Learning to give flowers and not swords....

I've been accused of being too honest, to a fault.
Last night I had a great conversation with a friend and it was beautiful.
Often times people ask for my opinion and I say what I'm thinking, sometimes without the filter.
Unintentionally, I'd hurt someone's feelings or upset them.
My response would be, "You shouldn't have asked me."
After the discussion last night I did alot of thinking, which lead me here.
I've been through alot, as we all have, but in this journey I have to be transparent.
I can't kick the can because it's on the ground.
Simply put, I can pick it up and hand it back or just leave it there and walk away, but a kick is unnecessary.
Becoming frustrated with certain things and situations serves no one, when no changes are being made.
Keep the whining and complaining to yourself unless you are willing to grow/change/learn something.
Who wants to hear a whiner all the time? I DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In this transition to give flowers and not swords, I have to acknowledge that I too, will receive a lesson in this. I keep flunking the same test, because I've become too impatient.
As a woman of color, we have to be transparent and unashamed of who we are, what we can be and what we will become. Most importantly we have to uplift and support each other. We are an amazing group of people and we've been taught to hate ourselves since the beginning of time. It's our job to guide each other, love each other and be honest with each other. We need each other, give flowers, not swords. I'm not saying to support foolishness such as the madness played on the radio or television.
We all strive to be something and in the process of striving we stretch, bend, contort but we can't break!

Breaking is when we give up ourselves, beliefs, morals for a temporary gain, in hopes of keeping what we have or gaining what we wish to attain. We are valuable, amazing, talented, dynamic, beautiful and original. Let's challenge ourselves to be more than we were yesterday, lets uplift, support, guide, love, direct and embrace things we don't understand. I make it a point to never become an embarrassment to my family. I wear the faces of my ancestors, my name carries a legacy of women who were nothing short of amazing. I'm so proud of my heritage, we were/are/will continue to be a dynamic people. We need to keep the faith in ourselves, believe in each other, support each other and guide the foolishness out of the process.

Limit what you expose your children too, teach them history of family, music, life. Give them something to remember, because unfortunately the way we are portrayed by the media we are either nonexistent, irrelevant or stupid. And alot of the musicians that are in heavy rotation feed into every negative stereotype there is. Teach them that it's ok to love themselves and make a differemce. When one person believes in us, it gives us permission to believe in ourselves. Give flowers not swords. (Get a water hose and clean off a few diamonds)


Grab your shovel, keep diggin' (it's in there)