“I Don’t Hear With My Eyes”

My husband and children would always say to me, while they are speaking to me. “I am talking to you and you are not looking at me!” I would say, “One of the good things that God did, was put my ears at the side of my head so I don’t have to look at people to hear what they are saying.”

“The Aggravating Noise”

Every night at 11:30, a vehicle with the sound of a diesel engine would drive down the street. The first time he heard it was a night he came in from work feeling exhausted. He showered and lay on his bed, but couldn’t sleep. It was 11:00PM, and he was tossing and turning. Finally he fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly he woke up, and wondered why he did; then he heard the vehicle. It moved slowly, so the sound took a while to dissipate. He looked at the time and he knew that he was asleep, for twenty minutes. Now he was tossing and turning again. The next morning he told his wife and kids about the vehicle, but they didn’t hear it. A few days later he and the neighbor talked about it, and how aggravated they were by it. They eventually found out that it was a Mercedes, which belonged to another neighbor. He knew it didn’t make sense to speak to the neighbor about it, yet every morning he was aggravated. Time went by, and he woke up day after day feeling restful. He didn’t realize that he had gotten used to the sound of the engine and it relaxed him. One night he tossed and turned, not able to sleep. He was aggravated and said to his wife it must be the sound of the car.
“It couldn’t possibly be the car, it was sold and the new owner picked it up yesterday,” she said…

“Stormy Weather”

A severe thunderstorm is about to hit New York... We are expecting hail and high winds. It's over New Jersey and there are sightings of tornadoes... Thunder and lightening is not my cup of tea ... I have to sign off in a minute... Tracking it on the TV and it is over Manhattan about to hit Brooklyn... I am hearing the rumbling so I have to log off the computer…

“It’s No Longer Called Papers… It’s Called ID”

I am an author, but I am a mother first. My son has been asked on many occasions to show his ID and he comply… The following article by Goldie Taylor – Managing Director of Goldie Taylor Brand Communications, a New York based media consultancy, and an Executive Consultant for NBC News… Honestly touched me… I had to post it…
The rest of the article is on her website... http://goldietaylor.wordpress.com/

“Show me your papers!”
Major Blackard, then just 19 years old, dug into his trousers in search of his wallet. He padded his jacket, but could not find his billfold.
“Sir, I done left my wallet…” Blackard said. Before he could finish his sentence, the young man was posted against the brick wall, cuffed and taken to the St. Louis city jail. Unable to prove his identity, he would spend the next 21 days in a cramped, musty cell. That’s where his older brother Matt found him, beaten and bloodied. Matt returned with Major’s employer later that day, wallet and identification card in hand, to post bond.
The year was 1899. Major Blackard was my great, great grandfather.
The real crime, as Pulitzer Prize winning author Doug Blackmon points on in his seminal work Slavery by Any Other Name, was that my grandfather was a colored man in America.
This morning, as White House staffers handed out copies of the president’s long form birth certificate, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something very ugly was going on. For the first time in recorded history, a sitting president of the United States found it necessary to produce his original birth certificate for public inspection. Not once, in 235 years, have we ever demanded proof that our president was born on American soil.

“Humans… Hmm”

I don’t know what it is about me, but at times I feel overwhelmed by humans… That’s why I sometimes say, “Oh gosh humans… somebody please give me a dog… hmm."
I was last in line to buy a metro card. The moment I stood in front of a machine and started my purchase, a man came and stood very close to my right. I turned around and looked at him seriously then said, “Why are you standing so close to me. Do you know me?”
“I don’t know you! I don’t know you and I don’t want to F…ing know you!” he shouted.
“So why are you standing close to me?”
He stepped back, but continued shouting that he did not know me. I did not say anything, but continued with my purchase, keeping my wits about me. Another day another human situation… Yesterday I was waiting in line to pay for my purchase. A man stood next to me… I turned and watched him. He said, “Miss, can I please pay for this item, before you?”
I said, “No.”
“It is just one item?”
“I also have one item.” I said as I looked at him stunned.
The man ignored me, cut in front of me, walked up to the counter, handed the casher his money and she gave him a bag…

"Marriage"

What you see is what you get... Marriage is not going to put a better spin on it.

"What You See"

What you see is what you get... What the eyes cannot see is the best thing yet...

"I Hope"

I hope today is a better day than yesterday.

“The Daredevil”

Some men actually believe that they are daredevils. They love to take chances. She promised him that she wouldn’t tell anyone if he took the chance. When he did and it was all over, she told those close to him, and anyone else who would listen. He ended up having to explain his actions. He asked her why she did it… She said, “Most men are recklessly bold… They believe that they are daredevils. I wanted to see if you are one…”

“Absolutely No Meat!”

I have great nostalgic memories of Lent. Ash Wednesday is the day our family stopped eating meat… My mother made sure there wasn’t a single piece of meat in our home. I used to feel very upset, but our parents always explained that we needed to give up something significant for the LORD. The next time we would eat meat is on Easter Sunday. After many years of doing this, I found it to be a great family tradition and a symbol of our appreciation for what the LORD has done for us.
Today, I know that I backslide a bit… I don’t cook meat or used any meat products on Wednesdays and Fridays. On the days of Holy Week, I don’t cook any meat or fish… My children used to be flabbergasted that there was not one piece of meat, (ie… animal protein, red meat, white meat, beef, pork, lamb, mutton, chicken)… ABSOLUTELY NO MEAT, in our home.

“Line Cut”

Tuesday evening, I was sitting at my desk working on a book when the house phone light came on. The caption on the phone was saying, “Phone in use”… I asked my children if they were using the phone, but they told me no… I picked up the receiver and the line was opened, so I said, “Hello”. No one answered. I heard click, then, the line went dead… I called Verizon from my cell phone, and they ran a test on the line. It didn’t work, so they told me the earliest appointment for a technician to come to my home to do repairs is Saturday. I had to wait 5 days in order to get phone and online service. I couldn’t blog, couldn’t check on my emails, “OH STRESS!”
It’s finally Saturday and the technician came. He said that someone cut my phone line. I don’t know who did it, but it is a troubling situation…

“Back Peddling”

A friend told me that he spent some time in the hospital. There was a man on the same floor who used to cry out in a loud voice for the doctors to up his pain medication… The nurses would come to him and explain that they cannot overdose him, but he didn’t care. He would start shouting, “Oh God ah can’t take this pain! It’s hurting real bad! Doctor/nurse, please, give me something for the pain!” When they did not comply with his wishes he said, “Oh God, take me! Ah ready to go because ah can’t take this pain! Take me now!” After he said that, he suddenly got chest pains. He placed his hand on his chest and started saying, “Oh God no! God ah wasn’t serious! Ah really sorry for saying take me! Ah didn’t mean it! Ah want to see my grandchildren! Please don’t take me! I’m not ready to go!”

“A Blessed, Safe Holy Week”

Thank God for making me see another day… I am singing on this Passion of the Christ morning…
Jesus walked this lonesome valley… He had to walk it by himself… Nobody else could walk it for him… He had to walk it by himself… You must walk this lonesome valley… You have to walk it by yourself… Nobody else could walk it for you… You have to walk it by yourself…
Have a blessed, safe Holy Week.

“The Worst Kinda Man”

He was a man and she felt that it was safe to confide in him… The men she grew up with, her father and brothers were all respectable men. She never heard them gossiping or talking ill about anyone. Because of their attitudes, she assumed that all men were like this… How wrong she was…
He always listened attentively to her and he gave her good advice. She did not know that he was telling all that she told him, to two of his friends. These women he was talking to did not like her, so it would be a feather in their caps to hear her life stories… This went on for a very long time until one of the women approached her… She said, “I know that I am the last person you expect to speak to you, but I want to tell you some truths about your confidant… He is the worst kind of man there is… “A MAUVAIS LANGUE (MO-VAY-LANG) MAN!

“Pay Attention”

If you don’t want a relationship with him/her do not accept gifts from him/her.
Let the man take the lead in your relationship… Do not shower him/her with gifts. If you meet a man and you have no way of communicating with him… then you sit back and watch how he handles that… If he wants to communicate with you then he would make it possible to do so… Do not get him a phone to call you… You are not the only one he is going to be calling on the phone. The other people in his life will be using that phone… There are other ways of communicating… If he doesn’t take the lead in the relationship move on… Not because he has a nice voice, a fit body and a handsome face… Not because she has a nice voice, is pretty, nice body makes him/her the man/woman to try your best to keep in your life… Start listening to him/her talk… how he/she addresses you… how he/she carries him/herself… Pay attention.

“Another Day Another Story”

She had her baby, the baby was premature so they kept him in the hospital and she was sent home… The stress of childbirth and leaving her baby behind depressed her. While walking one day she stood on the over-pass looking down at the cars speeding down the highway and a thought came across her mind… She felt like climbing over the rail and jumping over… If she dies it will all be over… no more depression… then a picture of her son’s sweet little face flowed into her mind and she walked away…
So many are going through situations that are vexatious to the spirit…
“Thank God for making me see another day... I know what I am faced with so far as the day is progressing.... I don't know what you are faced with but all I can say to you is... Fear not, stand your ground and you would see the victory the LORD will win for you today. The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still. Ex. 14:13-14

“Another Sad Story”

Every day there is always a sad story. Yesterday it was about the mother who drove her children into the Hudson River… Her 10 year old escaped the watery grave… I don’t know what she was faced with, but I pray that God will have mercy on her soul… Her children that passed on with her, would find comfort in God’s arms… I pray for the 10 year old to get strength and courage to face the days ahead…

"The Crazy Woman"

Some people love to blame others for the problems in their lives. They don’t ever realize that their pessimistic attitude is the cause of it all… 75% of a person’s sickness is psychological… 75% of the cure is psychological… She met a so-called friend she had not seen in many years and they started chatting. Her so-called friend told her that she was gravely ill, but she is feeling a lot better. She felt happy for her and extended her best wishes. The so-called friend thanks her, but then started to speak negatively, saying, “My doctor said that I am healed, but I don’t believe him. I honestly don’t trust him.”
“You should get a second opinion.”
“I did and this doctor is the third doctor I have been too. I feel they are all in cahoots.” She was a bit stunned by what she was hearing and she did not know what to say. A moment of silence passed. Then, her so-called friend said, “Do you remember, that, the last time I saw you we had lunch?”
“Yes.”
“I got very sick after and I believe that you are responsible for my illness.”
Stunned was an understatement to how she was feeling. She stood with her mouth opened, looking at this crazy woman…

“Moving At A Fast Pace”

I was just thinking about my life as a child and how great it was. Every thing moved at a slow pace and I loved it. No one was in a hurry to live life… Children took their time to grow-up, but today it’s a different story… Life has change so drastically that it is mind-boggling. Everyone that I meet today looks a bit worried. All the people I speak to have a situation that is stressful. It’s as though life is passing many of us by, without an ounce of complete happiness. It feels as though we are being held for ransom. We keep paying and they keep asking for more”…
Yesterday, I overheard two women speaking. One of them was very upset. She went to withdraw some money from her bank account and she was unable too. Her bank changed the limit of withdrawal from the ATM. It was changed from $20.00 to $50.00. She said she paid all her bills, was left with $40.00 and she needed $20.00…

“His Racing Heart”

She loved him and he felt that he had her in the palm of his hands, so he played around. When she caught him in the act, he got on his knees and begged her to forgive him. She did, and he stopped playing for a while, but then he started again. This time, he thought that he was more careful than he was before. The woman he was involved with decided that she wanted him for herself, so she left some of her personal items in his car. He found them while cleaning out the car. His heart started racing because his wife used the car for the week…

“Without Love”

As Tom Jones said, “To live for today and to love for tomorrow is the wisdom of a fool because tomorrow is promised to no one, You see love is that wonderful thing that the whole wide world needs plenty of. And if you think for one minute, you can live without it then you are only fooling yourself… A heart without love cannot live... Without Love, I have nothing, nothing at all…

“The Kidnapper”

I am wondering what my life would be like today if the unthinkable did happen, eighteen years ago. There are times in your life you have to say thank God for giving you a six sense, intuition, perception, etc… I had to go to the store to buy something. A feeling of trepidation was in my heart and I did not want to go, but I needed the item. My son was three years old, and he was home from daycare, so I had to take him with me. Since I was having an uncomfortable feeling in my heart, I held his hand and made sure he was next to me at all times. When we arrived at the store there were about five people shopping. One woman stood out. She was wearing a green shirt. It was the exact color as the one that I was wearing. When she looked my way, I felt more anxious and I started to question myself. “Why am I feeling this way?” I decided not to browse… just get the item, pay for it and leave the store. The moment I got it, I stood in line and I held on to my son’s hand. When I got to the casher, I put my item on the counter, let go of my son’s hand, opened my handbag and took out my wallet. As I was about to pay, I looked down for my son. He was not there so I called out to him, but there was no answer. I kept shouting his name and my intuition was saying to me, “Go to the front door”, so I ran to it. I asked the security guard who was standing near the door, if he saw a little boy wearing a red tee shirt and blue jeans. He told me a woman walked out with a little boy who was wearing those same color clothes. I ran out of the store onto the sidewalk. The lady in the same color shirt, was holding my son's hand, waiting to get on the bus… I shouted my son's name and he looked around, and said, “Mommy?” then he looked up at the lady… I screamed for him to come and he pulled away from her. She saw me running towards them and she started running in the opposite direction… I held onto my son tightly. He started to cry and he told me that the woman looked like me. I told him it’s okay. I kept looking at the woman as she sprinted away…

“The Spiritual Adviser”

She was thinking. Who died and made her friend a spiritual adviser. She looked at her mouth as she spoke, “I know he is your husband but he is not working, and at the moment, you need help with your finances so I think you should leave him. Remember this is you life and it should be all about you.”
“How does she know that I need help with my finances? I never asked or indicated to her that I needed help.” Those thoughts were going through her head, but she did not say anything because she wanted to hear the rest of the outrageous advice, her friend was giving her.
“God knows our needs and he will forgive you if you divorce him… trust me.”
‘Oh my God, my friend honestly believes that she is a Guru'…

On your walk, you are going to meet many advisers… “Be on the alert when one proffers advice. Find out first of all what he wants. For he may be thinking of himself alone; why should the profit fall to him? He may tell you how good your way will be, and then stand-by to watch your misfortune. Seek no advice from one who regards you with hostility; from those who envy you, keep your intentions hidden. Eccl. 37:8-10

“Give Thanks”

You woke up this morning and every thing is working fine… eye-sight, speech, hearing and motor skills… Give thanks for the little things that many may call a phenomenon.

"Review on Leigh's Story"

Review by CPC Women in Business on Leigh's story. http://cpcwomeninbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/12/book-review-leighs-story-authored-by.html

“Jep Sting”

I am having a nostalgic moment about Trinidad and Tobago. I was walking with my friend on a piece of land that he was going to buy. He had a cutlass in his hand and as we walked along he was cutting some of the bushes. He swung the cutlass and hit a Jack Spania (wasp) nest… (The yellow kind). We Trinbagonians call them jep. He started to run in one direction and they followed him… I took off in the opposite direction, but one followed me… I am not going to say what happened next…

“A Blind Eye”

Many of us turn a blind eye to the big picture. Do not make your child’s failing grade, the teacher’s problem… If your child is failing, find out first of all what caused the failing grade. It might be, Missing homework or not understanding the subject. (ie. Maths, ELA, Science, social studies, etc). Get in touch with the teacher to find out what you could do to help him/her. Remember if you have issues with the teacher don’t discuss this with your child. There are many tools out there to help.

“Over Qualified”

My weekend was hectic. I am over qualified but I love it. I was, a chef, doctor, accountant, detective, defense attorney, teacher, guidance councilor and a weather forecaster.
I cooked a 6-course meal… I put medication on a cut… I went to the bank… I solved the case of the missing headphones… I defended the person who had the headphones… I helped with homework… I explained what is needed to be successful and I talk about the weather and what to wear…

“Alone”

I am child number 7. I am not the side of a twin, one of the triplets etc. It’s just me, so don’t think for a moment you or anyone else can tell my story… Only my parents can.

“Another Spooky Night”

The night was dark. The moon was not out, nor was a single star in the sky. We were walking home from a late night movie. The five of us were talking about the move and the parts that scared us. In the distance, there was a crossroad and I saw someone standing on one of the roads that led to it.
“Do you guys see someone in the road?”
“Yes,” they all said.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“One of my friends said, ‘It’s 3:00AM.”
“You guys know that this hour is the witching hour?”
“And you had to remind us,” said another one of my friends.
It was a woman who was standing in the road. As we got closer, she started to walk towards the middle of the crossroad. We all stopped and she stopped. The moment we started walking again, she started to walk. She stood in the middle of the road, blocking our way.
“Do you guys know that woman?” I asked.
They all said no. The hairs on my hand stood up and my blood ran cold. The road that we were on was a shorter route to where we lived and we were 5 minutes away from our homes. I started to walk backwards and my friends followed me. The woman started to walk back to where she was originally standing…

My Skin

My daughter asked me to post this on my blog… She wrote an essay (My Skin) for a class project and she received an, ‘A+’. Yes she was pleased with the grade she got, but the hurt that she is faced with day to day is just upsetting to me. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me… Wrong! They hurt.” (I am editing the name of the bully. I will call him 'K'.)

My name is Sarah Joseph. I am a thirteen-year-old girl with African, East Indian and Irish ancestry. This has been a problem for me, as other people call me Caucasian or Asian. Even when I say my parents are Trinidadians, the issue still continues. I had to deal with this when I was in second grade, during the age of seven. For six years, I had this problem.
The conflict started with a boy named ‘K’. He would bully and torment everyone in the class. When it came to me, he would taunt about my skin by saying I was as white as paper, calling me “Whitey”, and curse at me. He would also throw black crayons at me. The teacher would yell at him to no avail.
When my mom picked me up from school every day, she would notice that I look depressed about something. She would ask, “What’s wrong” and I would respond with the same response “I’m okay”. In reality, I felt worthless and disturbed. One day, when my mom and I returned home from school, I ran into my mom’s bedroom to look in her mirror. When I looked in it, I broke down in tears. In my view, I saw myself as, ugly, white and skinny. I was thinking that I was adopted.
My mom heard me sobbing and asked the same question as before. I finally told her my problem. I asked her if she saw what I was seeing when we both looked in the mirror. I said to my mom that “I am ugly, too skinny and I am white”. She responded back, “Sarah Sharon Joseph, you are beautiful, talented and intelligent. Do not make excuses for your self”. I smiled and thanked her.
Even today, I can remember those words that my mom told me. I am now in 8th grade and I am working hard to graduate. I have learned that race or the color of my skin has nothing to do with being successful. Being a hard worker and putting your goals first, however, does. Yes, I am light skinned, but I am AFRICAN-AMERICAN!