Words - Power
“Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Is this true for you? What we say, how we say, when we say, and who we say it to matters, even to ourselves.
Words - Power
Words hurt, words defy, words deny, and words defeat! Words deceive, words degrade, words mislead, and words manipulate!
Words devastate, words steal, words kill, and words destroy! Words crucify, words diminish, words tear, and words wear!
Words simplify, words demean, words dismiss, and words belittle!
Words make you doubt, words make you cry, words strip your name, and words make you shame!
But let me tell you what I have learned…
Words build, words uplift, words support, and words give! Words celebrate, words congratulate, words decorate, and words dedicate!
Words encourage, words inspire, words feed, and words feel! Words love, words comfort, words heal, and words forgive!
Words exalt, words praise, words glorify, and words magnify!
Whoever you are, and whatever you say choose the words of the latter phrase!
Big words! Small Words! Simple Words! Elegant Words!
Whatever words you choose to use…just make sure it’s The Good Word!
Loves Ya!
The Blog I Never Wanted to Post
A few moments ago, I was just staring at this blank page--waiting for something to sweep across it with wonderful words that normally would come easily for me. Not so easy this time, hence, the title of this post.
There I go again.... staring. Ok, every year there is an event, in Birmingham, AL, called, "Race for the Cure." I participated in this race, for the first time, in 2017 because a very dear friend, Marva, was diagnosed with cancer. The event was awesome, and everyone was supportive of one another throughout. I knew I would participate again whenever I could. That time, I walked in “support” of Marva, but I never thought I would walk in "memory" of her the next year. She passed on this day, March 15, 2018.
Marva was a native of the Bahamas, and my family (military) resided there for three years. We became friends quickly and remained friends until she took her last breath. I loved her, and I know she loved me the same. Her love for life was contagious!
Before she became terminally ill, we were able to spend time together in Atlanta, GA. I will never forget how I felt when I saw her again after ten years! Even though she kept me well aware of all that was going on, I still did not know what to expect when I saw her. But just like the day I met her; she was beautiful and strong! I remember we stayed up into the wee hours of the morning…talking and falling to sleep.
There is so much I can say about Marva, but I’ll do that later, another book perhaps. I will tell you that I want to hear her voice, hear her laughter, and most of all, feel the love that she showed always. I attended my friend's funeral in the Great Bahamas April 7th, 2018. I had not been back to the Bahamas in ten years, so the visit was bittersweet...to see family/friends again, great! Not to see Marva...heartbroken!
My Marva can never be replaced, and I won't try. But I will do as she did and look to God for all things. Her faith even while in great pain, was nothing less than amazing.
If you have a friend that you say you love, please enjoy her/him. Faithful friends don’t hurt each other, they should bring out the best in one another. Cherish your friendship, so if that time ever comes to say goodbye, there will be hurt, but there will also be wonderful memories and no regrets.
I love you my dear Marva! You were a strength that I needed in my life! Your words always ring true...God's Gat It!
I love you, MyMarva!
Marva and Pamela, ATL
Throw-Back - 2018 Jubilee
Selma, AL recently had the 58th Bloody Sunday Jubilee, on March 5th, 2023. Thousands of people attended, including President Joe Biden. I did not participate in the march this year, but I did in 2018, which is when this piece was written. I was accompanied by my niece, Brittany, and her dad, Geno, whose no longer with us but never forgotten...to you dear friend!"Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last". - MLK -- Words that rang out many years ago when the fight for freedom came to an end.
When MLK died, I was a child. Here now, I am 54, and the year is 2018, and I walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL where I was born and raised. The same bridge where thousands of people gathered to make a stand against racism but were met with dogs, fire hoses and angry white people who felt the black race had no right to anything, not even life. This is where "Bloody Sunday" derived.
Every year, Selma has the "Jubilee" which is a weekend festival in celebration of that great day. So, me and some family members took the walk. Having this be my first time, I was a little taken aback not knowing what to expect. I must say, it was very eerie especially, when we were approaching the bridge. I don't know what anyone else was feeling, but it was unnerving. I know the stories, but I couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the ones who were there that day. They knew what would be waiting, but the people, black and white, pressed on.
Because of those days, we had a black President, Barack Obama! First thing, yes first black President, absolutely ecstatic about that! But even better than that.... he was all about unity and equality! Just as it was, when people marched in protest against racism…unity and equality!
I want to say, "thank you" to all who suffered loss in order to gain the freedom we were born to have. If it had not been for you, and God's covering over you, we would not know what freedom feels like.
Will I walk again, don't know. But, however, many times the march is reinvented, it will never be as it was on March 7, 1965.
Incident and Life
Incident…
The day I fell down a flight of indoor stairs from the top to the bottom.
It was a day like any other day, well other than living in the Bahamas at the time, but that’s not the point. The morning had dawned, and our household went about the normal routine of preparing for work and school. We lived in a two story condominium and our (me and my husband’s) bedroom was upstairs. On a daily, whenever my husband left for work, I always walked him to the door. I happened to be upstairs, this particular day, and he was about to leave, so I put on my shoes and proceeded to go downstairs. Well, I got down there a lot quicker than I intended, because I fell. Just, unexpectedly, my feet went right from under me (I was not running).
There were a lot of stairs but that first drop…that first hit was very painful. By the time, I got to the bottom of the stairs, my husband was there to see what happened. I was able to get up after the fall because nothing was broken. I’m thankful I had some cushion back there to help break the fall, otherwise, I may have broken my back or hip! Later that day, a bruise and dent appeared on my butt which resembled a crescent moon that only got worst over the next few days. That bruise and dent lasted a long time; I thought my butt would never heal. As time went on, the bruise faded away and the dent filled in…literally.
Before it all went away, I would look back at it, shake my head and say, “how did you let yourself slip like that?”
Life…
The day I fell down…all the way to the bottom.
It was a day like any other day; going on about my business whatever it may be. Nothing special was going on…nothing out of the ordinary…work, school, shopping, etc. Suddenly, out of the blue, there was a slip! Something happened, something unexpected, something that made me fall all the way down. When it happened, it hit hard! I couldn’t catch myself and I kept falling. It left me bruised with a dent in my heart and the pain unbearable. Family checked on me and saw I was still standing, but my surroundings grew darker and darker over the next few days.
The fall knocked me to my knees, and I thought I would never recover. But as the days, months, and years progressed, the bruise faded away and the dent was replaced. As hard as I had fallen, I’m thankful I had a cushion, and God caught me and broke my fall. Otherwise, I would have been broken.
Sometimes, when I look back, I shake my head thinking, “how did you let yourself slip like that?”
Things happen unexpectedly!
Sometimes, it’s of our own doing; sometimes, it’s just life.
Either way, God is there!
PKB
The smallest of things!
It all begins with an idea.
Hi…glad you came to visit my site to get the rest of the story….let’s continue
So, while this song was in my heart, and I had gotten out of the shower, I could hear this bird singing. Birds are always singing where we live; we actually call it a sanctuary. The bird’s singing became more and more clearer by the note. I looked out of my window, as usual, and there he was…sitting on branch in clear site singing beautifully. I’ve never seen the actual movement of a bird’s throat while they were singing, not in person anyway, but I did this morning. That’s just how clear my view was of him and how close he was to me. I could literally see his throat moving as those notes were coming out of his mouth. I thought he would fly off after a second or so but he didn’t; he continued to sing and sing and sing. As I watched him, I could feel the hurt melting and I started smiling. Once he flew off, the singing stopped.
As amazed as I was at seeing this, I was even more amazed because God had sent me an angel in the smallest of forms. He sent me a song right back and I thank Him.
Why make a big deal out of a bird? I’m making a big deal because God speaks in ways we don’t expect. So, if something happens unexpectedly, especially, if you’re crying out, don’t brush it off.
“In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path.”
Grief is a painful journey, but we do have a Comforter…trust Him! He hears and He knows!
Thank you for visiting, and the hurt you may be feeling, I hope God will send you an angel, too!
Just a note for the day!
PKB