural that even when we are at this stage of development and fulfillment, we tend to overanalyze the choice(s) we [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:11:59+00:00May 5, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on Love and Poetry: Cultivating a Spiritual Practice that Connects You to Source and Sustains You Through It All!

Choosing the Right Course that Enlivens You and Allows You to Live Vivaciously!

When I was in high school, an all girls’ boarding school, I played Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, and I remember quite well that I had so much fun, and I was very good at playing my role. I was a part of other significant plays, including Macbeth, but I left all that behind me as I grew up. The key gist of this discussion is leaving the drama behind. Drama, I find unfortunately, continues to be a part of some people we encounter in life—at work, church, parties, other social relationships and events, and I believe that we have a [...]

By |2022-06-10T01:12:54+00:00April 20, 2018|Thoughts|Comments Off on Choosing the Right Course that Enlivens You and Allows You to Live Vivaciously!
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