Through out the course of this long journey I have been able to see inspiration in the smallest of things and in the most unexpected things.
Music
I have a serious love for music and that has undoubtedly inspired the better part of my life. "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway-one of my favorite songs of all time. I think I've listened to that song so much that I'm able to feel the love and pain that is behind it. Then there is "Imagine Me" by Kirk Franklin and "Get Up" by Mary Mary. Both of these songs have given me the initiative to one: renew my relationship with Christ and two: taught me to love myself and work on making me a better me.
Literature
I love reading the works of Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Angela Davis, Kimberly Crenshaw, Assata Shakur, Paul Lawrence Dunbar...I could go on forever. I lover everything from their political nature to their philosophical tones to their passion for life. I've even found inspiration from bloggers like Kelie "The K-spot", E "eclectik-relaxation", and Sharon "The True Urban Queen" just to name a few. Their play on words is amazing, their truthfulness wonderful, and their intelligence speaks through every word.
Politics
Barbara Jordan, Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, Huey Newton, Bobby Seal, Assata Shakur, Marcus Garvey, Cesar Chavez, W.E.B. Dubois and many more. These individuals embody the notion of hard work, self reliance, notion of change, the uplifting of their people.
Personal
Of course my mother, brother, grandmother, great grandmother, my two year summer internship mentor, my first supervising manager at my current job, my pastors, my uncle, the entire Political Science department at my alma mater, my fellow missionaries to Ecuador, and all of the men, women, and children living in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Everyone of the people listed has a special place in my heart. I've seen their struggle, I've gained knowledge from their teachings, I've learned to better myself, I've learned to love unconditionally, and I've learned that no matter what be thankful for what God has given me.
The Ultimate
My ultimate inspiration: GOD all the way. I put no one before him not even my family. He gave me the gift of life and continues to keep here in spite of my mess. So that I may have life He gave his only son to the world and for that I feel that my ultimate show of gratitude is to give my life back to him in return. That is why I decided at the age of 17 was to get saved. Now the road hasn't been easy. Yes, I've fallen many many times, but I'm only human. I know that through my faith the mistakes I made before have been forgiven as well as corrected and I will never make them again. I live my by Psalms 121:
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Music
I have a serious love for music and that has undoubtedly inspired the better part of my life. "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway-one of my favorite songs of all time. I think I've listened to that song so much that I'm able to feel the love and pain that is behind it. Then there is "Imagine Me" by Kirk Franklin and "Get Up" by Mary Mary. Both of these songs have given me the initiative to one: renew my relationship with Christ and two: taught me to love myself and work on making me a better me.
Literature
I love reading the works of Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Angela Davis, Kimberly Crenshaw, Assata Shakur, Paul Lawrence Dunbar...I could go on forever. I lover everything from their political nature to their philosophical tones to their passion for life. I've even found inspiration from bloggers like Kelie "The K-spot", E "eclectik-relaxation", and Sharon "The True Urban Queen" just to name a few. Their play on words is amazing, their truthfulness wonderful, and their intelligence speaks through every word.
Politics
Barbara Jordan, Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, Huey Newton, Bobby Seal, Assata Shakur, Marcus Garvey, Cesar Chavez, W.E.B. Dubois and many more. These individuals embody the notion of hard work, self reliance, notion of change, the uplifting of their people.
Personal
Of course my mother, brother, grandmother, great grandmother, my two year summer internship mentor, my first supervising manager at my current job, my pastors, my uncle, the entire Political Science department at my alma mater, my fellow missionaries to Ecuador, and all of the men, women, and children living in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Everyone of the people listed has a special place in my heart. I've seen their struggle, I've gained knowledge from their teachings, I've learned to better myself, I've learned to love unconditionally, and I've learned that no matter what be thankful for what God has given me.
The Ultimate
My ultimate inspiration: GOD all the way. I put no one before him not even my family. He gave me the gift of life and continues to keep here in spite of my mess. So that I may have life He gave his only son to the world and for that I feel that my ultimate show of gratitude is to give my life back to him in return. That is why I decided at the age of 17 was to get saved. Now the road hasn't been easy. Yes, I've fallen many many times, but I'm only human. I know that through my faith the mistakes I made before have been forgiven as well as corrected and I will never make them again. I live my by Psalms 121:
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
God inspires and teaches truth so if I heed I will grow.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it something how inspiration can come from the littlest things and lead to great thoughts and blogs :)
I agree about music I will listen to a song or artist and next thing you know I am inspired to make a change in my life or try something new. That is the same with reading.
Our personal contacts are always our biggest influences which is why I had to learn to keep the positive ones close and the others at a distance.
Even though I too have learned that those who are around you who bring you nothing but grief will inspire you to move on to better grounds.
And thank you for the kind words. May I say that you too inspire me.
From what I read you are spiritually grounded. Intelligent. And your posts are thought provoking and beautiful.
I love the premise and focus of your blog. The need to get away is more common than we realize. This is one of the things I recently wrote about at http://writerswhirlpool.blogspot.com/2009/02/spiritualitys-connection-with-nature.html
ReplyDeleteLet us begin anew!