A Blessed Day!!!

My digital camera is not the best. Today had so many things going on and I missed some of the action! The Jubilee Festival of Heritage at the Mann-Simons Cottage was great! Celia Mann was an enslaved midwife from Charleston, SC, who gained her freedom. She walked to Columbia in the 1840s. She got herself a cottage in downtown Columbia, not far from what is now Benedict College. She was able to buy other properties and even rented out to white tenants! Yes, this home is historical and has great significance to African-Americans in this state. The festival is a commemoration of Celia Mann’s achievements and the heritage of her descendants. So they had performers, artisans, and re-enactors that highlighted the black community and represented our traditions. They represented well! There was some great singing from the local black church choirs. Some sang with music accompaniment, some using just the beat of the heels on the floor and hand claps to stay in tune. Yes, it took me back. Benedict Choir is super! Those young kids have a gift. Even the little kids playing the steel drums were awesome. Fatback & the Groove Band did their thing, too. There others, but I didn’t intend to stay all day, I wanted to get to the Latin Music Festival, too, in the middle of downtown. But, my favorite at the Jubilee was talking to the 54th Massachusetts Regiment actors. I sat with them for 3 hours listening to their war stories. Denzel Washington & Morgan Freeman represented them well in the movie “Glory” fighting in the Civil War. After I left there, I went to the Latin Music and enjoyed watching the Salsa dancing and listening to the music. You have to understand that music from the Caribbean, Cuba, Honduras, etc., were derived from the African slaves who were dropped off in route to Charleston and other points in the U. S. What a blessed day!

August 28, 2010

Martin Luther King's son, Martin Luther King III, and King's niece, Dr. Alveda King, found themselves on opposing sides when it came to the Glenn Beck rally.

What an interesting day, today! In DC, there were two marches held in tribute to the 46th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. One led by Rev. Al Sharpton and the other by Glenn Beck. From what I heard from the news both were peaceful. Thank the Lord! Beck kept to his word and left out politics, he somehow managed to control Sarah, too! Even the protesters kept their level of hostility down. Though when interviewed some used their buzz words and apparently were looking for much more from Beck. Beck used the “God” card and it worked. You can’t act unchristian in the public unless you’re just that evil. It would have been a wonderful surprise had both marches connected and rallied together in unity as Dr. King’s March did. I know there were different reasons then, equality, voting rights, jobs, etc. for black people. Now it seems that Beck’s group were marching for equality, jobs, and returning America to its former state. I’m not sure what that means. I’ve never been privileged or able to go wherever I want. Simply, the color of my skin is still not accepted in certain circles. But, I’m not going to whine over it. God knows what He is doing and I’m special to Him.

By the way, this is the fifth anniversary of Katrina. Unless you’ve been in a cave or just don’t care about fellow Americans, you are out of touch.

Peace & Harmony! (SMILE)

I’ve been holding back on the subject of politics. There’s always something going on. The March on Washington with Al Sharpton and Glenn Beck’s counter march is definitely what this country needs to separate the races. If he was so into M. L. King’s speech, he would actually march with Sharpton. Apparently, Sarah and he would rather expand the racial divide. There’s plenty of conversation about the Muslim backlash that’s happening in New York. Cab drivers being attacked and mosques desecrated. Remember, racism in America is over since the election of a black president. Let’s not forget that the “Maverick” did win in Arizona. It doesn’t matter if he flip-flopped on the issues. He did what was necessary to win. We can talk about Domino’s pizza receipt with "N-Word Don’t Tip." I could go on about local & national issues but I want to stay fairly close to the subject of peace and harmony.

I found this post circulating on the internet and I like it. Don’t question why I posted it here, I did it because not every follow the internet. Besides, I like it. I cleaned it up a little and changed the font. I don’t know who wrote it but I will give the credit to Anonymous. A woman wrote it or at least gave her viewpoint. It’s a little long but it has several good points.  I hope you learn the lesson.

"I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.  Her last project of the term was called, “Smile.” The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.  I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around  us began to back away, and then, even my husband did. I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.  As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance...

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. 

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all, Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).  Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great that I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.  I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Thank you.”  I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, “I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.”

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.”  We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.  Then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.  In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.  I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to:

LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

An Angel wrote:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.  To handle others, use your heart".

                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                               Anonymous

Part One

We had a love that was beautiful and

understanding. That was the time

I knew we had it made.

But you told me that you

did

not

love

me

anymore.

So while you cried, I turned my back

because I did not want you

to

see

me

crying,

too.

                                                                                                     Excerpt from "A Part of Things"