Friday, January 22, 2016

What Now Black Men

This blog is addressed to my black brothers in particular, and those of other persuasions may find it interesting as well. The gist of this dialogue is that we, as black men, as the first beings on this planet, must be the first to step forward…as individuals, to vitalize the Divine Intent, i.e. to make stuff righteous.

It is my contention that if we used at least a tenth of the time that we employ chasing sex, money, and other ego enhancers, and used the same talents, gifts and creativity to focus on the well being of our people, we’d be rid of the afflictions that threaten us on a day to day basis. Drugs, gang activity, police brutality, terrorism, hunger, homelessness, rape, murder and other harbingers of death and destruction would have no foothold where we reside, because we would collectively use what we have to offset and eliminate them. 

What’s the barrier? It’s us y’all. We want what we want, when we want it, but the problem is that everybody else on the planet wants the same thing, that being whatever it takes to make us feel good. We complain about the government, our places of employment or non-employment, our bosses, our peers, our wives, our women and our children putting more on us than we can handle. Then we seek gratification in other arenas that allow our egos to be stroked, and wind up feeling only partially satisfied, disgruntled, broke and ready to blame somebody else for the outcome.

As a black man in an alleged white society, I’ve come to the realization that we’re all living in a matrix of me and mine, and what can I do to get more. Historically, some folks have opted for taking some of somebody else’s stuff. Somebody else’s land, somebody else’s resources, and most importantly controlling somebody else’s life. I had convinced myself that it was white folks doing all of that to us, and even though that mindset still exists because most of the resources are in white folks’ possession, I’ve come to the conclusion that what happens to us in the long run, is the result of what we’ve allowed to happen over a course of time, that being a belief in, and adherence to, the same principle that most others embrace, i.e. feeling good. 

My contention is that we’ve got to stop adhering to other people’s outlook, and start establishing and maintaining our own set of values that reflect the Divine and Universal Law. That Law? Let everything I do reflect the purpose for my being here, i.e.to use my gifts for the benefit of others. At times we’re going to hurt somebody’s feelings cause we choose to stand on what we deem as the righteous thing to do. Let’s face it, some people are not going to like us or the things we do. The fact of the matter is however, that if our motives are pure, and our true intent to benefit all involved, than the ultimate outcome can do nothing but be in the best interest of all, even if we don’t recognize it as such..

What Now Black Men…Be all that you can be. Stay strong in exemplefying what a man is. Come into the world where real men reside, and set the example for what real men do. Yeah, there’s gonna be some sacrifices and a lessening of some of the things that made us ‘feel real’. As we grow individually, however, and as our collaborative activities build and persevere, our progeny will know that we were here and that our legacy, of having done our best to fulfill our role, is worthy of being emulated and practiced over and over again. Being true to who we really are…will ensure that our LOVE will radiate out to all the lives of which we are a part.


I’ll holla…

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

Thursday, January 14, 2016

I See Me

I look at you 
Don't like what I see
Cause I don’t realize
That I’m looking at me.

If we see it we be it
So let’s stop acting
Like who we see
Got issues.

Let’s reconsider
That it might be us
That needs to be checked
And reassesed.


We think he think he all that.
We feel that she all up in our video.
They better leave me alone we say
Life Is hard enough as it is.

Yeah, that’s what it look like
But that ain’t what it is.
It’s all about us Boo.
So what we gon do?

Do we think he all that?
Didn’t we put her in our DVD?
We carrying them, all that,
And then some.
Ain’t it  on us
To let it go.

Life is simple.
We complicate us
By blaming them
For being who they be.

We compare 
Rather than reflect
We judge and condemn
Rather than recognize
And realize

That what and who I see
is me.

And now 
I have
An opportunity
To be a better me
And to let all else be
What it is.

Only then 
Can I look and see
That what I’m looking at
Is a mini me.

And what I might 
Wanna do
Is to be a better me 
Than the one I see.

After all  
I know I think
that what I see 
is who they are.

But I'm not sure
I’m aware  
That what I see 
Is not  necessarily 
Who they be.

Maybe next time
I’ll look for me.

I’ll holla…

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