Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND  by Marsha Burns

     March 5, 2024: When you are not satisfied with the outcome of your decisions, it is not too late to change your mind and change course. Make sure that you weigh your options. Be still, quiet your flesh, and access divine wisdom so that you can follow My leading, says the Lord. I am for you and not against you, and I will help you. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORD - OPTIONS

     We are the spirit, the collective conscience. We create the pain, and suffering, and beauty in this world. Renounce all those material things that you gained by exploiting other human beings. It's time to start all over/make a new beginning. If you are living a life that feels right to you, if you're willing to take creative chances or a creative path that feels like it's mostly in keeping with your sensibilities, you know, aesthetic and artistic, then that's what matters. People's real hopes and dreams can be distorted and misdirected and packaged until you're not sure what you really want or what you even really need. Have faith in humankind a respect for what is earthly and an unfaltering belief in peace and understanding.

     I meet people in my daily life, people who seem to experience some change and some growth on a personal level, and that gives me hope. 
We all must live our lives always feeling, always thinking the moment has arrived. I don't know - I'm not sure about anything as far as religion and spirituality go. I was raised in a Baptist tradition, but then I went to an Episcopalian high school, and they were very accepting of people of all faiths.

     What does the future look like if the heads of society ask our young people to risk their lives for questionable causes? I think it looks rather bleak. As a child I always had a sense of social conditions and political situations. I think it had to do with the fact that my mother was always discussing things with my sister and me - also because I read a lot. At this point in my life, I'd like to live as if only love mattered. Have faith in humankind a respect for what is earthly and an unfaltering belief in peace and understanding. We all must live our lives always feeling, always thinking the moment has arrived.

     I think it's important, if you are an artist, to use your music to stand up for what you believe in. Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It's something I don't feel like I really control. The way popular music is categorized and formatted cuts down on everyone's options. And although people don't talk about it, there are a lot of issues of race determining musical categories of what's rock, R&B, or even folk. It ends up restricting creativity.

 ~Tracy Chapman~

James Stone

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - ISSUES OF LIFE

     I think we have to choose, what are the issues that really matter? We have to trust that. America is a country that would rather talk about race than class. Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter, or gender doesn't matter, but it means that right now in many people's lives, in the lives of my own family members, people are losing jobs, insurance. The white worker who has been displaced at General Motors has more in common with the displaced black worker than those larger white CEO's, and those Wall Street people who are determining their fate... whose thievery and greed is determining their fate.
     We all may have prejudices, but we're not all part of a system that reinforces, reinvents and reaffirms itself every day of our lives, systemically. No other group in America has so had their identity socialized out of existence as have black women... When black people are talked about the focus tends to be on black men; and when women are talked about the focus tends to be on white women. I think inequality is in our minds. I think this is what we learn through practice... The bridge of illusion must be shattered in order for a real bridge to be constructed. One of the things we learn is that inequality is an illusion. It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our economic structure. I feel like there is always something trying to pull us back into sleep, that there is this sort of seductive quality in all the hedonistic pleasures that pull on us.
     We live in a world with serious class complexes. It is one thing to be a college student with loan debts and another thing to be just dirt poor for your entire life. The challenge is to come up with more complex understandings of where we are, more global awareness of what connects Americans with what is happening with suffering and oppressed people all around the world. In general, the mass media tell us that black people are not loving, that our lives are so fraught with violence and aggression that we have no time to love. The world would be a paradise of peace and justice if global citizens shared a common definition of love which would guide our thoughts and action. I think we are obsessed in the U.S. with the personal, in ways that blind us to more important issues of life. I just think if we could take all the obsession with the personal (inaudible), and personal judgment and have people be concerned about the environment, what a different world we would live in.

~Bell Hooks~

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

What You Should Eat First Thing in the Morning

to Help You Lose Weight
Emily DiNuzzoEmily DiNuzzo
Updated: Jan. 18, 2024
Medically reviewed by Elisabetta Politi, CDE, MPH, RD

     Researchers and dietitians agree that starting your day with a healthy breakfast that includes this single source of protein could set you up for weight-loss success. It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—especially if you are watching your weight. But not all breakfasts are created equal. Loading your plate with these not-so-healthy breakfast foods can ruin your diet and derail your goals, dietitians say.
     Research suggests that one source of protein could be the ideal breakfast for weight loss—eggs. At least in studies funded by the American Egg Board, people who eat eggs for breakfasts can drop as much as 65 percent more weight over eight weeks compared to a control group that wasn’t restricting calories. (The research was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the International Journal of Obesity.) And a study published in Nutrition Research suggests that eggs can stabilize blood sugar and suppress hunger, too.
     Alyssa Pike, RD, Manager of Nutrition Communications for the International Food Information Council, suggests that for a nutritionally sound breakfast that is both nourishing and satisfying, people should focus on high-protein and fiber foods, because they can help you feel full longer. Think egg and avocado or egg on whole-wheat bread, she says. Caroline Apovian, MD, director of nutrition and weight management at Boston Medical Center, says that this feeling of fullness after breakfast helps cut down on grazing during the day. Grazing is one of the 13 reasons you probably aren’t losing weight.
     Part of the reason eggs make a great morning meal is because they’re a satisfying protein source, according to Dr. Apovian: Two eggs deliver 180 calories and 14 grams of filling protein, she says. They also offer vitamins like B12, riboflavin, selenium, and vitamin A, Pike says. In addition, they’re cheap and easy to prepare. 

This is for information purpose only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORDS - MAKE A DIFFERENCE

     Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other. From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That's what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest. It's been proven by quite a few studies that plants are good for our psychological development. If you green an area, the rate of crime goes down. Torture victims begin to recover when they spend time outside in a garden with flowers. So, we need them, in some deep psychological sense, which I don't suppose anybody really understands yet.
     What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference. As a small child in England, I had this dream of going to Africa. We didn't have any money and I was a girl, so everyone except my mother laughed at it. When I left school, there was no money for me to go to university, so I went to secretarial college and got a job. I thought my life was mapped out. I don't spend that much time being introspective, believe it or not. All I know is that I grew up not questioning God because that's how you are. God was there like the birds and the wind.
     One individual cannot possibly make a difference, alone. It is individual efforts, collectively, that makes a noticeable difference - all the difference in the world! I got to Africa. I got the opportunity to go and learn, not about any animal, but chimpanzees. I was living in my dream world, the forest in Gombe National Park in Tanzania. It was Tanganyika when I began. Research, living in the forest, teaching and writing. But in '86 I went to a conference and realized the chimpanzees were disappearing. I had worldwide recognition and a gift of communication. I had to use them. I would never say I was an icon, but so many people have said I am, so I suppose I am. I mean, I can't not be what everyone says I am. But I don't feel like an icon.
     People don't believe that their actions really and truly are going to make a difference. But kids get it. They know. And they get all excited about the difference they're making. Young people, when informed and empowered, when they realize that what they do truly makes a difference, can indeed change the world. Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother. I miss the early days; I do. I was so lucky. I basically had it to myself, learning about these chimpanzees. Nobody knew anything about them. Discovering their different personalities, different life histories. I was lucky. It was both fascinating and appalling to learn that chimpanzees were capable of hostile and territorial behavior that was not unlike certain forms of primitive human warfare.

~Jane Goodall~

  
   IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to your by the grace of God.

--Phillips Brooks

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - RENEW YOUR SPIRIT

     Women are holding up the world. We're taking care of our children and, very often, our parents and sometimes our grandparents. Women work overtime, do double triple duty, juggle ten balls at once -- children, careers, husbands, schoolwork, housework, church work, and more work -- and when one of the balls drops, we think something is wrong with us. Historically, black women have suffered tremendously, but today's black women are the triumph. We have choices, and that's what freedom is all about: having the power to choose.
     If we want sincere harmony, peace and joy in our lives, we can have them, but we must be willing to do the work. We must make maintaining an awareness of our spiritual natures first in our lives. Our inner world is the architect of our external world. We don't lose faith in the goodness of life because we become angry and depressed. We become angry and depressed because we lose faith in the goodness of life.
     We mustn't reserve communing with God just for morning and evening prayers, or for weekly worship service, or for when we feel burdened. The goal is to realize that every moment of our lives is a meditation. Allow yourself to marvel at the wonder of God's work all around us. Throughout your day, let the sun, a tree, a piece of fruit remind you that everything you could ever want has been provided and can be found right here on earth.
     Our greatest problems in life come not so much from the situations we confront as from our doubts about our ability to handle them. Take the reins of your life in your hands every day. Get up and put a smile on your face and feel grateful for this gift in your life. We each have a finite number of heartbeats, a finite amount of time. But we have enough heartbeats and enough time to do what is important. The lesson life is trying to teach us is that, regardless of the challenges and changes in the physical world, we will abide in peace by aligning ourselves with our inner changelessness. The power of God in us is more than equal to any moment-no matter what it brings. We live in a loving, supportive universe that is always saying yes to us.
     The lessons of the past suggest that racism and resentment against people of color, will continue to flourish in America, as long as the history that is taught transposes the heroes and the villains. That is the unspoken truth at the heart of the nation's racial divide. The balance and peace we seek for ourselves, and our society won't be achieved through mental effort alone. Mind and spirit are meant to travel together, with spirit leading the way. Until we make a conscious commitment to understand and embrace our spiritual nature, we will endure the ache of living without the awareness and guidance of the most essential part of ourselves. We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly - spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - KIND GENEROSITY

     Today's human rights violations are the causes of tomorrow's conflicts. One of the richest countries in the world - the United States of America - is facing a real ethical dilemma in terms of providing equitable access to health care. Christian fundamentalists seek to roll back women's right to choose in the United States, and then also insist that money against Aids must not go to organizations that help people obtain their reproductive rights. These are extremely worrying trends.
     As Elders we have great respect for all religions and traditions as important forces that bind people together. Faith and tradition provide much of the foundation of our laws and social codes. But where religion and tradition are used to justify discrimination and especially when they are used to justify cruel and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, infanticide and child marriage, then we believe that is unacceptable.
     Freedom from discrimination for women, ensuring that female children can learn to read, these are human needs for half the human race, not western values. I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system. I'm not interested in scoring points or being over-critical of the US administration. I want to find the entry points to try and get it back on track so that the United States can get out of the present disastrous situation it's in, and back into being a constructive force for human rights in the world. In a society where the rights and potential of women are constrained, no man can be truly free. He may have power, but he will not have freedom.
     Thanks to the European Union, Ireland has a much more open climate of discussion and debate, as you can see in the media. It means that we are a more questioning society, perhaps more honestly prepared to address serious issues and problems, more open to the idea that different viewpoints should be heard and respected. I agree with those who argue that it is possible to distil from the religions of the world their common values and relevance. As far as I'm concerned, I am involved in a complementary process with people who have a moral or spiritual commitment to human rights.
     Many people think that we have no shared value system in the world today, but we actually do. It is people who go through suffering that have an empathy for the suffering of others. People I admire have two qualities: a kind of simplicity, and generosity of spirit. It seems to me that the more impressive people are in what they have done, the simpler they tend to be in how they talk to you, or in what they say or write.
     

     Mary Therese Winifred Robinson (Irish: Máire Mhic Róibín; née Bourke; born 21 May 1944) is an Irish politician who was the 7th president of Ireland, serving from December 1990 to September 1997, the first woman to hold this office. She later was United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR; 1997–2002).

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Blues for Saturday Evening

Kenneth Davis

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     March 10, 2024: When nothing around you seems stable, come to Me. Remember that your stability originates spiritually and filters down to your sense of well-being naturally. You must press into the place of peace that only comes from My presence, says the Lord. Refuse to allow your feelings of instability to dictate your responses. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - PLACE OF PEACE 

     To live a life that is wrong for you is a form of dying. There are people who have lives that look perfect. They try to be happy; they believe they should be happy, they are trying to like it, but if it's off course from their north star, they aren't satisfied. Emotional discomfort, when accepted, rises, crests and falls in a series of waves. Each wave washes a part of us away and deposits treasures we never imagined. Out goes naivete, in comes wisdom; out goes anger, in comes discernment; out goes despair, in comes kindness. No one would call it easy, but the rhythm of emotional pain that we learn to tolerate is natural, constructive and expansive... The pain leaves you healthier than it found you.
     We can’t save ourselves from fear by seeking safety, because safety always means there’s something to be safe from-in other words, something to fear. The way out of fear isn’t safety. It’s freedom. Fear is the raw material from which courage is manufactured. Without it, we wouldn't even know what it means to be brave. When you do the thing you fear, the thing loses its power to scare. If you begin to face your fears, something bittersweet is going to happen to you: You'll grow up.
     If you feel stuck in your present life, if you feel no enthusiasm for anything, if you think you have no purpose or that you lost that purpose somewhere along the way, I guarantee you are living in a dungeon made of stories. And that none of those limiting stories are true. Instead of fretting about getting everything done, why not simply accept that being alive means having things to do? Then drop into full engagement with whatever you're doing, and let the worry go. 
     Your individuality is the most valuable thing you have. No part of your experience is wasted. Everything you've experienced so far is part of what you were meant to learn. Having fun is not a diversion from a successful life; it is the pathway to it. Your life follows your attention. Wherever you look, you end up going. You shine for who you are ... because no one can steal your light. Breathe in, breathe out, no fear, no doubt.
     Most of our stress and suffering come not from events, but from our thoughts. Reframe from negative thoughts, and stress subsides. Don't expect the future to look like the past. Clear away expectations, and let yourself picture a wild, grand new world. Do something today that you think is too delicious, too selfish, too wacky to fit within the rules of your life. If you’re doing something you love with people you love in a place you love, you are going to create something of value to the world. It's only by starting in a place of peace that we find our purpose and power. Imagine what you'd do if it absolutely didn't matter what people thought of you. Got it? Good. Never go back. Whether you've seen angels floating around your bedroom or just found a ray of hope at a lonely moment, choosing to believe that something unseen is caring for you can be a life-shifting exercise.

     Martha Nibley Beck (born November 29, 1962) is an American author, life coach, speaker, and sociologist. She holds bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees from Harvard University. 

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

           The Rose

If you doubt there is a God; look deep into a rose;

See the velvet petals from the folded but unclose:

Note the tint and texture and the lovely coloring;

Could blind Nature of itself evolve so fair a thing?

Feel the softness of the petal, breathe the fragrant scent:

Need you waste another thought on further argument?

Here is proof of a Creator; God made manifest:

In this little rose we see divinity expressed.

--Patience Strong

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORD - VICTORIOUS

     Every woman has a story. My aunt used to call me light bulb head because my head is small at the bottom and bigger at the top. But it was a term of endearment. In terms of bullying, there are so many new laws in America, I am not sure about worldwide, but in America, the laws for bullying are getting strict. And I am really excited of how strict they are, and I think it has cut down on a lot of bullying. As a kid I was a bully, and I was bullied. I lived both sides of it. To see what is being done with bullying now is super important.
     Tyra the businesswoman is very close to - and I hate third person, but you said it, oh, chiiild, you said it - but me the businessperson and me the person: very similar. I can be in a business meeting and be all 'Wooo!' and 'Oh, child!' and still be talking revenues and profits and cash flows. You can have all the potential in world, but unless you have confidence, you have nothing. Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that's positive and celebrate that! Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It's about accepting all of yourself.
     Love every part of yourself. Even the things that frustrate you. They make you who you are! I've made millions of dollars with the body I have, so where's the pain in that? If I was in pain, I would have dieted. The pain is not there - the pain is someone printing a picture of me and saying those horrible things.
     Keep in mind that we should always thank those who hurt us, especially those who did so bad we are forced to transform. They risk the eternal verdict of going to hell just to make us better than who we are. Take responsibility for yourself because no one's going to take responsibility for you. Black women have always been these vixens, these animalistic erotic women. Why can't we just be the sexy American girl next door?
     Pledge that you will look in the mirror and find the unique beauty in you. I know this is weird... I am a Black woman, and I am not mixed with any Asian blood or Chinese blood at all, but for some reason, as a child, the movie, The Last Emperor, had a serious effect on me. I can't understand why. But there's something that the movie did to me. You have what it takes to be a victorious, independent, fearless woman. I'm not just retiring from the runway; I'm retiring from all modeling. God, I love saying that! When I was 18, my mom said I have to have a plan. I decided I'd leave on top. I want to be like the athletes who seem stuck in time. When you see them at 50, you say they probably can still run like a champ.

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

This week is Spring Break! Many of our young parents will have a desire to drop off their kids. With that in mind, I am posting this for those who are too busy to babysit. Enjoy!

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     March 12, 2024: You are beginning to formulate the next phase of your existence, but you must not be hasty in carrying out the first blueprint of your plan. Take your time and make sure that what you are thinking about is prudent and in the best interest of everyone involved. This is a time when you need wisdom the most. Proverbs 4:7-9 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - PRUDENT 

     What colonialism does is cause an identity crisis about one's own culture. We, as human beings, have the capacity for extreme cruelty. My father was a professor of political science and also a young politician fighting for democracy in Kenya, and when things got ugly, he went into political exile in Mexico. Then I moved back to Kenya shortly after I turned one, and I grew up in Kenya. Growing up in Kenya, slum life was not far away. I had family that lived in slums, so I visited them often, and so I've seen and interacted with abject poverty. But I also know that because of that, poverty is not the definition of the people that live there. When I was younger, I was almost too afraid to admit that I wanted to be an actor. I didn't know any successful actors in Kenya, so I felt like I could get away with going to college to study film more easily than I could with saying, 'I want to be an actor.' That's what I did.

     It's only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you're not expressing the utmost of your human experience. It's so funny, you go to acting school thinking you're going to learn how to be other people. I thought I was going to school to be other people, but really, what I learned was to be myself - accepting myself, my strengths and weaknesses. Because it's in understanding yourself deeply that you can lend yourself to another person's circumstances and another person's experience. 
I discovered that joy is not the negation of pain, but rather acknowledging the presence of pain and feeling happiness in spite of it.

     What fame does is there is an illusion of familiarity that is cast into the world. So, it's about negotiating with that illusion because, oftentimes, you encounter people who have encountered you, but you haven't encountered them. It's a little weird to find your footing. I don't need to be so full of myself that I feel I am without flaw. I can feel beautiful and imperfect at the same time. I have a healthy relationship with my aesthetic insecurities. I have a very ostrich mentality. I feel like I have my head in the sand so no one can see me. I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin, and my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter-skinned. The morning would come, and I would be so excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself until I was in front of a mirror because I wanted to see my fair face first.

     As actors, you become an expert at starting over. I come from a loving, supportive family, and my mother taught me that there are more valuable ways to achieve beauty than just through your external features. She was focused on compassion and respect, and those are the things that ended up translating to me as beauty. Beautiful people have many advantages, but so do friendly people.... I think beauty is an expression of love. It was my own fear of the rest of the world not accepting me, the rest of our society not accepting my wish to be an actor. I was born in Mexico because my father was teaching at a school in Mexico City. I was born during the third year he was there. My parents gave me a Mexican name. In our culture, we are named after the events of the day. I spent some time back in Mexico at 16 because my parents thought it would be prudent for me to learn Spanish, because I held a Mexican passport. As human beings, what makes us able to empathize with people is a connection that is not necessarily understood mentally. That's such a powerless place for me to think about: what is working against me. I don't think of what I don't have; I think of what I do and use that to get the next thing.

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - SPIRITUAL 

     Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence, and a belief in our right and our responsibility to be equal members of society. I feel everyone is put here for a reason. Everyone has a calling. I always thought my real calling was to help other people. When I was younger, I thought you had to be in control of your own life. That takes a lot of discipline, hard work and focus. You just can't let it all fall by the wayside. Later on, I learned that God is really in control of everything. But you still have to put your best foot forward and be the best you can possibly be.
     In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you. It is my belief that we all have the need to feel special. It is this need that can bring out the best in us, yet the worst in us. I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be. People do see me as sweet and innocent. Not to say that I am not those things. But I have other sides to me. I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.
     I can express gratitude for the simple act of being able to breathe in and breathe out. I can move away from darkness and depression to light and hope. I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be. I am me, the true me; you are you, the true you - and that's good. That's beautiful. That's enough. People tend to put entertainers on pedestals. We're human beings, just like you. You may see us smiling, and whether we have money or not, we still have bills to pay, we still have our stresses. I think a lot of people want to focus on others' shortcomings to make themselves feel better. And it's a very sad thing.
     I think people really connect with the idea of someone who's gained and lost weight in this very public way, and also someone who's an emotional eater. Some of my battles with weight have been very public. But most of them have been internal. Even at my thinnest, when my body was being praised, I wasn't happy with what I saw in the mirror or how I felt about myself. There is a moment when you get older when your metabolism slows down and you don't feel like working out anymore, so you don't want to keep yourself fit any more, but that's your decision. Why should you be judged for it? When I'm feeling down on myself or not feeling good about who I am, or maybe something happened and I'm feeling depressed, I eat to fill that void. Afterwards I'll beat myself up about it. I regret doing it, but I'll turn around and do it again. Food has always brought me comfort and the bingeing is triggered when I'm in a space that is not positive.
     It is my belief that we all have the need to feel special. It is this need that can bring out the best in us, yet the worst in us. I'm no expert. I have no psychic powers, and I sure don't possess any secret wisdom. I'm just Janet. I have strengths, weaknesses, fears, happiness, sadness. I experience joy and I experience pain. I'm highly emotional. I'm very vulnerable. It has taken me most of my adult life to come to terms with who I am. To do that, I had to break free of attitudes that brought me down. I was never pushed into the religion by my mother or anyone else. I made up my own mind when I was old enough. I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual. The greatest achievement to any human being is to love God, yourself, and others. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself because no one else is going to.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY
 
Foods for Naturally Reducing Hypertension 
and Regulating Blood Pressure
Story by Sana Q - https://freshcardio.com/

     High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common health concern affecting millions of people worldwide. While medication and lifestyle changes are often recommended to manage blood pressure, incorporating certain foods into your diet can also have a positive impact.
Leafy Greens
     Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are excellent choices for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. These greens are packed with potassium, a mineral that helps balance the effects of sodium in the body. Additionally, they contain nitrate compounds that promote the relaxation of blood vessels, leading to lower blood pressure. Add generous leafy greens to your salads, smoothies, or stir-fries for a nutrient boost and a heart-healthy meal.
Berries
     Berries, including strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, are delicious and offer impressive health benefits. These vibrant fruits are rich in flavonoids, which are natural compounds that can help lower blood pressure. Flavonoids work by improving blood vessel function and reducing inflammation in the body. Incorporate berries into your breakfast routine by adding them to oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies. They also make a tasty and nutritious snack on their own.
Oily Fish
     Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have numerous heart-protective benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve overall cardiovascular health. Aim to include oily fish in your diet at least twice a week. You can grill, bake, or poach them for a flavorful, heart-healthy main course.
Greek Yogurt
     Greek yogurt is a delicious and nutritious option for those looking to reduce their blood pressure naturally. It is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, all of which play crucial roles in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Calcium helps blood vessels contract and relax, while potassium and magnesium help regulate sodium levels in the body. Choose plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt and add your favorite fruits or a drizzle of honey for a satisfying and blood pressure-friendly snack.
     While a balanced diet and an overall healthy lifestyle are key to managing blood pressure, incorporating specific foods into your meals can provide an extra boost.

This is for information purpose only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

     A call was received today from Alvin Howlett, acknowledging the transition of his "Best Friend", Calvin Harper. Calvin was a center piece around the campus and a true friend to many. Many of us knew him and his sister, Karen. Let us continue to lift the Harper Family up in prayer. There are no arrangements at this time....

     Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. 

~Buddha~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Each departed friend is a magnet that attracts us to the next world.        --Jean Paul Richter

Kenneth Davis

     Hello again everyone. Just a reminder for the upcoming class reunion meeting, and a reminder to complete the reunion questionnaire. A hearty "Thank You" to the seventeen classmates who have completed the process.

     Should you see the need for specific questions or corrections, please let us know, by your remarks on the last line of questioning. Press "Submit" upon your completion. Here's the link: 

https://forms.gle/x17jZYWs3G6sMZ8d9 

     Our next committee meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, March 17, 2024. The time scheduled is 3PM and the location will be at the AFRO Police Association Office, 1391 Ferguson. Everyone is invited, to attend.

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - HONESTY

     There's a river somewhere that flows through the lives of everyone. Music is an art form that doesn't need to be explained. It needs to be performed; it needs to be felt; it needs to be listened to; it needs to progress. Our criteria for deciding what's good and what's bad is very fickle, especially in this country.
     As musicians, and as people who sell material for people to hear and absorb, it's important that we use that voice wisely. Once you're successful with a certain kind of music, it's hard not to have faith in it as a means to stay successful. I didn't know how well my first album had done; it was enough to get me to do the second album, which was a continuation of the music I'd worked on and perfected.
     So, see every opportunity as golden, and keep your eyes on the prize - yours, not anybody else's. Music comes first from my heart, and then goes upstairs to my head where I check it out. That's a wonderful thing, because one of the primary qualities of a good performance is honesty. A song to me is a very tangible thing. I can feel it with my hands and see it with my eyes. 

     
IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

  11 Classic Slang Words From the 1970s We Forgot About

1 Casanova.
     You might use the term casanova to refer to a man who's popular among women like a ladies' man.
2 Chillin' at the pad.
     Chillin' at the pad is how teenagers said they're hanging out at home.
3 Going around.
     Throughout the 1970s, a couple who was dating would be described as going around or going steady.
4 Flower power.
     The 1970s were heavily impacted by war, and many people were in support of flower power which meant choosing peace over fighting.
5 Off the hook.
     A term that originated about a corded landline phone being off the hook, the phrase means that something is extremely cool or exciting.
6 Hairy eyeball.
     If someone were to give you the hairy eyeball, it would mean they're shooting you a nasty or menacing stare.
7 Threads.
     1970s fashion was full of bright colors and unique silhouettes. If you bought new clothes, you'd be excited to show your friends your new threads.
8 Jive turkey.
     Somebody who was trying, yet failing, to be cool would be known as a jive turkey.
9 Stone fox.
     An incredibly attractive woman would have been referred to as a stone fox.
10 Sound as a pound.
     If you were to ask someone how they're doing and they tell you they're sound as a pound, it means that everything is going well.
11 Boogie down.
     To boogie down means to dance your heart out. Or, someone might tell you that you're getting your groove on.

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    
TODAYS WORD - UNRELENTING

     Those of us who experience racism cannot, and should not, internalize it, despite the impact that it can have on our everyday lives. We must face it down, every time, no matter whom it's directed towards. I am a descendant of slaves. My great grandmother Mary Thomas, born in 1865, was the child of a slave. That is just three generations back from me. Neither of my parents were well educated. My father was, in fact, illiterate. We were a poor family, but the one thing we never had an issue about was food. My father's goal in life was that 'my children will never go to bed hungry.' 
     I know the ugly face of racism. I lived racism. I have experienced racism. And I survived racism. The fact that I made it to where I made it, when I look at where I came, I think is a message to the world and it's also a message to other young people who come from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds, that where they come from does not necessarily have to define where they are going. Who you are and the choices you make - how you choose to use your skills, how you put your values into practice, how you make an impact on the world - matter far more than any position or job title.
     Our country is not perfect, but our country embraces its diversity. You can be different in this country. I have traveled around the world. I've been in countries where people are not allowed to be different. Whenever I speak to recent graduates, I urge them to go into my field - diplomacy. I didn't have successful, educated role models in my life. But what I did have - I had the hopes and dreams of my mother, who taught me at a very early age that I could face any challenge or adversity put in my path by being compassionate and being kind. You know, I am proud of how I grew up because I think it shows where America has come, how far we've come, and I think it is a sign to the world that while America continues to address these issues, we are addressing them.
     Women are powerful. Our voices are powerful. We're more sensitive... We feel the pain of the people we're working with. If you feel the pain, you feel the commitment. You feel the urgency of doing something about the patient. And that's what I have done my entire career. We have to keep advocating for women's rights, wherever they are being pushed against wherever it happens anywhere in the world. You know, I wish someone had told me I could be anything, that I could do anything... I did not know when I was a young girl and even when I was in college that I could do anything and be anything. The challenges we face, a global pandemic, global economy, global climate change crisis, mass migration, extreme poverty, social justice, are unrelenting and interconnected, but they're not unresolvable if America is leading the way. 
     Democracy is a process - it's not an end state, and our democracy continues to evolve, and sometimes we go backward. We can't lose our sense of humanity, our compassion for people. The more we elevate people's lives - the more we treat people with dignity and respect and honor their rights and freedoms - the more we discourage and even prevent terrorism. When America shows up - when we are consistent and persistent - when we exert our influence in accordance with our values - the United Nations can be an indispensable institution for advancing peace, security, and our collective well-being.

     Linda Thomas-Greenfield (born November 22, 1952) is an American diplomat who serves as the United States ambassador to the United Nations under President Joe Biden. She served as the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs from 2013 to 2017. 

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Kenneth Davis

Greetings Warriors!
     The 55th Class Reunion Committee meeting scheduled for March 17, 2024, has been cancelled, due to unforeseeable and uncontrollable circumstances. The date of rescheduling will be announced upon availability. 

On another note, Feleppia Fields Scales was recently involved in a traffic accident. She's been undergoing physical therapy and hopefully will be continuing her recuperation at home. Get-well cards may be mailed to her at 497 East Mckellar Memphis, TN 38106. Let us be prayerfully mindful of her during the recovery.

     Congratulations to Elijah Turner, the grandson of James Stone. Eli plays for the Elmore Park Middle School Varsity Basketball Team. Last month, his team won their second of back to back State Championships, in Murfreesboro. Grandfather James attended each of his games, providing the spirit of love, mentoring and support, that our youngmen require these days. Congratulations grandson and grandfather, jobs well done.

Elijah Turner - Center

Eli and Coach Chiozza

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

There’s a feeling about Friday that you don’t get any other day of the week.

So what’s so special about the day between Thursday and Saturday? Well, this just leads to more questions. And the answers are abundant. Even those of us who no longer work a Monday thru Friday job feel the exhilaration. Or is it exhaustion? Some Fridays it is…

In most Western countries, Friday is the fifth and final day of the working week. Research still shows that people are happiest on Fridays. There is a term known as Friday Feeling, which highlights Friday being the last day of the workweek as a result people are happier and more excited than on other days.

Friday is associated in many cultures with the love goddess Venus, and the planet named for her. It is thought that the name comes from ‘Freyja’s Day’ which was shortened to Fre-day, then Friday. Freyja was the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, war and magic. Sounds like she had a lot on her plate, doesn’t it?

Though Friday has always been held an unlucky day in many Christian countries, still in the Hebrides it is supposed that it is a lucky day for sowing the seed. Good Friday in particular is a favorite day for potato planting — even strict Roman Catholics make a point of planting a bucketful on that day.

Kenneth Davis

     Hey Estella, it's not Saturday yet, but I'll play the blues for you today! Here's another reason to be Happy It's Friday....Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thrusday are coming..."The Eagle Flys On Friday"