Seasons & Reasons

Peace & Blessings Readers and Lovers of the Blog Era:
Of course it has been quite a while since I have last blogged and Sis (SEQ) has been on my case. Truth is I have several blog entries written I am just getting to posting them so keep ya eyes open and stay tuned. But I just had to jot down these thought first thing this morning in light of two conversations I had last night. You know we sometimes get so wrapped up and engulfed in the to-do’s of our agenda that we simply forget to sit down and relax and just enjoy a mere moment of nothingness. Yes, nothingness. The state of doing absolutely nothing just to clear your mind, find your breath, inhale and exhale a few good times and smell the surroundings of life and living.
So my bestest friend in the whole wide world of Lawd knows how many years,, and although we are separated by a few states and a bunch of miles nothing has shaken our friendship. You know it’s crazy to me how some folks can question the theory and blessings and existence of true friendship. And trust me, I have been through some friendships and some ended, some dwindled and some still remain. But the friendship(s) that are true last forever and no factors can shake it or come between it. Ok, I am getting a bit ahead of myself, but during the course of our convo, he has no idea, but I was jotting down notes because I knew I was going to blog on our topics of discussions. Yeah you know friends have those chit chat sessions, catch up, hey how are you convos but our convos foreshadow the very essence of life and the core of the roads we travel and the games we play and master. I am reminded of a great philosopher, I think his name was Fredrick Nietze who quote, “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul.” I may not be quoting it exactly correctly, but you get the point. He is a German Philosopher, look it up. Anywhoo, we began to talk and indulge in convos relating to our lives and the negatives, positives, the things we want to change, the things that should remain the same and the things we desire back that we once inhabited. Truth is, self identify is an ongoing process. Self- discovery is ongoing as well. But continual perfection of oneself and being able to identify your pros and con, strengths and weaknesses is a gift that very few inhabit naturally and some seek through extensive sessions with therapist and psychologist. However, I find it a true blessing that my best friend and I as he stated are able to discuss absolutely anything and psychoanalyze situations and identify the objective, the equations, the components, the solutions and resolutions.
There were three thoughts that stuck within not only my mind but within the very core of my being, my soul, that are reminders and thoughts that I will place post-its in my thought process during any dilemma, situation, and or occurrence. I wish to share them with you and encourage you to apply them to your life and everyday thought process. Truth be told, I can be a bit of an over analyzer but to psychoanalyze is an exclusive gift that does no hindrance to me but only a continual maturity and scholar of indentifying the actual factual. Here they are:
Ø People are put into your life for REASONS and in certain SEASONS.
Ø Within those seasons it is imperative to realize that all seasons of life have phases as well
Ø The greatest paycheck of self-worth is PRICELESS!
Ø The milestone is knowing what your problem is, BUT the journey is finding the solution
Ø The friend that you are able to conduct convos psychoanalytically are exclusive and rare and God’s greatest blessings.
Until my next post, Remember to cherish the individuals in your life that enrich you and that sincerely love and care for you for the person you are with quirks and all. Acceptance and genuine love is the key objective of maintaining a healthy, long and honest friendship.
Peace, Prosperity & Infinite Blessings
1Luv,
Monique “1MOpoeticsoulstress” D.

© September 24, 2008
M.D.

Dispath of Virtual Angels & Awareness

Peace & Blessings Cyber Readers, Bloggers & Beautiful Beings of this earth:

I got to thinking of this past weeks' and weekends' occurences and my close call to almost breaking down and succumbing to the idea and concept of giving up, closing the curtain and the fin'. BUT, once again my passion and gift of word- Poetry and extended family and the words od wisdom from a few freinds fueled my tank of determination within me that has to be restored. I've found out that often when we encouter the roadbumps and potholes of this road called life, there a yield sign thats placed in our direction to place us in pause--- to simply gain a clearer perspective of the aspects we are dealing with in life. These past few days, oh my gosh, am I thankful for a "yield sign". The fact that I was in desperate need of perhaps a shrink, I was blessed to have some one on one time with a great freind-- a "true" friend that did that thing that most people just don't do-- LISTEN. He has no idea how much "full" indiviudal attention meant so much to me and his time as well. Those hours meant more to me than any gift. Simply because time is precious and priceless. I thoufht to myself-- WOW, the most hig has placed this individual in my life for a purpose and its REAL, he's real and not what I'd call a temporary, fairweather friend,,, AND the most high blesses me to have such a friend with a session free of charge. No fees or insurance required.. :^) As that would have been of a shrink. Feedback thats wise and sincere is the best one can receive. Options and logical suggestions and thoughts he offered as we equally discussed our trials. Logical, not irresponsible or down right ridiculous scenarios.

After discussions, endless sessions of venting and expressing our current successes, dilemmas, obligations, opportunities and prospects we begin chatting a day alter of how we as a people have lost our respect and class as men and women and why some feel the world owes us something while really in actuality we must prove we're thankful for what we have and not take it for granted and be thankful from whence we came. The "wholesomeness" he described, we as men, women, and family have seemed to let demise over the past 30 or more years. I was reminded of our discussion of this topic when I heard "Leave It To Beaver" come on the set this morning. Yes, we know TV is of course a fantasy at times and charcter but truth is it can be and is real-reality. The respect and thanfullness accompanied with morals and sense of purpose does not exist. The roles of women andsupporting their mates-- THE BREADWINNER and maintaining order and structure of the homeand its conceptual existence, focus on materialism, acceptance of others and simply forget of the little things that mean the most-- the intaginbles-- LOVE, HAPPINESS & PEACE.

But it must take the spiritual, mental and emoitional and individual intellect of one indiviudal at a time to look at themselves and conduct a self-analysis and survey and depict what really matters and how can one rruly exemplify the statute of whuch not we are expected to be, BUT of what we SHOULD be, to first ourselves, our past mothers and fathers and for our youth and babes born today and tommorrow. We must set a standard tht embodies "courage, discipline, and dilligence" and for those three aspects, apologies will never be existent.

I am reminded of that concept of surrounding oneself around positive minded individuals and ridding of the naysayers. Then I thought about some bracelets, my friend Kristy had on the other day and the phrases stuck with me... She had two bracelets on and one said, (Take chances, Live your dreams) the other said (Believe in yourself,,, Be positive). My aphorim of the say was right there on two bracelets in black and white print. So, I had to take this as sign of reminder and reassurance from the most high... Afte reflecting on those thoughts and my convo wirh a close freind, what can I say but I'm truly grateful to the most high for blessing me iwth such spectacular individuals in my life. Another freind (SEQ) reminded me to live life and to take hold to every mere second and hold onto it.

Life is precious, life is sweet and oh my gosh much sweeter, when you have sincere individuals by your side, to tread upon a sometimes road with no caution signs. I guess you could say they're angelic consturction workers along my side with hidden wings that have come in various verstile forms.

Peace, Infinite Blessings & Prosperity

1Luv,

Monique "1MOpoeticsoulstress" D.

Hearty Portion of Reality

Peace & Blessings My People, Peace & Blessings:

All things happen by divine plan and not by chance or what we often call coincidence... Yeah there's a dose of reality for ya right there... But my bestest gooodest friend came to my office first thing this morning to take me to breakfast..While wasting no time and immediately beginning an intense convo of one topic to the next I begin my vent session of the goings ons in my life both good and bad.. See you know you have a true friend when they listen while you talk then also talk for you to listen. A true friend does both and as I expressed 98% of my thoughts I sat back in my seat and listened... Truth be told, hands down, he told me what I "needed to hear," not necessarily what I might have "wanted to hear" "how" I wanted to hear it but what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it...... I got to thinking about the countless metaphors that pop into the brain on comparing and contrasting ideas and situations to simplistic ie's (examples).. And as I ate traveled from east to west of strawberry jammed biscuit to hot shredded hashbrowns around my plate and watched Pumpkin eat eggs, grits, bacon and pancakes drenched in syrup, I thought to myself while he's digesting several plates of today's morning meal, I'm digesting and ingesting every word he says and how he says it and taking inventory of my own individual perspective of how I approach situations and how I chose to deal and cope with the good, the bad and the ugly. Truth is Pumpkin only sugar coated the first mere minutes of our session, which the middle and fin' concluded with nuthin but the hardcore truth. Therefore, I'm back at the drawing board to re-evaluate "me". He reminded me of the simplistic nature of it all,, we spend countless minutes, hours, days, weeks, and years even of trying to figure things out, trying to make things happen, conclude and originate things ourselves.. Seek approval from some and value the opinions of the ones closest to us, but we get so caught up... and as he swiveled yet another pancake in some drowning waves of syrup he asked me have you talked to yo daddy yet? I knew instantly he spoke not of my natural father, but my heavenly father, the daddy of us all.. And all I could do was stare into some land not totally far away but no quite a few miles away either. I told him, "no I haven't". He said see that's' whats wrong with us. We forget who really matter and who makes it all happen. As he begin to refer and mention several scriptures I knew it was at this moment, that this was my angel simply keepin it real and that the most high hasn't forgot about me... And he gives us reminders, places people in our paths for a reason, occurrences occur when you least expect them. BUT, it depends solely on how we as the individual accept it and apply the wisdom and reassurance that he will never leave us or forsake us. Here I was thinking this was just another average day at work and I admit I was in a lil blazae- blah mode, but a hearty portion of reality was served to me from all aspects that fed my mind, my spirit and my heart. I admit during our convo I weighed hearing vs. listening but I chose the option to allow my listening component to overpower my hearing.
Until my next post peace, prosperity and infinite blessings.
1Luv,
Monique "1MOpoeticsoulstress" D.

Are You Driven For The Ultimate Pursuits of Happiness?

Peace & Blessings People:
This blog entry I thought I would post differently this time around….. I found some notes I jotted down these thoughts and truth be told I can’t remember if there my own or something I heard and had to jot down to refer back to but the point is they reappeared on my desk at work.. I took it simply as a sign from the most high.. Therefore after receiving a few text messages from my dear friend and brother Spiryt and having a convo with my sis, Dawn, the SEQ I thought I would script this blog and with some fresh thoughts on the brain… SO here are the thoughts:
Ø There is much success in the progress of your pursuits
Ø Reward is the journey of success

Then I got to thinking about words that will constantly remind of what my goals are and what I want and what it takes to put dreams and plans into actual action… I usually try to post a photo with my blogs that somehow illustrate the gist of the blog topic… And as I began to search for the photo for this blog I saw two that jumped out at me.,. Not so much the photo initially, but the title of the portrait.. One was “Determination” the other was “Perseverance” and you know these are essentials that must be present in order for accomplishments to take place…. You know just as I think… you know the song’s lyrics of “Nobody told me that the road would be easy, BUT, I don’t believe he brought me this far to leave me”.. I think the song title is “I Don’t Feel N Ways Tired”…Then, I’m reminded of that song Encourage Yourself by Donald Lawrence… We all encounter ups and downs on this path called life and sometimes we can be assured that we have someone to be by our side, a phone call away, a rise away or a plane away, THEN, there’s sometimes when you simply need to and gotta rely on your OWN faith and that’s when you simply gotta know how to Encourage Yourself……

Dictionary.com defines the two words as such:
Ø Determination - the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose; the quality of being resolute; firmness of purpose;
Ø Perseverance - steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement; continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

So it depends solely on you how you interpret the two terms and more importantly how you apply them but to inhabit them and be able to identify them is awesome and in these days quite imperative….

So my people, be encouraged, encourage someone, be blessed, bless someone, love yourself and tell someone that they are loved….
1Luv, Monique “1Mopoeticsoulstress” D.

Consumption of Gluttony

Peace & Blessings People:
So, I'm watching tv on a sunday evening, flipping from one channel to the next... And you know as I strolled up and down the paddle on the remote, I paused at one station viewing for a mere 10-15 minutes. This station was broadcasting a show of some high level prison in California I think it was and it basically covered a documentary of inmates and how they conformed to joinging gangs once entering the prison for protection and survival and the need to belong and fit in with a more smoother transition. Then during the commerical break I switched to TLC where they have series of obese patients in some rehabilitation center for the morbid obese. It just amazed me how one flip of a channel can chaneg your mood entirely within seconds. Here were these folks that were fighting for their life, for various regions of even resulting to obesity rather it was genetic, depression or obsessions with food. Young and old individuals filled the wards of this instituion. All I could think was these folks are fighting for thier rights to just catch a mere breath or two to simply survive and every moment of their life is detrimental because it determines if they journey closer to life or clinch to death. After about 10-15 mintues I realized, I had strayed away from the inmate documentary and well, due to the fact my mind was begninning to sway towards the thought of my brother and a close freind incarcerated, I wasn't really comforted watching the horror stories of prision.

But it wasn't until I flipped the channel again to stroll to a show called "30 Days". Well this particualr episode was about a guy who was placed in the shoes of a quadrapalegic. He learned the ups and downs, the many life adjustments and emotional angish frustration that those in that situation expereince. This was actually something worth watching. And well it got me to thinking, we are so blessed because we could be limited in ways that we take for granted. And well the after watching this, there was too, a young guy that was actually paralyzed from waist down, but he triumphed and expressed to viewers and a dear friend, that everyday simpy wan't pie, but it could have been worst and well he had a second chance, and more importantly, he had LIFE, that was and is definatly worth living.

I began to reflect on watching the US Open earlier watching Tiger and some other pro golfers. OK, I am big fan of golf and play as well, so this was realxing to me and reminded me, that hey you can make a career simply doing something you love and something that you are a scholar at. Watching golf was simply a relaxing recreation for me and also a tutorial, because I made mental notes of some do's and don'ts on the golf course. But later on.... I swtiched the channel.

Well there's a then, yeah a then, I flipped to yet another channel, and I stopped at the Fabulous Life of Kimora Lee Simmons. OK, don't get me wrong, I appluad her for her handling her biz and being successful and all the while doing what she loves. But here you got folks on the othe side hungry, homeless and trying to figure how to make ends meet for the next day, then you got folksk fighting for their lives in hospitals, rehabs and various institutions and then you got folks encountered real life situations and then, yeah THEN, you got Kimora tripping, complaining and throwing fits because ten dresses that are picked for her, she doesn't like. She has multiple stylist and assistants yet she is never satisfied. I'm thinking chick, there is more to life than a dress, a dress that gotta be perfect for you to floss for a mere 4 to 5 minutes. It was at this time I realized and had an epiphany. There comes a time in a tv viewers life when you must be able to separate the difference from inpsiration and entertainment when mesmerized by the set. It was at that time I thouhgt about the title of this blog. Gluttony of consumption of the box, idiot box as Damon Wayans called it in the movie Bamboozeled. TV is what you make of it and sometimes there comes a time when you simply must shut it off, because it was at the time after I watched a buit of Kimora, that I reached my conclusion that it's time to be productive. I felt like, hey I wasn't ingesting anything that would enhance or broaden my awareness or intellect.

So dear readers, I challenge you to chastize yourself when it comes to the tv..It can be cool at times, but you simply need to know when to shut the darn thing off.


Until my next post peace, infinite blessings and prosperity..
1LuV
Monique D.

Principles of Friendship

So I got to thinking about the word friendship….. Simplistic term for some, very analytical and deep in theory for others…. I began to think of past friendships and current friendships. Truth be told I am well aware of the fact that friends come and go and the fact that some individuals are placed in your life at certain times for certain purposes and certain purposes only. One of my best friends, the yang to yin we’ll call him, told me that there are restrictions and labels so to speak for certain individuals we call-- friend. He also told me that there comes a time when you decipher and identify rather, there friends or associates.
So in my thinking I immediately had another idea, that sometimes who may be your friends could actually be your foe.. I am getting ahead of myself with this blog so let me slow down and flow in sequence… He then went on to say some friends are just to have fun with, yeah, the fun buddy, the good time buddy so to speak. Then you have that friend that listens, you then have that one that just talk and never listens.. Make sure with whatever problem or obstacle going on in your life be well-aware of who to talk to and who to listen to. But as we analyzed this and that we both discussed that hey no matter what, we all are not perfect and all friends have their quirks, but a person that truly is a friend be there in good and the bad. Its amazing that some individuals can be friends forever and never have an argument, never having fallen out and be although times passes we get older, mature and experience the joys and sorrows of life, that person is still there.. You then have some instances where some individuals could have truly grown apart which can happen to the best of friends.. And,, well sometimes you cross paths again and start a new and some remain estranged….. Speaking from experience, I recently had a an estranged friendship that has been rescued so to speak, .. Well I made a vow not to pick up where we left off but to begin fresh and anew. Since then, its been about six months and the journey hasn’t been easy but hasn’t been difficult either, we learn more about each other every time we speak and are in the same environment. All of the pain in the past we have equally shared our feelings and forgiven each other but truth is we never forget. Which brings me to another friendship that comes to mind that has currently been in existence for about uh.. I’ll round it off and say,, ummm, seven years I think… I accept a person flaws and all, but there comes a time when material things and the attention factor of that person is just mind-boggling and confusing. Supportiveness is a strong factor of friendship, to me anyway. And well I feel it’s a factor that is of importance, if they claim to be a friend…. Some use the word friend, loosely, and some individuals abuse that privilege to even be called friend…. My best friend and I came up with a list of adjectives that describe the qualities of good friend, a true friend and they are:
Un-biases
Supportive
Un-competitive
Of course these are just a few to name…Multiple lists can be developed and I’ll be adding them as I go along.. But my question is what are the principles in a friendship? What values are necessary of a true friend? And how much of oneself can one give to be a friend? Are there limits? Are their rules?

The Simplistic Nature of the Greatest Blessings

Peace & Blessing Readers, Poetry Siblings and Poetry Fam:

You know it is just so amazing how someone inspires you in ways they know not. And for that very simple thought, I can't express enough that the simple things matter the most... TRULY, they do... My Sis, the (SEQ) Self Esteem Queen, sent me a message to check our her latest blog, and she has been on my case about blogging and to continue posting my thoughts and inspirations to share with others, but after reading her blog I immediately had to script this blog. Then not long after I received a call from one of my poetry siblings.. You know the most high know exactly when you need a word of encouragement, when you just need to hear a sincere voice, or perhaps when you just need someone to tell you that you are loved and that you are not here by mistake. OK.. I am digressing a bit, let me get back on the journey I begin.. Sis spoke of all the obstacles we experience in life, be it good or bad, great or small, we must not question it, but instead, draw strength and never give up, never accept being a loser and accept failure as an option,, like one poet spits in his poem--- Failure is not an option,,, (poem by Tavis Brunson)... We must somehow see the lessons and overcome the spirit of defeat and rise up and beyond. Be it stressors that consist of illness, depression, finance, family scrutiny, religious judgment or the spirit of plain ole envy or hate, yeah I said the haters that are always on the road trying to bum a ride to our destination, we have to keep focus and surround ourselves around people who truly love us and have our best interest at heart. Not saying those that hurt you, repeatedly, you cease your love, but love them from a far, like my grandma use to say, love from a distance... Because with those negative forces charging and with your guard down, this opens wounds over and over again that are not accurately able to even heal... I too have experienced that ridicule directly and indirectly from family and friends and I never can heal because that scab can never heal if someone continuously picks as it, scratching it,,, OK you see where I'm coming from with that scenario... But I have a new outlook on life and perspective of my life its simply all about ----Self Love and Self Preservation... Since I have reintroduced myself to myself I am finally being true to me and it feels pretty good... I advise you to do it if you haven't done so.... Simply DO YOU! that's my motto...

The most high is just awesome and I can't research enough synonyms to describe his greatness, because he places people in your life and it is all in his perfect design. I am a perfect example of an individual that can proclaim my closest family members are not that of blood relation and I am just so thankful for them.. Truly if it had not been for them, I would have lost my mind, and perhaps even attempted to leave this earth. To some it may seem quirky or completely strange, but there is one thing that brought us all together and it was simply POETRY... Yeah, we all share the love of it, and within that circle, multiple venues and poetry parties and road trips and poetry cyphering I found family and true friends. They know who they are.. And yeah I guess you, the reader maybe wondering why is she saying all this,, but here's the point, I am and have been blessed with family that loves me and seems like they always call right on time.. We share that bond.. It's not by chance that I get call to say hi,, how are you... what's goin on with you... nah, this isn't a coincidence.. At times when I felt I was on the verge of bursting into tears, my phone rings or I get a txt from one of them, that says, "you know what, you're important"... It's at times like these when I have just had the thought I mean nothing and nothing I do matters... Its at times when I feel like no one loves, me, my sis will send me a txt and just say--- "Sis I love you"... Its at times when I get a txt that starts my day with simply two words-- "Good morning".. And these are all the simplistic natures of some of my greatest blessings...... These things matter so much, when you surrounded by haters, those that question your uniqueness and quest for greater and better things.. to challenge the things that you deem endless possibilities... I am truly thankful and blessed.... And sis, this post you, inspired... You are amazing and oh what a blessing you have been to me...

To all the readers, be inspired, inspire someone, encourage someone and tell them something simple that matters much.. like... I Love You, You Are Important... Nothing Is Impossible, Follow Your Dreams...

Until my next post Endless Blessings, Prosperity & Happiness

1Luv,

Monique "1MOpoeticsoulstress" D.