Passionately Managing Life

​ This year started with a hurricane that flooded Philadelphia. In the fall with a tremendous level of stress was experienced by our staff, teachers and students who tried to come back to in person learning after being virtual for almost 2 years. The conflicting information between educational priorities and health and safety guidelines mixed with mental health stressors for everyone made for a contentious atmosphere that started to boil over, but we weren't alone. Educators everywhere were at their breaking point. Being on the frontlines of everything left teachers depleted. One of my coping mechanism is to travel and relax as best I can. My husband took me to Dallas and we enjoyed time outside of the noise. I expected to feel rejuvenated once I returned but became ill almost immediately after. During this time I dealt with a nondescript upper respiratory infection for about three weeks that was not COVID but presented itself as such. Many hospital visits with little help and the...

​ God will sit you down to teach a lesson. I have been sidelined by sickness and tragedy repeatedly and there was always a lesson in it. Whenever I am doing too much or over exerting myself. Whenever I am worrying instead of having faith or fretting instead of trusting myself I get sat down.   One of my good friends is having a hard time in multiple life areas. I told him he needs to try to take time for himself to rest because nothing in life is making sense right now. He was worried about everything and not trusting his own instincts. He's ones of the most creatively, energetic, charismatic people I know and he's become bogged down in life. My advice is always to find a way to focus on the positive and a space for himself outside of the madness. Then it just so happened that his body made him rest. Took him completely out of commission. Now the things that seemed so overwhelming may have lost their importance. In an instant.  The thing I found interesting about this global...

​ I took a break from social media as a sacrifice during the Lenten season. i often participate in lent which is a Christian tradition of sacrifice as a way to help RECenter myself and refocus. this year I took the 40 days to stay off of Instagram Facebook as found they are particularly addictive distractions for me and I used that time to do more things that are in alignment with the woman I want to become. I love to read and I used the time to read more. I didn't just read anything I am building the habit of listening to more positive words, more positive authors, more meaningful podcast and ingesting things they are more uplifting empowering and positive all around. I used the time to limit activity that did not make me feel good. I listened to more music with uplifting content. I watched more empowering television and videos. it felt like when I did spend my time consuming media it was more purposefully and intentionally. At the end of the fast and I return to social media I...

​ I get reminded on almost a daily basis how incredibly blessed I am. Whenever I am down and out or when I think that I am not good enough, I get a sign that I am on the path I'm supposed to be on. Sometimes I feel that I should be farther along financially, spiritually or professionally and I get a sign that makes me even more thankful for what I do have. Sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough at being a wife and mother and then my family shows me that I am exactly what they need. Sometimes professionally I think that I'm not a good teacher or counselor and then I get a text message telling me how much I inspired a young person to do the right thing. I beat myself up a lot or at least I used to, but there are pieces of motivation and inspiration out in the world that come back to you at the exact moment you need it. I'm good at telling people they are good enough, that they can do anything they put their minds to, but I often need my own reminder. So every day I wor...

​ The death of the student at Lincoln University has me feeling pretty down. As a parent who had a child at the school, I feel incredibly sad about the situation. The fact that a student lost his life in a dormitory is pretty upsetting. To know that there was a fight that precipitated the death in the dorm hall, that non-students were involved and allegedly stabbed individuals at will in the dorm has me feeling uneasy all around. A dormitory on campus is supposed to be safe. The thing that really bothers me is the perception of safety is lost. It is bothering me because as a Black counselor who sends students to this particular institution yearly, as a mother who sent her child to the school it saddens me to know that this type of behavior happens frequently often going unchecked and that it seems as if the life of a black male student is not as valuable. I kept checking news channels to see what the coverage would be like for this young man who was killed, because he was from Philadel...

I spent today counseling and advising students, colleagues, former students, and family members. All day giving advice and talking to people. I talked so much today. I actually only taught for about two hours but I felt like I spread myself out to reach as many people as I could. when I think of the word impact I think about how what I do and say can breathe life into someone else so much so that they can go on and do the impossible. A huge highlight of today was being able to celebrate former students and highlight them for black history month. Young adults in their mid-20s who are starting in their careers, who graduated from college, trade school or began business ventures. Being able uplift them in this way made them happy. Hell it made my day as well. Coupling those feelings of excitement with some disappointment. The fact that there was one thing today that I wanted to attain but wasn’t able to impacted me pretty deeply. It always hurts to fail at something but knowing that I tri...

​ Sometimes the simplest things can make you feel real good.     I know my worth. I know what I can do. I know what is possible. I can encourage so many people. I sit and give advice all the time, but I can take advice too. I love to be challenged and I love when I get inspired by my surroundings. The motivational words people speak whether directly to me or in my presence and I love feeling like I can do anything. I love it when others believe in me too. I am who I am because of those that came before me and those that push me along the way. I honestly and truly love it. My feel-good thoughts for today.  

Being married is underrated. I love the partnership that my husband I have where we plan and make goals together. Sometimes it’s hard for us to find like-minded couples to fellowship with as we are constantly working on our connection to each other and the world that surrounds us. You see, I never want people to feel like I’m bragging about us or to think like we have a perfect union because we don’t. I choose to see good in all situations my marriage included. We have been a work in progress over the last 11 1/2 years. We have had our shares of high ups and deep deep deep downs, but through love, we have decided to stay and build a life together. That to me is the epitome of marriage, building together through thick, thin, ups, downs and being there for each other through your weakest points. Learning how to be yourself in consideration of someone else and becoming a better version of yourself in service to your partner, is what marriage means to me. Not considering having one foot ou...

​ His name is Curtis McKnight. He is not a nameless victim. Someone hit him after he got off the bus on his way home from work and drove away. He was a hardworking father who touched so many lives. He was a survivor on so many levels and to be taken out like this is unfair for all of us. He was the life of every party. He was the glue to every gathering. Every time he left he said, “I love you.” He was my husband’s big brother and a meaningful person to so many. Curtis, I am so sorry this has happened to you. That you were taken away from us at 41. Like this. This just seems so unfair.   I am just so hurt and confused. This is the sentiment shared by so many. At the viewing and celebration of life for my brother yesterday I saw how many people he touched but we all are still so hurt and confused. Why? Why did he have to be taken away? I saw the hurt in everyone’s eyes, especially my husband’s. It was his big brother. The thing about Curt that I loved so much was that he made sure t...

​ “The love and respect I have for Encanto and the story it tells. It brings so much to the forefront. I can understand the thought process behind wanting to “control” the family narrative in an attempt to protect them from harm especially when you have experienced traumatic events that have shaped your perspective and altered life as you know it. This movie hit me so hard 😭 ”  a Facebook post by me What I love about Encanto is the real-life depiction of a strong matriarch and the invisible pressure put on her shoulders to ensure that the family is surviving. What happens when you’re a strong woman with a family is that you make it so the family doesn’t realize what they need or what is lacking because she covers it all. She acts as the backbone and foresees what has to be taken care of in the future. All issues are handled because that strong woman makes it so. It’s hard for her to show vulnerability because she is a woman in charge. It’s hard to be flexible or accept medioc...

​ Mercury? Today was hard hard and there wasn’t a particular instance that made it harder than a normal day but from the time I woke up it was a hard day. It was hard at work, it was hard at home, it was hard to focus. Miscommunication was at an all-time high. There were physical altercations, negative student interactions, negative peer interactions and negative family interactions. Overall stress just beat me down today. I’m tired physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I honestly want to just get in bed. I had to write it all out of my brain so I won’t carry it with me back home.     I am not sad or upset I just feel depleted. So I am going home to rest right now.

​ Strength is a poem I wrote 15 years ago enjoy! I am a Black woman. When you see me you see the pains of a nation; Struggles of a people; The trials and tribulations of the past; The many battles fought to gain freedom. On my brow lies the sweat of revolutions; The deaths for the causes. I am the backbone of a civilization; A vision of beauty; An equal in a world of manmade rules. I am the picture of strength. Head held high; Back tall and straight; Feet ready to work; There is nothing too hard for me to bear. When I am near, You feel my comfort; Deep-down you feel my pain. Here for 20 years, 30 years; A hundred years; Here for a thousand years. Never-ending woman. Strong Black woman; Powerful woman. Woman. I woman. I am woman.

I write to your show in hopes of you being able to help show appreciation for my sister Deanna Lee Edwards. She is truly the strongest woman I know. Yes she is strong in all the traditional ways in which an African American woman can be strong, but her story is one of those others need to hear to be encouraged. In the spring of 2008 my then 21 year old sister learned that she was pregnant with her first child. She was scared, yet excited to take this next venture in life. At that time she was a full time college student in her junior year at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. She worked two jobs to help support herself through college. Always the optimist she was overjoyed with the new challenges motherhood would bring. Our family rallied around her in anticipation for the arrival of my nephew. In the early morning hours of September 8, 2008 everything changed. She woke in the middle of the night with a severe headache. Due to her pregnancy there were limitations to the...