7/7/23
Happy Friday y’all. I had a newsletter written last week that didn’t sit right with me, and I decided that I would rather sit in silence than give content or words just to fill space. My own personal journey with speaking just to speak.
I hope everyone has had a nice short week following the holiday. Even though we typically celebrate our country and then float past it until next year, I’ve realized I always have an appreciation of July 4th. All I can provide here is my perspective:
GROUNDED
Roots
My Dad was born in Ireland and came to the U.S. when he was 19. My Mom’s parents were born in India and came here when they were 20. I’ve had a great upbringing in this country and am privileged to be American in the fashion that I have been lucky to experience. From 18 years in New York to now over 5 years each in Charleston, SC and Phoenix, AZ, in that order. I’ve come to one conclusion.. We live in an Empire. Literally.
Now a lot of people laugh when I say that. But I’m not kidding.
Why do you think the United States of America has been such a force? 50 states of their own governing bodies are to be respected, abiding by one Federal body. Many different people and different cultures in different locations and climates, built from different beliefs, governed by principles that once were simple. We focus on our division, not our unison. We can all at least agree on that.
Being a mixed brown kid rowing up in New York blessed me with an open perspective to people, granting me friends from all walks of life. My best friends through the years.. Creole and Jewish, Chinese and White, Black adopted by White People, French Algerian and German, Bolivian and Catholic, Generationally Black and White American etc.. You can’t make that up! I’ve been very lucky and blessed to know the people I have.
Now I’m not here to convince you of anything. What I will tell you is, we have room to be grateful for the country we live in, whether we’ve come from it or not. The immigrants of my family have always expressed an immense appreciation for the life our family has worked very hard to create. Very hard.
Anything that is difficult about our country, also exists in other countries. Crime, racism, gov’t laid barriers etc.. If you feel the need to argue about that, you win today, I’m not here for that avenue.
Work hard and you can create the life you want, whatever that means to you! May we have to work harder for different reasons? Sure. Do we have certain things easier than those before us? Of course. We all can always have reasons that make our strife the hardest there ever was. Why fight for our limitations?
The more we call out our own differences in hopes to be seen, the less we see each other. More so, the less we hear each other.. the louder *some* get, quieting those who don’t have the energy to bother. Do not be naive enough to think the rest of the world wouldn’t happily take our land and freedom from us. This isn’t to promote fear, it’s a reminder to count our blessings. Why not?
Build. Focus on the opportunity at hand. Be curious about the stranger that may not look like you or where you came from. Create your legacy. If you don’t, who else will?
IN THE KLOUDS
Movement - Short Week
James Blake x Travis Scott - Mile High (Smooth head nodder)
Cannons - Fire for You (Shout out Rexer)
Morgan Wallen - '98 Braves (Hard not to like Morgan)
Jay-Z - Song Cry (Sounds like a love song)
ABOVE KLOUDS
Quote - Fools
“A wise man told me don’t argue with fools, cause people from a distance can’t tell who is who.”
Jay-Z - The Takeover x The BluePrint
KLOUTY SPOTLIGHT
Duet
DUET
I have recently begun a partnership with an organization that is changing the scope and education for caregivers. Particularly, the family that helps the family. Duet is a Non-Profit that is successfully offering compassionate services to family caregivers and aging adults, free of charge.
They have started a particular program devoted to assisting the approximate 15 million family caregivers of families with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. If you feel the need to go to their website to be curious, please do. Particularly for my Arizona folks, this is a very cool volunteering opportunity to give a helping hand.
If nothing else today, call the people you love and remind them of it.
