This Makes No Sense ......

But after yesterday's post .... I needed a good laugh. Click here if you do too!

Thanks Thelma for forwarding!

Yesterday I Cried

I had to post this poem TODAY because YESTERDAY I was too busy crying. I think sometimes people are ashamed to admit that they cry - especially men. That crying is a useless and embarrassing thing to do.

But even crying can have a purpose.

Shedding tears can be a healing experience. If you know why you are crying. Yep, it's called CRYING WITH A PURPOSE.

We've heard it all before. Situations show up in your life to make you stronger. I get that. But haven't there been certain times in your life when the situations just keep on coming and it begs for the question to be asked ... just how strong can one person be? I mean really - when is enough ... ENOUGH?

Yesterday was that day for me.

So yesterday - I cried tears of frustration and tears of confusion because there are times when I just don't get it. Days when the devil has so completely knocked my off my square that I don't see the path that shone so clearly just the week before. Thank goodness those days are few and far between.

But I had one yesterday - and I cried tears of pain - not only for myself but for everyone that has ever felt the same way. I cried until my eyes stung too much to open and my nose was too sore to blow. I cried so hard - I exhausted myself. Cried until there was nothing left to do but go to sleep. Funny how what was so distorted while you are awake becomes crystal clear when you are still enough to allow the divine light in you to shine. Even if that opportunity comes only when you are in the quietness of sleep.

When I woke up this morning - tears were a thing of the past. Today - I know I can still be stronger - so yes, the situations will continue to appear ensuring that I continue to grow into my purpose.

And I'm sure tomorrow I will cry again - but this time - they will be tears of victory.

I share this poem with you by Iyanla Vanzant. She says it much more eloquently than I ever could.

Yesterday, I cried.
I came home, went straight to my room,
sat on the edge of my bed,
kicked off my shoes, unhooked my bra,
and I had myself a good cry.
I cried until my nose was running all over the silk blouse I got on sale.
I cried until my ears were hot.
I cried until my head was hurting so bad
that I could hardly see the pile of soiled tissues lying on the floor at my feet.
I want you to understand,
I had myself a really good cry yesterday.

Yesterday, I cried,
for all the days that I was too busy,
or too tired, or too mad to cry.
I cried for all the days, and all the ways,
and all the times I had dishonored, disrespected,
and disconnected my Self from myself,
only to have it reflected back to me in the ways others
did to me the same things I had already done to myself.
I cried for all the things I had given, only to have them stolen;
for all the things I had asked for that had yet to show up;
for all the things I had accomplished, only to give them away,
to people in circumstances, which left me feeling empty,
and battered and plain old used.
I cried because there really does come a time when
the only thing left for you to do is cry.

Yesterday, I cried.
I cried because little boys get left by their daddies;
and little girls get forgotten by their mommies;
and daddies don't know what to do, so they leave;
and mommies get left, so they get mad.
I cried because I had a little boy,
and because I was a little girl,
and because I was a mommy who didn't know what to do,
and because I wanted my daddy to be there so badly until I ached.

Yesterday, I cried.
I cried because I hurt. I cried because I was hurt.
I cried because hurt has no place to go
except deeper into the pain that caused it in the first place,
and when it gets there, the hurt wakes you up.
I cried because it was too late.
I cried because it was time.
I cried because my soul knew that I didn't know
that my soul knew everything that I needed to know.
I cried a soulful cry yesterday, and it felt so good.
It felt so very, very bad.
In the midst of my crying,
I felt my freedom coming,
Because...

Yesterday, I cried
with an agenda.

Women are SiNginG, DaNCinG, BreAthing and LiVing

Something quite phenomenal is going on.
I’m not so sure what it is,
but quite frankly,
I don't care!
I simply know that, whatever it is,
it will be great!
It has to do with change, healing, growth, and evolution. And it has to do with women.
If I were pressed,
I would put it in words like these:
There are changes taking place in the hearts and minds of women
that are going to rock the world!
Women are changing their minds about who they are and what their role will be in the world order.
Women are learning to be responsible for the healing of their mental, emotional, and spiritual selves.
Women are learning to love themselves and each other.
Most of all, women are evolving to the point
where they are no longer willing to accept crap
from themselves or anyone else.
I love it!
How you ask are they doing it?
Well, I can only tell you what I know.

Women are learning how to breathe.
They had forgotten how to breathe.
Now, they are breathing consciously. They are breathing deeply.
Breath awakens the divinity resting at the core of our beings. It brings light into the soul.
It lightens the mind, body, and spirit of women. It brings light unto the world.
Women are learning how to lighten up.
Women are praying.
They know that prayer is the inner communication between themselves and their Maker
which turns on the force-the power of the creative nature of life.
They are realizing that prayer can get into places they cannot.
Prayer can reveal what cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Women are learning that prayer is the best weapon one can use when one is engaged in spiritual warfare.

Women are singing.
Somehow, they know that singing stimulates the forces of the Divine
and they are realizing that it is their responsibility to sing to the glory of God.
Women are singing:
"Ain't Conna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round" because
"Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This."
Sometimes, they sing, "My Soul Looks Back and Wonders How I Got Over,"
but they know "There's Something Inside So Strong"
and they sing, "1 Am Woman, Hear Me Roar!" and
''I'm Every Woman!" and
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now!" and
"Everything Must Change!"
They know "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and
''I'm Gonna Pray Your Kingdom Down!"
'cause they know "You Got the Right One, Baby!"
Women are singing loud.
Women are singing joyfully.

Women are dancing.
Women are dancing playfully. Women are dancing seriously.
When the pelvis of a woman swings in the movement of dance, the energy she emits heals the world in which she lives.
Women are coming to understand that one of the major problems in this country
and the world
is that it is being run by people who cannot dance, who have no rhythm,
who are out of step.
These people are stepping on other people's toes.
Dancing women are women in rhythm,
women in time with the beat of life.
Women are beginning to boogie their way to peace and prosperity.
They are doing the Hustle,
Electric Sliding themselves out of darkness, and waltzing into the light.
They are creating new steps and dancing to their own music. Women are beginning to realize that their ultimate dancing partner is the One Mind, One Spirit, One Power of Life called God.
It is a beautiful sight to behold:
Women - breathing, praying, singing, dancing, and living from that place of divinity that can change the world.

Weapons of Mass Seduction

(Giggling to myself. I just love the title.)

I just had to share this wonderful book by Lori Bryant-Woolridge called, "Weapons of Mass Seduction". It's been sitting on my desk for a while but time just has not allowed for much recreational reading. But since it was raining and cold - and I couldn't do what I would normally want to do on a day like this - a book (preferably a romance) is usually an adequate second choice.

Who knew I was going to be taking a partial course in sensual living?!?!?!?!

AND I loved it. I think as a woman gets older she gets a better understanding of her own sexiness but sometimes forgets how to use it. Especially if she has been through a bad break up or difficult relationship and just wants to shove the drama to the side ...... aka be by her damn self. It's so easy to shove that part of yourself to the side and get caught up in the day to day.

So it was refreshing to get some tips on how to continue to grow in your sexiness and embrace your sensual side - not just during intimacy with a man but everyday for no other reason than it makes you feel good. I also appreciate the fact that Lori stresses that your physical attributes are not the only thing that makes a person sexy. More than anything, it's being comfortable in your own skin.

I love it.

SO if you're ready to further explore your sensuality, swing by Lori's blog and get some tools to how to bring your sexy back!

And then unleash your weapons of mass seduction!

RoAd TriPpIn'

And trippin' we were ......

Consider this: Close to three thousand miles, more than 5 states, at least three days of steady rain - and two women on the edge. It's lucky we made it back home alive.

But we did pick up the dubious title of Thelma and Louise (Thanks V!) midway through so that should give you some idea of the level of madness that was achieved during our stint. Most of which both will take to our graves.

It was actually a business trip - Tonya is an author and we were on an East Coast book tour. She doing the actual signing and I doing whatever in the hell she told me to do. That's the kind of relationship we have.

Never mind that we were scheduled for several outdoor book signings and it rained for more than three days straight.

We made the best of it and learned some important lessons along the way.

Number one and most important - There are different levels of "Gettin' your hustle on". And thanks to the DC Bookman and his lovely better half - Tiah, Tonya and I sprinted through all levels of hustledom in one afternoon. I will break these down in a later blog!

Number two - Harlem (and New York in general) is not for the faint-hearted. Especially when you're trying to sell a book or cross the street while looking like a tourist (see pic below). But once again, we were saved - enter Lester from the Harlem Book Center who not only took a considerable amount of books off our hands but saved us from being a permanent bumper sticker and taught us how to safely cross the street in the big apple. If you're like us and think the big red "do not walk" sign actually means something - think again before you go to NY.



Number three lesson - you always want someone in your corner who tells you the truth (straight, no chaser) but tempers it with love. There's nothing like six days in the car with your girl to learn about all the B.S. in YOUR life. :)

And number four - the new Keyshia Cole album is DA TRUTH. If you haven't listened to it yet - I would recommend that you do. Best part is Anthony Hamilton's verse on Losing You.

Baby, I know what you've been through.
So I'm here to relieve you.
Remind you.
Renew you.
Rebuild you.
Girl, I'll do whatever it takes just to reshape what he messed up.
Cuz real love needs real love.
And I'm here love cuz I need you.

Whooooo wee! Now that's what I'm talking about.

But then maybe I'm still TriPpin'!