I am a woman and you are a man and I have always known it. If you love me, tell me so. Don’t approach me as you would an enemy. I am on your side and have always been. We have survived, and we may just be able to teach the world a lesson.
‑‑ Fran Sanders
We women and men, we’re a team. When one is winning, both of us are winning; when one is down, the other’s down, too. When one of us is hurt, we both weep; and when one of us is happy, both of us are lifted up. We complement each other, providing for one another that which the other needs. We are yin and yang, fire and water, noun and verb. We are the unity of opposites, balancing, supplementing, and completing one another. We are as the ancient philosopher Heraclitus mused, “The road up and the road down are the same thing.”
But as good as all that sounds, sometimes the hardest thing to do is see man and woman as bonafide partners making the world spin, twist, and turn together.
It’s extremely hard when we treat each other as objects – sexual objects, money objects – and not as humans with feelings. It’s even more difficult to fathom men and women as collaborators in the churning of life when we entertain and encourage misogyny and misandry. When the messages we give and receive define men as “dogs” and women as “female dogs,” how easy is it to consider that man or that woman your teammate?
At every moment and opportunity, our task as lovers of one another should be to confront and refute the negativity, pessimism, and contemptuousness that keep us women and men from embracing each another and our differences, regardless of our personal and painful experiences. Whoa, that’s a mouthful! Here it is again: At every moment and opportunity, our task as lovers of one another should be to confront and refute the negativity, pessimism, and contemptuousness that keep us women and men from embracing each another and our differences, regardless of our personal and painful experiences.
When we don’t challenge the derision, we perpetuate the myths, stereotypes, lies, and deceit, and, of course, never move to the next level. We never become one, never become whole. We remain disconnected, disjointed, and never strong enough to elevate ourselves or unite our families and community.
Imagine who we would be if we could honor one another; respect, consider, and cover one another. Imagine what our meeting would be if we realized we’re on the same road and each day slowed up to greet, kiss, and hug each other as we walked about the road. Imagine that our meeting in the middle of the road tilted the world back into perfect balance.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 19, 2007
Dec 18, 2007
I ran [for the presidency] because someone had to do it first.
-- Shirley Chisholm
Somebody has to do the job in the way you do; someone has to carry the load the way you carry it; and somebody’s got to represent in the way that you do. You’re the one and only one to do that. You’re the first.
Perhaps you’re the first in your family to become a medical doctor or doctor of philosophy. Perhaps you’re the first to own your own business or be the head of a major corporation. Perhaps you’re the only one in your family who’s ever owned a home or been able to afford a home in the more expensive and exclusive parts of town. Perhaps you’re the first of your lineage to move the heck out of the projects.
Maybe you’re the first and only one in your office to ever hold the position you do, perhaps the job was created just for you. Maybe you’re the first minority in your field and you’ve been asked to chair the team that will write the profession’s diversity manual. Maybe you’re the first person to sensitively speak to the masses about a sure and cohesive solution for understanding and accepting differences. Maybe you’re the first one who can get the nation to talk honestly about its deep-rooted, subconscious, and habitual issues of race.
Maybe you are the first to participate in a national health study; the first to receive a new vaccine; the first volunteer to undergo national drug testing clinical trials that could help discover the answer to the world’s greatest medical enigma although it could put your long-term health in jeopardy. Maybe you’d be the first to admit you’re scared, but the success of these trials is bigger and far more critical than your fear.
If you’re the first, you can write your name in the annals of history. You are forever memorialized and a legacy by which others frame and shape their lives. But being the first also carries with it great responsibilities. You not only have to pave the way, you have to pave a righteous way. Everybody’s watching you; most are watching in awe and they’re looking to see how it’s done, what you’ve done to set the foundation. You owe them a pretty picture, a good story, a fine blueprint that will help them advance and improve what you’ve laid down.
Then, you can move on to the next thing and be the first to do that too.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Shirley Chisholm
Somebody has to do the job in the way you do; someone has to carry the load the way you carry it; and somebody’s got to represent in the way that you do. You’re the one and only one to do that. You’re the first.
Perhaps you’re the first in your family to become a medical doctor or doctor of philosophy. Perhaps you’re the first to own your own business or be the head of a major corporation. Perhaps you’re the only one in your family who’s ever owned a home or been able to afford a home in the more expensive and exclusive parts of town. Perhaps you’re the first of your lineage to move the heck out of the projects.
Maybe you’re the first and only one in your office to ever hold the position you do, perhaps the job was created just for you. Maybe you’re the first minority in your field and you’ve been asked to chair the team that will write the profession’s diversity manual. Maybe you’re the first person to sensitively speak to the masses about a sure and cohesive solution for understanding and accepting differences. Maybe you’re the first one who can get the nation to talk honestly about its deep-rooted, subconscious, and habitual issues of race.
Maybe you are the first to participate in a national health study; the first to receive a new vaccine; the first volunteer to undergo national drug testing clinical trials that could help discover the answer to the world’s greatest medical enigma although it could put your long-term health in jeopardy. Maybe you’d be the first to admit you’re scared, but the success of these trials is bigger and far more critical than your fear.
If you’re the first, you can write your name in the annals of history. You are forever memorialized and a legacy by which others frame and shape their lives. But being the first also carries with it great responsibilities. You not only have to pave the way, you have to pave a righteous way. Everybody’s watching you; most are watching in awe and they’re looking to see how it’s done, what you’ve done to set the foundation. You owe them a pretty picture, a good story, a fine blueprint that will help them advance and improve what you’ve laid down.
Then, you can move on to the next thing and be the first to do that too.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 17, 2007
I’ve been going through. But, I’m okay.
-- Anonymous
Amid the stuff in your life that hurts, amid the struggles that sometimes take your breath away, in the middle of the uncertainty that feels as though it’ll never clear, when everything looks bleak and threatens to stay blue forever, somewhere there’s a voice within that is still singing, still praising, and still versed to move on and over.
Underneath the rock, the earthworm rests. But when it rains, he is forced above ground where there is very little oxygen and too much sun for his light sensitive body. On his way back home, he’s nipped by a bird but not caught, then clipped by a shoe but not smashed. In the end, he returns to his rock, scraped and worn out, but still in one solid, unbroken piece. Still okay.
Pushed into a clearing by ambitious developers, fair game to all predators, the deer runs madly to the other side of the road toward delicious-looking brush only to be side-swiped by an SUV and left bruised and disorientated along the edge of the road. Anxiously yet slowly pushing herself off the ground, the deer hobbles back through the clearing, finds thick brush in which to hide, rest, and mend her wounds, then listens to and follows closely the familiar sounds that will lead her to denser and safer thickets. She’s a bit out of her comfort zone, scared out of her deer mind, but she’s finding her way. She’s still okay.
With every night, there may come loneliness or bad dreams. But attached to every night is a morning, and if you can make it to morning, you’re still okay. Never are you so far under that a breeze, a breath from God, can’t hit your face to remind you that you can still breath and thus improve the adverse situations and circumstances in which you find yourself. At all times, you are still okay, and never is there too much to handle, too much to sort out, or too much to confront that you can’t still make it through.
You may be worn and torn and the shackles and shanks may have left you sore, sad, mad, busted, and disgusted. But, thank you Jesus, even in the middle of the stuff, you’re still capable and cool, in control and unmoved. You’re still okay.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Anonymous
Amid the stuff in your life that hurts, amid the struggles that sometimes take your breath away, in the middle of the uncertainty that feels as though it’ll never clear, when everything looks bleak and threatens to stay blue forever, somewhere there’s a voice within that is still singing, still praising, and still versed to move on and over.
Underneath the rock, the earthworm rests. But when it rains, he is forced above ground where there is very little oxygen and too much sun for his light sensitive body. On his way back home, he’s nipped by a bird but not caught, then clipped by a shoe but not smashed. In the end, he returns to his rock, scraped and worn out, but still in one solid, unbroken piece. Still okay.
Pushed into a clearing by ambitious developers, fair game to all predators, the deer runs madly to the other side of the road toward delicious-looking brush only to be side-swiped by an SUV and left bruised and disorientated along the edge of the road. Anxiously yet slowly pushing herself off the ground, the deer hobbles back through the clearing, finds thick brush in which to hide, rest, and mend her wounds, then listens to and follows closely the familiar sounds that will lead her to denser and safer thickets. She’s a bit out of her comfort zone, scared out of her deer mind, but she’s finding her way. She’s still okay.
With every night, there may come loneliness or bad dreams. But attached to every night is a morning, and if you can make it to morning, you’re still okay. Never are you so far under that a breeze, a breath from God, can’t hit your face to remind you that you can still breath and thus improve the adverse situations and circumstances in which you find yourself. At all times, you are still okay, and never is there too much to handle, too much to sort out, or too much to confront that you can’t still make it through.
You may be worn and torn and the shackles and shanks may have left you sore, sad, mad, busted, and disgusted. But, thank you Jesus, even in the middle of the stuff, you’re still capable and cool, in control and unmoved. You’re still okay.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 11, 2007
There will be times when you feel misunderstood and alone. Never dwell on these things. Take time to listen to your heart, spend time with your Self. Avoid at all costs the temptation to place yourself in unhealthy, unproductive, and dishonorable situations just to avoid being alone with the depth of what you feel.
-- Yawfah Shakor
Ever knew anybody that so hated to be alone with themselves that they would do just about anything or be with just about anybody to avoid spending time alone? They so dislike or mistrust being by themselves that they surround themselves with stuff, stuff that occupies their thoughts and time and keeps them from focusing on who, where, and why they are. As a matter of fact, the last time they were forced to have a little quiet time alone with themselves, they were so frightened of the noise in the silence, they vowed never again to be quiet.
Geez, what chaos they must feel.
Oh. Sorry. Was that your toe?
Is that you? One who finds it difficult to sit with your Self and mull through your emotions, motivations, and responses to life? Are you are unable to find, face, and follow your inner voice, that persistent voice that speaks righteously from your soul about who you really are. Is it you who is unable to question and answer yourself honestly or find sense of balance because you won’t take the time to check in with you? Is it you who only understands your Self through the eyes and thoughts of others?
You border your Self by things – big things like material items that make you look like you’re important, unflustered, and protected, and other big things like bravado, pretentiousness, and narcissism. You even hold tight to little things like trinkets and knick-knacks and keeping up with whose car, house, and job are bigger and better than yours. All that stuff simply takes up space in your brain and day and doesn’t get you a step closer to understanding who you are and what you have to contribute to the world.
You drown yourself in work so you won’t have to think about how you feel, what hurts, and the length of time it takes to heal, like ignoring the pain will make it miraculously disappear instead of meet you around every corner. You listen to your music very loudly so you won’t hear the baggage rattling around in your head. You drink your way past the pain of being alone, numbing yourself so you won’t have to figure out how to handle what’s underneath. On many mornings you wake to a warm body next to you but have no idea who it is or how it got there, but can it stay so you don’t have to be alone to think?
You walk past mirrors without looking in them so you won’t have to meet the look in your eyes, the look that says you hurt, you’re angry, you’re ashamed and afraid because to do so would mean you’d have to stop, be quiet, and examine the things that make you scared and uncomfortable. Even when you brush your teeth and comb your hair, you only see your teeth and hair, not a reflection of your beauty or the perfection of your heart. You’ve covered them up for so long, avoided nurturing them for this long, you can’t see anything but a body before the mirror. And on that body, you’ve placed just enough to gather you another evening of not being alone.
What are you gonna do? Stay in a place that keeps your mind occupied and away from the dark, hurtful, and confusing places? What ends up happening then? You end up with more stuff to cover up and hide from, repeating the same cycle over and over again.
Today, start to open the closet and look inside. You don’t have to move quickly and you don’t have to do it all today. Just start. It won’t be easy. It won’t be obvious. Seek professional assistance when you need to. Instead of running from it and to something or somebody, start taking the stuff off the shelves, little by little, examining it, crying over it, peeling it apart. Then bag it up the garbage truck.
Today is that day to never care again that you’re alone.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Yawfah Shakor
Ever knew anybody that so hated to be alone with themselves that they would do just about anything or be with just about anybody to avoid spending time alone? They so dislike or mistrust being by themselves that they surround themselves with stuff, stuff that occupies their thoughts and time and keeps them from focusing on who, where, and why they are. As a matter of fact, the last time they were forced to have a little quiet time alone with themselves, they were so frightened of the noise in the silence, they vowed never again to be quiet.
Geez, what chaos they must feel.
Oh. Sorry. Was that your toe?
Is that you? One who finds it difficult to sit with your Self and mull through your emotions, motivations, and responses to life? Are you are unable to find, face, and follow your inner voice, that persistent voice that speaks righteously from your soul about who you really are. Is it you who is unable to question and answer yourself honestly or find sense of balance because you won’t take the time to check in with you? Is it you who only understands your Self through the eyes and thoughts of others?
You border your Self by things – big things like material items that make you look like you’re important, unflustered, and protected, and other big things like bravado, pretentiousness, and narcissism. You even hold tight to little things like trinkets and knick-knacks and keeping up with whose car, house, and job are bigger and better than yours. All that stuff simply takes up space in your brain and day and doesn’t get you a step closer to understanding who you are and what you have to contribute to the world.
You drown yourself in work so you won’t have to think about how you feel, what hurts, and the length of time it takes to heal, like ignoring the pain will make it miraculously disappear instead of meet you around every corner. You listen to your music very loudly so you won’t hear the baggage rattling around in your head. You drink your way past the pain of being alone, numbing yourself so you won’t have to figure out how to handle what’s underneath. On many mornings you wake to a warm body next to you but have no idea who it is or how it got there, but can it stay so you don’t have to be alone to think?
You walk past mirrors without looking in them so you won’t have to meet the look in your eyes, the look that says you hurt, you’re angry, you’re ashamed and afraid because to do so would mean you’d have to stop, be quiet, and examine the things that make you scared and uncomfortable. Even when you brush your teeth and comb your hair, you only see your teeth and hair, not a reflection of your beauty or the perfection of your heart. You’ve covered them up for so long, avoided nurturing them for this long, you can’t see anything but a body before the mirror. And on that body, you’ve placed just enough to gather you another evening of not being alone.
What are you gonna do? Stay in a place that keeps your mind occupied and away from the dark, hurtful, and confusing places? What ends up happening then? You end up with more stuff to cover up and hide from, repeating the same cycle over and over again.
Today, start to open the closet and look inside. You don’t have to move quickly and you don’t have to do it all today. Just start. It won’t be easy. It won’t be obvious. Seek professional assistance when you need to. Instead of running from it and to something or somebody, start taking the stuff off the shelves, little by little, examining it, crying over it, peeling it apart. Then bag it up the garbage truck.
Today is that day to never care again that you’re alone.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 7, 2007
Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb, that’s where the fruit is.
-- T. Burton
Imagine that the treasure you want, the opportunity of a lifetime, is at the end of the road, but the road is full of dips and bends, valleys and mountains, and cracks and gaps. Along the road toward your prize, you are likely to experience forks in the road that are both appealing and complicated, and you’ll come upon road blocks that seem as long as the Great Wall of China but only as thick as the skin you wear. You may step in a sinkhole here or there that cripples your efforts, be thrown off your path by errant drivers, and, on occasion, you might get so tired, bored, and fed up from your trip, you may decide to just give up and look to another goal.
Imagine that you do decide to travel each dip, bend, valley, mountain, fork, road block and sinkhole, and at each juncture, you find your trek more difficult. But you also find that as you progress along your path, you become stronger and begin to get pieces of ammo not only necessary for making each leg of the journey meaningful and irreplaceable, but for appreciating and caring for that treasure at the end of the long, tough road. You place what you get and learn in the armory of your brain and pull them out as necessary. And what you get along the way, nobody can take from you nor can it be left behind.
Imagine that some days of moving toward your opportunity are slower than others or some days you want the world to stop it’s moving so fast. Some days you may be afraid to take another step for fear it’s the wrong one and you’ll get stuck or grow stagnant. Other days, you know without a doubt you’re moving in the right and righteous direction.
Imagine that to get to the treasure at the end of the road, you must meet the challenges along the way and follow the road in its entirety no matter the conditions. You wouldn’t have to do it alone, God the pilot will usher you there. All you need to remember is that everything on the road, no matter what or who it is, is in your path to equip you for handling the journey on the way and glory at the end.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- T. Burton
Imagine that the treasure you want, the opportunity of a lifetime, is at the end of the road, but the road is full of dips and bends, valleys and mountains, and cracks and gaps. Along the road toward your prize, you are likely to experience forks in the road that are both appealing and complicated, and you’ll come upon road blocks that seem as long as the Great Wall of China but only as thick as the skin you wear. You may step in a sinkhole here or there that cripples your efforts, be thrown off your path by errant drivers, and, on occasion, you might get so tired, bored, and fed up from your trip, you may decide to just give up and look to another goal.
Imagine that you do decide to travel each dip, bend, valley, mountain, fork, road block and sinkhole, and at each juncture, you find your trek more difficult. But you also find that as you progress along your path, you become stronger and begin to get pieces of ammo not only necessary for making each leg of the journey meaningful and irreplaceable, but for appreciating and caring for that treasure at the end of the long, tough road. You place what you get and learn in the armory of your brain and pull them out as necessary. And what you get along the way, nobody can take from you nor can it be left behind.
Imagine that some days of moving toward your opportunity are slower than others or some days you want the world to stop it’s moving so fast. Some days you may be afraid to take another step for fear it’s the wrong one and you’ll get stuck or grow stagnant. Other days, you know without a doubt you’re moving in the right and righteous direction.
Imagine that to get to the treasure at the end of the road, you must meet the challenges along the way and follow the road in its entirety no matter the conditions. You wouldn’t have to do it alone, God the pilot will usher you there. All you need to remember is that everything on the road, no matter what or who it is, is in your path to equip you for handling the journey on the way and glory at the end.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 6, 2007
Every man is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.
‑‑ Benjamin E. Mays
Just as no one can steal, or still, your blessings, no one can do your thing in this world for or better than you. Whether you believe it or not, feel it or not, God placed you here for some great purpose, be it big or small in anyone else’s eyes. Possibly you’ve been placed here to show the world what true compassion looks like as you travail each day teaching the children, feeding the hungry, smoothing balm on aches and pains, and offering encouragement to those who’ve lost their way. Perhaps you came to show us how to push past our limits as we watch you gracefully climb over impossible mountains of doubt, swim effortlessly through channels of fear, and shuttle confidently through a universe full of hopelessness. Just maybe your purpose is to be a vessel to anyone who needs a drink.
God gave you hands for serving and a heart for loving. God gave you talents and genius, power and imagination. These gifts were given to you freely, and while others may share your talents, genius, and abilities, you add to them a special and exclusive touch, one that we cannot do without for it helps make the world a better and more interesting place to live in.
Thank you for what you do.
Sadiqqa © 2007
‑‑ Benjamin E. Mays
Just as no one can steal, or still, your blessings, no one can do your thing in this world for or better than you. Whether you believe it or not, feel it or not, God placed you here for some great purpose, be it big or small in anyone else’s eyes. Possibly you’ve been placed here to show the world what true compassion looks like as you travail each day teaching the children, feeding the hungry, smoothing balm on aches and pains, and offering encouragement to those who’ve lost their way. Perhaps you came to show us how to push past our limits as we watch you gracefully climb over impossible mountains of doubt, swim effortlessly through channels of fear, and shuttle confidently through a universe full of hopelessness. Just maybe your purpose is to be a vessel to anyone who needs a drink.
God gave you hands for serving and a heart for loving. God gave you talents and genius, power and imagination. These gifts were given to you freely, and while others may share your talents, genius, and abilities, you add to them a special and exclusive touch, one that we cannot do without for it helps make the world a better and more interesting place to live in.
Thank you for what you do.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 5, 2007
... people can only be who they are. Expecting them to be who we want them to be, or to operate beyond their level of understanding and development, is an exercise in frustration for us and is unfair to them. We’d best accept folks as they are, or let them grow on without us.
-- Susan Taylor
We expect a lot from our partners. We expect them to think like us, to think rationally and sensitively. We expect them to put themselves in our shoes and instinctively know how we’re feeling. We expect them to always be tuned in and available to us whenever we need them.
However, half the time we’re never really sure what we ourselves are thinking, our own perceptions of what is sound and logical are often flawed, we haven’t even attempted to walk in anybody else’s shoes, and most of the time, we aren’t even available to ourselves. But, we expect our honey-loves to be everything we need them to be at all times. Some of us even spend our lives trying to change them into the storybook King or Queen we just know they are dying to be.
In the throes of an everyday relationship, it’s easy to forget that the other person is not your invention that can simply be erased or torn down and put back together in a more suitable form. The person you love is not clay, at least not your clay, to resculpt into another being that is more manageable, amenable, and acceptable. No, this person that you’ve invited into your life to love you already has definite and well-established ideas about how to live and love. That’s not to say that people can’t or don’t change with a little help. But that’s just a nudge, not a twist of the arm or the deployment of manipulative and clever tactics.
At the prelude of every day we love and live with our honeys, we must remember that we and they come from different places of experience, perspective, and awareness. On any given day and time, honey just doesn’t look like you want him or her to look, or honey is not acting the way you think honey should. In that case, your only responsibility is to love them through the differences, talking with them, listening to them, and sharing honestly with one another so that the two of you can find middle ground that makes you sweeter together.
That’s hard work. But it’s much less energy that battling at a game of tug-of-war that can only end in hurt feelings and resentment. Imagine the rewards of letting your honey just Be.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Susan Taylor
We expect a lot from our partners. We expect them to think like us, to think rationally and sensitively. We expect them to put themselves in our shoes and instinctively know how we’re feeling. We expect them to always be tuned in and available to us whenever we need them.
However, half the time we’re never really sure what we ourselves are thinking, our own perceptions of what is sound and logical are often flawed, we haven’t even attempted to walk in anybody else’s shoes, and most of the time, we aren’t even available to ourselves. But, we expect our honey-loves to be everything we need them to be at all times. Some of us even spend our lives trying to change them into the storybook King or Queen we just know they are dying to be.
In the throes of an everyday relationship, it’s easy to forget that the other person is not your invention that can simply be erased or torn down and put back together in a more suitable form. The person you love is not clay, at least not your clay, to resculpt into another being that is more manageable, amenable, and acceptable. No, this person that you’ve invited into your life to love you already has definite and well-established ideas about how to live and love. That’s not to say that people can’t or don’t change with a little help. But that’s just a nudge, not a twist of the arm or the deployment of manipulative and clever tactics.
At the prelude of every day we love and live with our honeys, we must remember that we and they come from different places of experience, perspective, and awareness. On any given day and time, honey just doesn’t look like you want him or her to look, or honey is not acting the way you think honey should. In that case, your only responsibility is to love them through the differences, talking with them, listening to them, and sharing honestly with one another so that the two of you can find middle ground that makes you sweeter together.
That’s hard work. But it’s much less energy that battling at a game of tug-of-war that can only end in hurt feelings and resentment. Imagine the rewards of letting your honey just Be.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 4, 2007
If your tears fall, let ‘em fall. Don’t wipe ‘em no more.
-- Erv Gotti
You’re human. You hurt. Cry.
You’re overjoyed and it feels good to your soul. Cry.
You’re a woman. You’re a man. Cry.
The world bunched your panties in a wad, popped your bra, and has you upside down by the jock strap. Cry.
You don’t have to suck it up and be a big girl about it. You don’t have to hide or numb how you feel. You feel it, it causes pain, you cry.
When the tears run down your face, if they gush like fountains and rivers or trickle like a leaky faucet, whether you’re happy or sad, in public or private, in the right or wrong, let them fall. Don’t wipe them anymore.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Erv Gotti
You’re human. You hurt. Cry.
You’re overjoyed and it feels good to your soul. Cry.
You’re a woman. You’re a man. Cry.
The world bunched your panties in a wad, popped your bra, and has you upside down by the jock strap. Cry.
You don’t have to suck it up and be a big girl about it. You don’t have to hide or numb how you feel. You feel it, it causes pain, you cry.
When the tears run down your face, if they gush like fountains and rivers or trickle like a leaky faucet, whether you’re happy or sad, in public or private, in the right or wrong, let them fall. Don’t wipe them anymore.
Sadiqqa © 2007
Dec 3, 2007
I must learn to love the fool in me – the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries.
-- Theodore Isaac Rubin
Looking in the mirror and seeing that fine specimen you are is easy to do when your hair is in place, your face is flawless, and your clothes are stylish. It’s easy to blink at that beautiful vision in the mirror when all your bills are paid and there’s still money left over, your health is stellar, you’re well loved, and you’ve conquered that big problem at work and you’re well on your way to a big promotion. But what about the days when you’re not a shining star, the days when your booty does stink? Is the picture in the mirror just as pretty?
So you’re loud. Even your own eardrums pound from the pressure of your voice. Maybe you live inside your head too much, or maybe you share every thought that comes into your head, whether anyone wants to know them or not.
Maybe you fall in love too quickly or love too hard. Maybe you don’t trust yourself enough to open up to love, let alone another human being. Maybe you can love them and leave them, or perhaps you thrive on possessing a lover. Maybe all you really want is someone to take out the trash and keep the yard cut and landscaped. Maybe you’re looking for a love to sink the teeth of your life into.
Maybe you cry a lot, at little things and big, in public and in private. Maybe when you cry, you are a sniveling idiot and nothing calms you until you’ve gotten it all out. Or maybe the last time you shed a tear, you recall being rocked, fed, burped, and changed into a fresh diaper.
Maybe you’re not a card sender though you do think of others often. Maybe you don’t call or return calls or emails as often as others wish you would. Maybe you call and wish others well, even when you don’t know them. Maybe you’re a social genius and everyone else is just lame.
Could be you don’t like people, Christmas, chocolate, or sex. Maybe all you want to do is be around others, eat chocolate, and have sex like every day is Christmas. Perhaps you thrive by your feelings. Or maybe you operate on logic and fact and believe anyone who doesn’t is destined to a life of impracticality and foolishness. Maybe you lie, steal, cheat, overeat, and overspend – usually all in one day. Maybe you’re too honest and have a tendency toward anorexia and Christmas and chocolate turn your stomach more than anything in this world or the next.
Maybe you’re a hoarder or a minimalist; a spender or a saver; artistic or somewhat bland. The truth of the matter is whoever you are, you are who you are and you may as well sit down and get comfortable with that. All of your illogical, reckless, and brainless idiosyncrasies are minced with your sensible and clever habits and together they make you who you are. Perhaps you are made up of extremes, there’s nothing middle ground about you. Maybe you lean more toward this maximum than that one. Or, perhaps you want to refine a trait or diminish one or two so they don’t overshadow the qualities you most admire. But, you are who you are. Accept that.
Others probably have.
Sadiqqa © 2007
-- Theodore Isaac Rubin
Looking in the mirror and seeing that fine specimen you are is easy to do when your hair is in place, your face is flawless, and your clothes are stylish. It’s easy to blink at that beautiful vision in the mirror when all your bills are paid and there’s still money left over, your health is stellar, you’re well loved, and you’ve conquered that big problem at work and you’re well on your way to a big promotion. But what about the days when you’re not a shining star, the days when your booty does stink? Is the picture in the mirror just as pretty?
So you’re loud. Even your own eardrums pound from the pressure of your voice. Maybe you live inside your head too much, or maybe you share every thought that comes into your head, whether anyone wants to know them or not.
Maybe you fall in love too quickly or love too hard. Maybe you don’t trust yourself enough to open up to love, let alone another human being. Maybe you can love them and leave them, or perhaps you thrive on possessing a lover. Maybe all you really want is someone to take out the trash and keep the yard cut and landscaped. Maybe you’re looking for a love to sink the teeth of your life into.
Maybe you cry a lot, at little things and big, in public and in private. Maybe when you cry, you are a sniveling idiot and nothing calms you until you’ve gotten it all out. Or maybe the last time you shed a tear, you recall being rocked, fed, burped, and changed into a fresh diaper.
Maybe you’re not a card sender though you do think of others often. Maybe you don’t call or return calls or emails as often as others wish you would. Maybe you call and wish others well, even when you don’t know them. Maybe you’re a social genius and everyone else is just lame.
Could be you don’t like people, Christmas, chocolate, or sex. Maybe all you want to do is be around others, eat chocolate, and have sex like every day is Christmas. Perhaps you thrive by your feelings. Or maybe you operate on logic and fact and believe anyone who doesn’t is destined to a life of impracticality and foolishness. Maybe you lie, steal, cheat, overeat, and overspend – usually all in one day. Maybe you’re too honest and have a tendency toward anorexia and Christmas and chocolate turn your stomach more than anything in this world or the next.
Maybe you’re a hoarder or a minimalist; a spender or a saver; artistic or somewhat bland. The truth of the matter is whoever you are, you are who you are and you may as well sit down and get comfortable with that. All of your illogical, reckless, and brainless idiosyncrasies are minced with your sensible and clever habits and together they make you who you are. Perhaps you are made up of extremes, there’s nothing middle ground about you. Maybe you lean more toward this maximum than that one. Or, perhaps you want to refine a trait or diminish one or two so they don’t overshadow the qualities you most admire. But, you are who you are. Accept that.
Others probably have.
Sadiqqa © 2007
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