What did I do?… Time to burn to resurrect

#Soulmuze #Rebirth #RisingfromAsh #Phoenix

“Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” Mother to Son by Langston Hughes

My stairs have all broken into fractured pieces and various sized shards have been painfully imbedded into my heart and soul.

Never have I experienced so much pain and heartache at one time back to back to back, day after day after day. I look inwards, outwards, upside down, sideways, forwards, reversing, searching for answers. What did I sow to warrant such return?

I cried out to the universe seeking answers, a sign, a totem, something!! I waited, I waited and still I wait, in return things continue to spiral downhill.

I can retain the mask of a smile but it is damaged, requiring repair as my eyes are marked with dark circles and puffiness that can only be covered by large tinted glasses. I can’t stop the rain so I must succumb to the flood until I have repaid whatever debt that is owed.

I no longer believe in “do unto others” for those I have given my love and support without question or pause have left me to be washed away and practically drown in the rising flood waters.

“You’re strong.” “You got this.” “You’re smart.” “Look how much you have accomplished.” Blah, blah, blah bullshit in my ears.

What? Are you ASSuming I never need??! The strong can never be weak? Can never say I can’t do this? Can never cry, scream or beg for help? Do you not understand why I support the semicolon movement? I considered it because the rainbow wasn’t always enough…

Doing what you have to do has nothing to do with strength, it’s called handling responsibilities. If shards of glass are impaled in my body causing me harm, tearing me to shreds are you going to just watch me die a slow painful death based on an assumption of eternal strength?

I do not assume anyone is eternally strong or an octopus or could be everywhere at once which is why I extend my help when asked or offer help to those I sincerely care about. I will cry with you and for you. I will wipe the snot from your nose. I am not a fair weather friend or lover.

The mind of humans never cease to amaze. If I attempt to step into your shoes, see with your eyes, feel with your heart, listen with your ears why can’t you do the same for me? Walk with those findings and just hold it.

When you have been grounded down to practically nothing the only thing left is to reinvent yourself. I must find a different branch on my tree of life for the fruits of my spirits have been depleted as it has nourished everyone else, now their needs are satiated, I am left dry, withered, wrinkled and empty.

As I select my new branch I will keep all of my spiritual fruits. No more shall I gracefully serve bottomless plates, give pack your to-go box and deliver on a dime. No more will I light your entire path. You will be served only what you serve me. If you serve me nothing I will not starve as have stored my fruits. No more off balanced scales.

Cry I will. Die a thousand deaths I will until I get past this negative magnetic cycle. When the darkness clears I will stand under the burning sun, dance to the music until I go up in flames then resurrect.

9 fruits of the Spirit:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self-Control

“As Beethoven was writing his 9 symphonies the fruits of my spirit danced under the fiery sun until I became nothing but ash and at that moment I was reborn.” Soulmuze

©️Soulmuze 2018

Hold on for one more day

#Soulmuze #SuicidePrevention #SoulfulStoryTellersInc #StrongerThanUThink #TalkToAStranger #HoldOnForOneMoreDay #Sunshine #YouCanHelpSaveAnother #YouAreNotAlone #Talk

Until you have reached a point of no return and truly contemplated ‘Do I want to keep on living?’ you will never know the strength required to take your own life. Just like those who make that decision never knew how strong they really were. We will never know how many of them may have realized that they really wanted to live as they were dying.

Do not judge those who committed suicide. Do not chalk it up to ‘they have been dealing with anxiety, depression and/or taking medication for years.’ It’s not cut and dry, emotional pain, depression and heartbreak can’t be fixed with a pill. Recovery is not over night.

Look to the clouds overhead there’s an Angel who’s hoping you heed the words that’s about to be said…

When thoughts of suicide pop into your head remember your worth more alive than dead.

Lifeless body covered with a white sheet

What made you take that final leap?

Were you confused? Abused? Hurt? Afraid?

Was that the only choice you could have made?

We often think to end our life will be the end of the problem

But often times it escalates it to those you left behind.

They carry the burden,the sadness, the pain of your actions.

Death does not always bring closure or satisfaction.

It’s easy to say ‘it will get better one day’

When you’re not the one suffering emotional, physically, mentally

There is not a one word phrase or answer that can give you the strength you need to persevere

When the fight in you is gone its harder to hold on

But should you allow yourself to live for another day you are one step closer to beating the demons that try to take your life way

Hold on just once more and you open the door to life a little more.

Hang in there please stay for you can live to help extend someone else’s life another day.

©️ Soulmuze 2018

Happiness is finding pencil after pencil after pencil after …

#Soulmuze #Soulspirations #MySoulSpeaks #SelfDiscovery #ChewOnThis #Pencils #Change #SpillingInkUsingLead #SpilledInk

The first $20 I ever made was performing at the Billie Holiday Theatre at the Restoration Plaza located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. I played Peppermint Patty in “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” with my JHS Drama club. The entire cast was paid equally and it was amazing. I took that $20 and opened my first bank account at the now defunct Chemical Bank which was also in the Restore, that was in 1977. Kitura, Walter, Darryl, Yolanda, Lamar, Sheila, just to name a few of my cast mates; our Music/Drama teacher Ms. Powell who did all of this with/for us on her own dime, back then teachers gave of their personal time without per session pay.

I almost sound like Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in the Golden Girls ‘Picture it: Brooklyn 1977…’ lol

What an amazing feeling! I remember we were all celebrities for our brief run on our very own little Bed-Stuy Broadway! Everything was about community back then.

To this day I still love the Peanuts gang. We enjoyed the stories and didn’t see their colors or gender identities, just kids; plain and simple.

I never realized the lessons I was learning thru it all: teamwork, patience, sharing the spotlight, finding our voices, recognizing our individual talents, encouraging each other and so much more.

There are so many things I loved about that musical but as I grow older the one thing that stands out the most is the ensemble song Happiness, the first line is “Happiness is finding a pencil.” It truly was for Charlie Brown for when the pretty little red headed girl dropped her pencil, he picked it up, saw teeth marks and knew she was human.

“I’m so happy. That little red-headed gril dropped her pencil.It has teeth marks all over it. She nibbles her pencil. She’s human! It hasn’t been such a bad day after all.” Charlie Brown, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown

I have my own little chewed up pencil with it’s equally little eraser and I never hesitate to correct my mistakes, I’m only human.

My bite marks on the pencil represent the release of panic, anxiety and putting thought into my every action. When it’s needed and I’m ready (for change isn’t easy) I find my pencil , I erase and start over again with renewed confidence.

I save each worn down pencil to remind me of how far I have come, how much I have accomplished.

Happiness is finding pencil after pencil after pencil after pencil after…

Dedicated to one BAMF-CDC who has found his pencil after pencil after…

©️ Soulmuze 2018

To Die is to live

#Soulmuze #Soulspiration #ToDieIsToLive

“You needn’t die happy when your time comes, but you must die satisfied, for you have lived your life from the beginning to the end . . .” Stephen King, The Dark Tower

It’s easy to grow fearful of your impending death as each passing day someone suddenly dies. They are not old, or have some disease/illness, they just transitioned and you connect because you are close in age.

You must live each moment to satisfaction. Only you will answer for your deeds.

Those you loved may miss you dearly, but they will find solace in the memories.

Those you hurt may find closure in your death, for now you no longer have the opportunity to hurt anyone else or them again.

Those who are indifferent towards you are probably the ones you have wronged the most for there are no more feelings; a void. Odds are they continue to make other people pay for the hole you left behind.

As you prepare for a #newday, a new moment, a new year keep in mind the satisfaction of living. Recognize that it’s not just the satisfaction of self; each one of us has a direct impact on the next.

Just like a tree, we are connected at the roots.

Strength to the families whose loved ones have transitioned.

Blessings to new #births; for when a pair of #eyes closed a new pair has opened.

Soulfully speaking

©️Soulmuze 2015

Photo credit Soulmuze, Sandy Hook 2017

Live your dash

Today marks the assassination of Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls. I can remember the phone call that rattled my slumber. As fresh as the gun powder, as hot as the bullet, news travelled Biggie was shot. Part of his crew lived on Washington Avenue (Clinton Hill side) in my girlfriends’ building so before the news wire was out we knew what went down.  

Biggie left marks like you could never imagined. Every man, woman, child of all ages knew and still know Big Poppa!  Gone at 24 Biggie left a mark most can’t accomplish by 50. He created classics, left a legacy, his family well taken care of and despite the drama his name is intact. Biggie lived his dash.

I always heard it’s not the day you’re born, it’s not the day you died, it’s what you do between those dates that matter… the dash. Our paths cross people of all walks of life whether it’s a mere glance or social intercourse we do leave an impression.

As I think about my life to date I ask myself, how have I lived my dash this far:

Have I hurt more than I’ve healed?

 Have I taken more than I’ve given?

Have I talked more than I’ve listened?

Have I hated more than I’ve loved?

If I was called at this very moment I would be comfortable with my dash:

 I learned and continue to learn from my mistakes

I apologize to those I have hurt

I love  those who love me and sometimes even those who don’t

I often give without expectation

I appreciate what is given

I try to be honest;

I try to help those that have less than I

I give my family a legacy of strength and determination

… Yes I am comfortable with my dash and this is just the short list.

 This by no means says I’m ready to go for there are still things I want to see and do. I will continue to feed my dash with positive thoughts and deeds.

As long as I am gifted with time I will live in the light that I was blessed with at birth.

You.. live your dash, remember how your loved ones who are not longer here lived theirs, they set the foundations for which you stand. Live your dash…soulfully yours

© Soulmuze 2012