This is a Wake Up call for all of my brothers & sisters in America... Happy Juneteenth! (June 19th) Say what? This is a date few of us are aware of because it isn't taught in public schools... We weren't taught about the social injustices of our country, but instead taught to memorize & recite the, “Pledge of Allegiance” each morning before class, without any clue that didn't apply to all of us...
I quit school at 15, after 10th grade but I never stopped learning... I realized the power of an education... I carefully chose the subjects I wanted to learn because by making these choices I knew these subjects would hold my interest... My plan worked... Though my journey is almost complete, my education is still not finished... Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee was a huge eye opener for me... I'm still studying those same subjects at age 80, though not much has changed about racial attitudes...
I thank God on a daily basis for my incredible thirst for knowledge... You see, I'm a recovering alcoholic who hasn't had a drink in almost 30 years... I drank because I hated the way I was living but I lacked the courage to change... I owe much of my success to AA because, while I already had a firm belief in God, they taught me all about the “God of My Understanding” & suddenly He became very personal to me... Finally, my life started to make sense... I discovered, there isn't enough alcohol in the world to quench my insatiable thirst for knowledge! One of the most difficult lessons I learned was Acceptance... The Serenity Prayer became something I literally had to learn by heart, not just memorize like the Pledge of Allegiance...
I have used that prayer so many times, if I had a penny for all the times I recited that prayer I'd be wealthy... Instead, it gave me a wealth of another kind, Peace of Mind... Today, I have true friends, who, if I were to stumble, would help me to get back up instead of talking about me & belittling me behind my back... I lost everything that I thought I couldn't live without in 2008 but with the strength I received through God & the program of AA. it never once occurred to me to escape that mess by taking a drink... Another strong reason for my Gratitude...
I now practice Gratitude in my life & display “Extraordinary Happyness” on a daily basis... I'm one of those people who when people look at me & see my smile they think, “What's she got to be so happy about? I have friends of many colors & each of them is precious to me for a variety of reasons... I've learned so much from each of them... Rather than, talk about their shortcomings behind their backs, I like to reveal their strengths in themselves... I know from experience that we're not always aware of our strengths...
These people are Americans!
This is what America looks like!
I am a strong supporter of not only, “Black Lives Matter”, but “All Lives Matter” because I want people to realize that My Life Matters, also... I'm a writer... I will become an activist, maybe not in person but wherever I'm able to spread the word... We must do all in our power to get out the vote in November... Please help me by sharing this article...
Remember. “American Ends with, “I CAN!”
Let's make it an awesome year from
my little corner of the world to yours!
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