REALITY AND FREEDOM!!!

You may not can tell that I'm a new natural by my profile pic, but a week ago I cut all my hair down to the natural hair (unrelaxed hair). Currently I'm rocking some micro braids while I grow it out to a comfortable length for me...

Anyway, I read and saw a very inspiring Natural Hair Story today about a young lady named Lala08 on curlynikki.com. It wasn't so much of what was said in the story, but it was one picture in particular that made me think of reality and freedom. Anyone that is currently natural can relate to the pride you get from being natural. Pride of being who you were created to be. Now I do want to say to all my relaxed beauties, there is nothing wrong if you want to keep your hair relaxed...it really takes some courage and getting use to, to go back to your natural tresses after being relaxed for so many years. It's almost unfamiliar territory dealing with hair that not bone straight and the EXTREME thickness that some of us have. It took me a year to really embrace not having a relaxer and get the strength to start the transition from relaxed to natural.

Many of us spend so much of our life trying to fit in to this ideal story of what our lives should be like. I watched a lot of family TV growing up, so my ideal life was suppose to be a straight American story (even if it was only really geared towards white-America). I wanted the husband, to be a stay-at-home wife, raise my kids, the house with the white picket fence, the dogs...the whole shebang!!! But let me tell you it surely has not happened like that.

So when I saw this young ladies picture I thought..."REALITY AND FREEDOM". My reality is, I currently find myself in a life situation that's not ideal to what I originally wanted. Reality that life success doesn't just fall into your lap, it's something that you have to work for and take a great deal of planning and having a plan a, b, c, d and maybe even an e. Reality is that all things don't always go according to your plans, because we're not in this world alone - many other humans are interconnected in our lives, therefore another persons victories or even mistakes can change your path in life.

My freedom is, getting away from what others think I should do. Freedom in knowing, that just because America sets a standard of success doesn't mean that I have to incorporate that standard into my life. Freedom in knowing that I was fearfully and wonderfully made in God's eyesight and it's OK to be just who he made me to be.

I think about the people who don't fit the norm. They have a definite unique state of being. Many things in their lives don't make sense to us, but some how it fits them perfectly and you can't see them any other way. Imagine if we were all our own definite unique person; would the make-up and fashion industry be so lucrative? Would plastic surgeons be one of the top paid doctors in America? I doubt it. But because we've allowed the world to tell, most of us, what we should look like and allowed to them to define success for us - sometimes we wake up and find ourselves in a world that's not quite our own.

Are you living in your own "reality and freedom" or find yourself in a world that's not quite your own?

A Life Stamp Moment...

Yesterday I met a really nice young lady that left a great impression on me. I went to the Sprint store so that I could get a new line and a air time card for my laptop...in the midst of getting this I unintentionally spilled out my personal issues on this young lady. But she was so kind to listen and even offered a listening ear if ever I needed to talk. In the interim we found out that we had a few things in common...both married, been married the same amount of years, both the same age...

Upon the advice of a wise older friend, she suggested that I give the young lady a thank you card. And I did. I appreciated her genuine concern. Also I didn't realize just how much I needed to talk to a "girl-friend"....I bring all of this up because just when you think that this world is full of selfish, unruly, simple-minded people, God allow you to meet someone to show you that there's still hope.

What I experience yesterday reminds me of a movie....a tale of two friends who meet in a very unassuming way and end up being friends for years...

Friendships are a lot like a dating relationship or marriage...when you first meet a person you have no idea what lies ahead, but if they last, you look up and say, "Wow!!! I remember how we met!" But also they take a lot of work if you're going to hold on to them forever. Which also convicts me because I have a friendship that need to be patched up even as we speak...but when you can't find the words...days go by and you say nothing...

Do I have a real point in today's blog???? Not really, but I just wanted to share it, because like I said, it really made an impression on me. I wasn't looking for it - I simply was going in there to handle business, but came out with an life stamp.

What is a life stamp you ask? It's an event or situation that will be in your long term memory that you won't forget.

Get back up and try again!!!!

Why do I always have to get stopped in my tracks; just only to get back up and try again. Life fuels the passions that are inside of me. When my marriage is rocky - I write and remember that I'm an artist. When I'm having trouble in my salvation; the inner Psalmist is regenerated. When I'm having trouble on the job; the other career that's being hidden suddenly is trying to escape.

What will get me to stop falling and stay on the path????

I've recently made some changes in my life...I went natural. I BC'd July 9th,(for our non-natural audience, that means I cut off all my chemically processed hair straight to the natural roots. We call it the BIG CHOP). I love the fact that I am no longer slave to the "creamy crack" (lol gotta love 'em for coming up with that name). But the next morning I did go and get some micro braids put in. Such a contradiction: I cut off all my hair but then put some braids in. I need a little bit more length because I just couldn't work with the inch and a half hair.

Any way I'm still working on my book, which I think will be great....when I finally finish it. And then my blog that I was working on, that definitely needs to be continued. I have so many people asking how did I just leave it open-ended like that...simple answer MY HUSBAND!! Not that he wasn't supportive, but you know how us women are we get wrapped up in a man and everything else goes out the window, lol!

So I'm getting back up and trying again.....ARISE MY LOVE OUT OF YOUR SLUMBER!!!

I love the writer in me. It's my connection to everyone else out in the world. When I write and people read it, it make me feel like I have a million friends and they all love me (lol that sounds a little Hollywood). I love it when people say, "Girl that sounds like me and I can relate to the character you wrote about." I just love it!!!! But why isn't that motivation in itself for me????? Simple answer, but complicated to get a way from...EXCUSES AND LIFE! But I definitely want to break this cycle.

I have a lot to say and one day I will be able to get it all out....