HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY

We Celebrate A People

(A Tribute in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Forced to learn a language, without essential tools
No teachers! No books!No need for any schools!
STILL. They Learned!
Counted as 1/5 human, disenfranchised as such,
Their need to have a voice would not be hushed.
A fire was Hot.
A rope was Tight.
Nevertheless A People would Die for their Rights.
INALIENABLE RIGHTS. GUARANTEED.
Regardless of Race, Religion or Creed.

We Celebrate A People that WOULD,
when James Weldon Johnson said:
"Lift Every Voice 'til Earth & Heaven Rings"
A People who UNDERSTOOD,
when Maya articulated exactly
'Why The Caged Bird Sings'.

We Celebrate A People
A SPIRIT no shackle could chain;
A SPIRIT no cracking whip could wane;
A SPIRIT Jim Crow Lawws couldn't break.
A SPIRIT no living thing could take.
We celebrate the riches of our Heritage,
the tenacity of our Ancestors & the Hope for our Children,
As well as the Legacy of Determination bequeathed US.
To all of this we cling,
And in so doing:
WE CELEBRATE A DREAM & A KING!

Questioning Time

I don't know why but for some reason I am becoming almost morbidly preoccupied with "Time". How much do we collectively or individually have left? Is it an arbitrary concept? Are the most secure people those who live for the here & now? Or the those who meticulously plan every second? There are those who don't consider time: how much, how little, how long, how short, almost ZEN. They tend to "ride-the-wave"; que sera sera; like the song says, "whatever will be, will be - the future's not ours to see". Is that true. If we spend our lives planning for a tomorrow that may or may not become a reality, have we wasted our energies & efforts? Is it defeatist to entertain any of these thoughts? Is it cynical to expect little in order to avoid disappointment? Do we reach for the stars and in so doing negate any sense of humanity and compassion? I am just finding myself debating this quandry of time. What exactly is its importance? I would imagine the terminally ill would have one perspective that would dramatically differ from one who has the WORLD on a string - TRULY BLESSED & HIGHLY FAVORED. Which one might I be? Which one are you? Peace & Love, micki

New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

A special thanks to Christine aka Counselor for responding to my SOS, originally sent to the Dragon who delegated the request to the Counselor. Successful or not, I thank you both.

In retrospect 2006 was not great. I had to say a permanent "Good-bye" to both personal friends and friends in my heart & mind. In many of these good-byes I had to deal with a burden masquerading as guilt. I've been told many times, by many people that the burden of guilt has no place in "My Reality". Not helpful. One particular "good-bye" involved that of a 21-year old who was the granddaughter of the Love-Of-My-Life who had passed years earlier. This young lady at age 8 was sexually assaulted; at age 11 prostitution; at age 13 drug addicted & living on the streets; at age 19 HIV positive. Her gradfather was the one person she could always count on - the one she called when she was in trouble, which was often. He left her a key in his utility box, outside of the house, so she always had a place to sleep. She hardly ever used it but I say all this to say: she had a hard life & harder death. She was found in an abandoned house, strangled by her own vomit, which I suspect was the result of an overdose. This was one of the hardest goodbyes I had to say. I made a silent promise to her grandfather of his deathbed that I would always look out for her. While I did try, I can't help but think I didn't try hard enough. I couldn't save her. Maybe no one could have. Basically, my point of this blog is Life marches on rather we are prepared or not. I'm hoping 2007 is better. LOVE & PEACE