'My Bad' Might Be Good

I've decided that from this point on I'm going to attempt to look at the positive aspect of every situation. It's not going to be an easy endeavor, but I'm sure its outcome will open the door to creating an alternative way of dealing with daily situations in a manner more beneficial for all involved. The initiative for this particular endeavor comes from something I recalled seeing and hearing many years ago. A young boxer, nineteen years of age, had just won a gold medal in the olympics. After confirming that he was going to turn pro, he was asked about his future goals. He did not say that he wanted a world championship belt or that he wanted to make millions of dollars, as I had anticipated. What he said instead was that he wanted the life of everyone he met to be made better as a result of having met him. His lofty yet positive intent inspired me then and it inspires me yet again today. This young man's attitude has led me to believe that my looking at and dealing with only the positive side of every situation, no matter how difficult it might be, will diminish the possibility of seeing someone else as greater or lesser than myself, possibly implant in them a higher sense of well-being and self esteem, and ultimately increase the positive vibes of the universe in which we all reside.

Everything we encounter, experience, or hear about, no matter how bleak it may seem,  provides an opportunity for a positive outcome. From this point on I'm going to attempt to look at circumstances not as problems or crisis situations, but as opportunities to assist in the creation of and contribution to the most beneficial result for everybody. Just this morning someone dear to me repeated the very same error as yesterday, the result of which negatively affected myself and others. Initially I simply saw the repeating of this particular action as negligent,  trifling, and disrespectful; and have not dismissed those adverbs as being inappropriate and non-applicable to the situation. However; what I have realized is that I now have a chance to help another human being resolve an issue, the result of which might negatively affect them and others later on down the line. I've come to the conclusion that a conversation is definitely in order. Without blame or ridicule I must make the one I hold dear aware that before we do anything, we must first take the feelings and concerns of others into consideration. We must understand that everything is reciprocal and f we don't want negative outcome, our input must be of a positive nature.  I'm not yet aware of how this conversation will take place, but take place it must if Good Orderly Direction is to prevail.

I reiterate that the aforementioned and whatever else lies ahead is no easy task. However, I've traveled the road of judgement and condemnation for many years and am definitely ready for a positive change. "What we have," according to the 'Big Book Of Alcoholics Anonymous', " is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." I'm presently in a decent spiritual state of mind and being, and am anticipating growth rather than setback. I'm the only one responsible for the outcome of what I do; and allowing others to jeopardize that outcome, as a result of the way in which I interact with them, ain't what I'm on right now. I'm on seeing the best in all things. That's where I am and that's where you'll find me.

Holla back...



To respond click on the word comment at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com

Making It Till The End Of The Movie

Racism  is a by-product of the myth that human assets and liabilities are influenced by one's racial/ethnic background. This myth was created some time ago by those seeking to divide, conquer and control, and its purpose was to goad us into competing against each other from a racial or ethnic (racism within a race) perspective. By doing so we focus on climbing as high as we can within the supposed racial hierarchy, while those at the the top give their full attention to the acquisition of more money and more power to ultimately achieve their own virtual reality of total control. Try as we might to convince ourselves that racism no longer exists or that we will not participate in its perpetuation and sustainability, we still find ourselves in its grasp.

As you might have ascertained from a previous posting, I love me some movies. I see them as a microcosm of real life and sometimes get caught up in discerning the writer/producer's intent. Years ago my friend Les gave me a veritable and important bit of advice when he admonished me to stop scrutinizing so much and accept non documentary films for what they are, a form of entertainment. Well I'm trying Les, but there's one thing that never fails to take me back to an analytical mode. Why is it that the black man is usually the first and/or only character to die or be killed? Have you guys ever noticed that? I was intrigued by L.L. Cool J's response to a life threatening situation in the 1999 movie Deep Blue Sea, and wonder to this day why it was an intended part of the script. The line was, " Ooh I'm done. Brothers never make it out of situations like this! Not ever!"  Samuel L. Jackson's character had already been killed in that particular movie, and I've seen plenty of movies since then where neither the 'brothers' nor 'sisters' make it to the end of the movie.

My latest experience was with the movie 'Savages' where the only black guy, in a group of six or seven para military commandoes, was killed in a seemingly inconsistent manner. He's sent to protect the female co-star, in a different car mind you, and as he's trailing her he's stopped by a supposed police officer who shoots and kills him. Now you tell me, what was the real purpose for his being in that particular scene? Every member of his group had bit parts, with no real dialogue. What was it about him, what did he have beside a different complexion that the other six members of his group did not?

Well I'm still going to attend movies cause that's just what I do. However I'd appreciate some feedback in regard to how to either overlook these racial inferences and innuendos and accept them for what they are, or deal with them in a manner that doesn't nourish, substantiate and support that virtual reality of the existence of racism.


Ironically, this posting was composed prior to my hearing about the non racially motivated killings at the showing of the 'Dark Knight Rises' movie in Colorado, and seems so minute in comparison to the tragedy of humanicide (killing of humans beings due to man-made issues). However it points to the urgency and importance of addressing and resolving our social illnesses, no matter how we gauge their importance, and aptly illustrates how movie writers, directors, and producers can use the film industry as a means for doing just that.

Holla at me ya'll...



Responses can be made by clicking on the word comments at the bottom of this page or by emailing me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com

Best Is Better

Why do we confine ourselves to doing just a little bit more than the next guy? Why do we limit our capabilities by defending our behavior with that same old adage “I’m better than I used to be.”

While working at the Lighthouse Youth Center I would intermittently ask the kids what types of grades they were getting.in school. There would be a couple who responded with a detailed answer such as “two A’s four B’s and a C”, but the majority would answer with a very nonchalant… “I’m passing”. There’s a young lady in her late teens who’s very dear to me, who when asked why she had missed school or why her grades were not up to par would answer with “At least I go to school. I’m not a drop-out, or pregnant, or on drugs like a lot of kids I know.” Then there’s my millwright friend and co-worker who when we finished repairing a piece of machinery would say, “Well, it’s better than it was.”  All legitimate and honest statements but I think that they are only used as a means for justifying our complacency and satisfaction with being less than who we truly are.

I know without a doubt that I have been created to be the best Calvin Bernard Gantt on the planet, just as each of you has been created to be the best whomever you happen to be. There is no one better qualified to do what you or I have been put here to do so let’s stop comparing ourselves to others and start excelling at who we already are. As the ‘Desiderata’ written by Max Ehrmann states, “…You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars…” So let’s stand tall ya’ll, let’s start shining and brightening things up wherever we go. We don’t ever have to worry about being better than somebody else when we’re always focused on being the best that we can be.

God will continue to give us all that we need to do all that we’re supposed to do and that giving will increase once we are no longer fearful of using all that we already have to remain the best whomever we already are.

Wanna holla back? Click on the orange comment link at the bottom of this page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

Keepin Secrets And Tellin Lies

While in Florida a couple of weeks ago, my nephew Nate and I were discussing some of life’s challenges and he surmised that a lot of society’s problems stem from people ‘keeping secrets and telling lies’. Now I don’t entirely remember the content of that particular conversation, but I do recall telling my nephew how clever and catchy a phrase he had employed, and to not be surprised at my using it as a title for a blog posting. Well Nate, and all of you…here it is.

Rather than discuss the pitfalls keeping secrets and not conveying our experiences and intentions to one another, and how the practice of which causes us to fabricate the truth, let me just give my opinion and personal modus operandi. In dealing with life and my interaction with others, my intent is to keep my life an open book. I think it imperative that we openly and honestly share with one another so that we can help the other to avoid the discomforts we have already experienced, and also to collaborate on the steps to be taken next in our ongoing quest for harmony and peace. We already know that what’s in the dark will inevitably come into the light at some point, so why not negate our fear of not being liked or being looked down upon and tell it like it is now instead of trying later on to convince ourselves or others that we were only trying to protect them.

Expressing my experiences and hopes through the writing of this blog has allowed me an opportunity to publicly share my strengths and weaknesses, character assets and defects, and inadequacies and capabilities. By so doing I have hopefully shown that we all have stuff to work on, and have been prompted by you, whether you know it or not, to work on my own personal stuff in the hopes that I can come back and let you know that all is well. There’s also going to be some stuff about me in the book I plan to finish within the next couple of months, that you really don’t want to miss. I’m telling you this because in doing so it causes me to work a little harder, and because it is my hope that exposing the truth about me, will set myself and all my readers free.

Thanks Nate for the OK in using your stuff, and thanks to all of you for your time and attention to mine.

Wanna add a lil’ somethin somethin?  Click on comments at the bottom of this page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.