CHAPTER 1
Life
SWEETNESS
Your appeal is of such sweetness,
it melts the heart,
causes blood to flow from the head to the toe.
Sweetness, something most people aspire for,
yet God gave you a gift and with each
day of your life, I can hear it in your voice,
see it in your eyes and most of all,
that lovely smile that shines no
matter what the time or place.
Sweetness, something that cannot be
purchased from a store,
only from a warm and loving heart.
Your appeal causes one to be thankful
for every moment that we are given
never forgetting to return that sweetness
back to where it all began
and that is with you.
So no matter where you go or who
you are with
never let the sweetness become dull
or bitter because you have so much to give.
For you, dear,
kindness and sweetness
is a virtue of yourself ...
* * *
WHY I WRITE
I write because it gives others the sense of reflection; it gives others a new thought process, a new way of looking at life, a new way of looking at their situation, a new way of doing things. I write because it is an expression of myself, a gift from God, a way to express words like never expressed before. I write because it is an outlet, an outlet to the heart, to the mind, to the soul, to the core of expressing what others cannot express. I write because I enjoy allowing my mind to think and feel how others would feel, and it gives me that chance to express it so others can read it and say, "That sounds like my situation." I write because it can uplift those who are down, it can bring a smile to those who are sad, it can make the heart feel better, and the soul comes alive. I write because it gives me something to do; to see just how far my God will allow me to expand, with all the talents that he gave me. I write to make Him proud. I write to make you proud. I write to make me proud to know that I am making a difference in the world and to your life. I write, I write, and I write.
* * *
FANTASY
We all fantasize in this world about this or that.
We may fantasize about a nice house,
nice car, nice furniture, or a nice vacation,
but we fantasize and that's life.
We fantasize about winning the lottery,
going to Las Vegas or Atlantic City,
winning big money.
We fantasize about winning
Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes
or winning a big prize,
but we fantasize and that's life.
We fantasize too about love and happiness.
Something that all human beings want,
desire, and have a strong need for.
We fantasize sometimes when we're watching
One Life to Live, All My Children,
As the World Turns,
and What Hasn't Happened Yet.
But we fantasize and that's life.
We fantasize about having a big job,
making a nice salary, owning our own
company, spreading our wings,
and living sometimes in a foreign country.
We fantasize and that's life.
Is it okay to fantasize? Yes, it is.
It opens our minds and it keeps us alert
and sharp about the ability to fantasize and dream.
Fantasy sometimes is not more than an illusion
or a sense of day dreaming,
but it's okay to fantasize because it's life.
There are many other aspects of life that
we fantasize about, but for this writing
I'm going to leave no doubt that what
I've written on this day is true and it's about life.
* * *
I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS
I was watching the news this morning as I sat there thinking. Robin Roberts came across the screen and said, "A young talented athlete of African descent had been shot and killed by a police officer or two." As he lay wounded, the EMT came; they treated the police officers first while the young man was handcuffed, lying in his own blood. The reports said, "After fifteen minutes of lying there wounded, dying in his own blood, his life could have been saved, 'cause all his friends wanted to help, but the other police officers said, `Stay away.'" As they stood there watching this football star, lying in his own blood, dying, there was nothing they could do but stand there because the police officers told them to stay away.
Now comes the real truth. What did he do? From what I could tell, he did nothing to them. He was following the orders as he was given. He parked in a fire lane; that's all you need to do. He complied, and what happened? He died in the end. I was watching the news.
I was watching the news in total dismay. When are we going to learn, my friends (cops included), that you don't always have to reach and shoot. Then you want to say, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," but the young man is gone, he's dead, and he was lying there handcuffed, lying in his blood, and he died along the way. I was watching the news.
I was watching the news and his family was brave too. They let the world know that their son was deceased. He put family first. He believed in family from the deepest part of his heart. He went out and put a tattoo on his body that said, "Family first." I admire this young man for what he stood for and for what he believed in. It's a sad day in America that another young man has died in a senseless reaction of a police officer or two. It's sad, it's sad, it's sad. I was watching the news.
* * *
LIFE THROWS US A CURVE
Just when we think we have everything done,
Just when we know we have no worries at all,
Just when we begin to pick up the pieces and live again,
life throws us a curve.
When we come out of despair full of joy,
Full of happiness and we can see
as far as our eyes can see,
sometimes life throws us a curve.
Life throws us a curve not because it wants to
but because that's life sometimes.
Life is like a fast ball,
you blink your eyes and it's gone.
Sometimes, life is like a slow ball,
will not go by fast enough.
Sometimes, we might throw a strike
and sometimes we throw a ball,
but through it all,
life throws us a curve.
When life throws us a curve,
we take it with a smile,
we don't run and hide.
If we do, we only run for a little while ...
but that's not the answer.
We don't run away,
we say, "Come on life, we're ready,
throw us a curve."
I may not swing at any particular pitch,
but don't be surprised if I don't hit the next curve,
but as life would have it,
it is what it is ...
When life throws us a curve, we stand up
and we stand tall.
We raise our heads,
we dry our tears,
we clear our heads,
we put on our thinking cap and we think
positive and we say to life ...
"Bring it on, bring it on, bring it on ..."
because we know we're going to beat this.
Life throws us a curve,
but in the end,
it's all good that's why we call it life.
We stand up and we stand tall,
but through it all,
life throws us
a curve just like a ball.
* * *
LIFE
Life has many, many meanings, and it all depends on how you see life; let's take life for the sense of the word. Life is living and life is enjoying the good things that we do. Having fun every day or two, planning a vacation, making a phone call or two, or just getting together with you know who—that's life.
Full of fun. Never, never, never on the run, but just full of fun—that's life. Life means living. It means loving someone that you care for and enjoying someone that you have the desire to be with and someone you love. Life means being with family, getting up in the morning, looking at the sun, and feeling the sun rays upon your body, or it could be just standing out in the rain like a bird with your arms extended and letting the rain touch your body gently. Life ... Life, as precious as it can be, we want to live it to the fullest. For me, life is enjoying what God gave both you and me. Sometimes we don't understand what the Maker is thinking or what He is doing, but we know that's life.
There will be times when we're frustrated with the way things are going in life. It could be on the job, it could be family, it could be friends, it could be someone that you have an interest in, or it could be things going wrong on a given day, but we don't give up, that's what we say. We stand tall and we deal with life's woes because we know that it's life.
Life is being able to breathe God's fresh air, to explore all the things that are out there, never living in one narrow spot, for the world that God created is a huge parking lot. Never give in to what you believe in. Stand firm, that's what I say, because it's life.
Life is to love a man. Life is to love a beautiful, warm, loving, caring, and attractive woman who is your mate and who will be there regardless. That's life.
Life I must enjoy because I have no other choice, for God gave it to me and God can take it away. I must enjoy this day; no matter which way, I must enjoy this day. I know God gives and I know God takes away, but my God gives us this day and each day. Then we rise and we see the sunshine.
I want you to know, as you read this, life is wonderful no matter what! No matter the time of the day, the time of the hour, or the time of night, it is still life.
Enjoy life, raise that head up, stick that chest out, walk like a million-dollar man or woman, look up to the sky, and say, "God, You gave me this day. You gave me this life. I'm going to live it to the fullest. I love life. I'm thankful for life. Thank You, God, because You are life."
* * *
WE HAVE ALL DONE SOMETHING WRONG
We were born into this world not knowing whether we would survive the first few minutes or whether we would live a full life. However, that is determined; we have all done something wrong. We cannot judge our neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, or even strangers. For within all of us, we have done something wrong. Sometimes we want to project that we are the perfect angel, when in fact, we know that we have all done something wrong. We ask for forgiveness because we are not perfect. For some, it is a struggle to live the golden rule. We ask God Almighty to forgive us and to give us strength so that we may become stronger, but in the end, we have all done something wrong. No matter how we look at it, no matter how we twist it, for some it might be a square, for others a rectangle, and for others a revolving door. We all are trying to figure out in this big old world what's right and what's wrong. No matter how life ends, we have all done something wrong. At the end of the day, we can say "Lord, forgive us because we know that you are with us no matter which way we go." But I am not going to fool myself anymore by trying to forget that I have never done anything wrong. I want all of you to know that you too are human just like me, and I can look you in your eyes and say to you, as I have said to myself, "We have all done something wrong."
* * *
FLAVOR OF THE ROSE
The flavor of the rose is an interesting story. It is about a beautiful person that cannot make up their mind on the color of the rose. It has been said, they are as sweet as they can be, they have a sense of humor that is out of this world, and they are very lovable. The flavor of the rose was originally thought of as white. As the rose grew to maturity, it became a beautiful brown rose. Once the two hearts came together, it was a majestic rose. So the question becomes "What is the flavor of the rose?"
The flavor of the rose is like a diamond. It shines like no other rose in the world. The flavor has a beautiful smile and laughter that would make the old turn new.
The flavor of the rose is like glitter and gold. There is no other like the flavor of the rose. She was warm, lovable, and very attractive. That was the true color of the rose.
It was called the flavor of the rose because people in the world didn't understand why she decided that the color of the rose didn't matter—white, pink, or red, it did not matter. She had her flavor and now the question is, what was the flavor of the rose?
As you read this, I hope that you can envision a beautiful rose as it spreads love all over the world and then comes back full circle to the flavor of the rose. As the story goes, she was really the flavor of the rose. She loved what she loved, and she cared for what she cared for. She didn't mind speaking up for what was right and for what was wrong. She found a light brown rose, and when they came together, it was a majestic rose. It was a rose that she could say to all of you, "Do you know the flavor of the rose?" And now you have it, the flavor of the rose. They lived a long and happy life together as one flavor and as one rose. To my friend, you now have the flavor and the rose too.
* * *
MY BODY
My body is what it is. In younger years it was strong; I had muscles that I could show. I didn't know much about foot moves unless I was playing on the football field. On the dance floor, man, I was a flop, and today I'm not much better. That's my body. With foot aches and pains, sometimes it's hard to move. Sometimes it just does not want to get in gear. But you know, that's my body. It has been a good body, it's had a lot of fun, and it's seen a lot of things; it has had a few bumps and a few lumps, but it came out all right. Someday, I don't know where my body may end up.
Now they tell me I should look at the healthy part of my mind to create a healthy part of my body. Some call it soul and mind; I call it just getting old.
Whatever the case may be, I have to go with the flow because I have a heavy load. I look forward to the day many, many years from now as this story will be told. Some will look back and read my writings, and they will try to digest what I was thinking and what I was not, but in the end, there is a fold, and in this case it's my body as it's being told.
