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   
TODAY'S WORD - FRUSTRATED

     We should always be having a conversation about if we could make this country more inclusive and what we can do to do that. The country should be more inclusive, not less inclusive, and over an infinite timeline, it becomes more inclusive. It doesn't always happen at once. You can be as exclusive as you want to in your house, but once you walk outside your house, you have to realize that it's not your world anymore: it's all of our world. If we're constantly giving every one of our allies the woke test instead of inviting them to be more woke, we're doomed. You can be the most woke person of all time and be alone.
     I have an upfront, sort of in-the-trenches knowledge of white people's trying to avoid their whiteness and replace it with something else. When I met my wife, we went through the whole race-slash-ethnicity conversation, and she told me she was Italian. Later on, I find out she's a quarter Italian, at best. I'm just another non-native whose mom told him we were part-Cherokee. I can't imagine what it must be like to be one of the indigenous people of the United States of America. I can't imagine watching the news every day - as people debate whose country this is and who should be in charge of it and how to make it great again - and hardly ever see your people brought into the discussion. If we go the direction that many of the leaders of this country want and close the borders and discourage new immigrants, then we are ruining the possibility of new ideas and new experiences.
     This is a country that was founded on racism. It was built on racism. It still continues to thrive through wealth disparity, housing disparity and is all built on the backs of racism. When things aren't going well for black people, they blame the government. When things aren't going well for white people, they can't blame the government because the government is supposed to be for them. So they blame black people. As a black person in this country, I am always frustrated by the lack of attention my people's issues get. But at least the news and politicians are talking about not talking about our issues. Native issues are basically ignored. We can't throw the worst part of racism into the dustbin of history.

     Walter Kamau Bell (born January 26, 1973) is an American stand-up comic and television host. He has hosted the CNN series United Shades of America since 2016, and hosted FXX television series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell from 2012 to 2013.

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Wake Forest, NC
Nextdoor
https://nextdoor.com 

     Hi Ron: this is Richard next-door. I’ve been riddled with guilt for a few months and have been trying to get up the courage to tell you face-to-face. When you’re not around, I’ve been sharing your wife, day and night, probably much more than you. I haven’t been getting it at home recently. I know that’s no excuse. The temptation was just too great. I can’t live with the guilt and hope you’ll accept my sincere apology and forgive me. Please suggest a fee for usage and I’ll pay you. 
     Ron: Feeling enraged and betrayed, grabbed his gun, went next-door and shot Richard dead, he returned home, shot his wife, poured himself a stiff drink, and sat down on the sofa. Ron then looked at his phone and discovered a second text message from Richard.
     Hi Ron, Richard here again. Sorry about the typo on my last text. I assume you figured it out and noticed that the darn “spellcheck” had changed “Wi-Fi” to wife. Huh it’ll be the death of us all.!! #ThankANeighbor
 

(Not a true story, but actual post on Nextdoor website)

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     June 25, 2024: I have equipped you and enabled you to do all that is necessary in this season. But, you must believe that I am with you, and that I am your very present help, says the Lord. Lean on Me instead of trying to go it alone. Find your strength in Me to deal with issues that seem insurmountable. Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N
TODAY'S  WORD - INSURMOUNTABLE

     Everybody has 24 hours and the question is, what do you do with your 24 hours? That's what makes everybody equal. Most people are defined by their titles, their cars, their house, where they came from, their color, their race, their religion. And so it's up to you to take control of your own life and define you. As long as you understand who you are and you have a solid foundation of understanding what your talents are, what your skills are.  
     People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives. To get where we want to go in life, we have to keep at it. We have to create a vision, make choices based on what moves us most swiftly toward our goals, and go after them with determination and single-mindedness.

     You know, you're living in a society where if you say something that you might think may be OK, when it's more sensitive to that particular culture. You have to be very, very careful. Freedom is about a way of thinking. Freedom is about understanding that you can do anything that you want and freedom is about being able to take information and education and make it relevant to your own growth every single day.

     Freedom is not staying in the box. Freedom is not doing what other people want you to do. And whenever you encounter a problem, no matter how insurmountable it might seem, there is one simple response that should be ingrained in your behavior: Never give up. I define myself by everything that I love, everything I can create, everything that I can imagine. Understand who you are, so that you can be the same, whether you're talking to a homeless person or the president of the United States. You're the same person.

Stedman Graham

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  
TODAY'S WORD - HOPE

     It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs. Follow the man who seeks the truth; run from the man who has found it. This is a confusing and uncertain period, when a thousand wise words can go completely unnoticed, and one thoughtless word can provoke an utterly nonsensical furor. Work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.
     I am not an optimist, because I am not sure that everything ends well. Nor am I a pessimist, because I am not sure that everything ends badly. I just carry hope in my heart. Hope is the feeling that life and work have a meaning. You either have it or you don't, regardless of the state of the world that surrounds you. Life without hope is an empty, boring, and useless life. I cannot imagine that I could strive for something if I did not carry hope in me. I am thankful to God for this gift. It is as big as life itself.
     Nothing is more powerful than individuals acting out of their own conscience. I feel that the dormant goodwill in people needs to be stirred. People need to hear that it makes sense to behave decently or to help others, to place common interests above their own, to respect the elementary rules of human coexistence. Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly. Courage means going against majority opinion in the name of the truth.
     The kind of hope that I often think about…I understand above all as a state of mind, not a state of the world. Either we have hope within us, or we don’t. It is a dimension of the soul. It’s not essentially dependent upon some particular observation of the world or estimate of the situation. Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. We must not be afraid of dreaming the seemingly impossible if we want the seemingly impossible to become a reality.

     Václav Havel (born October 5, 1936, Prague, Czechoslovakia [now in Czech Republic]—died December 18, 2011, Hrádeček, Czech Republic) was a Czech playwright, poet, and political dissident who, after the fall of communism, was president of Czechoslovakia (1989–92) and of the Czech Republic (1993–2003).

Kenneth Davis

A Dietitian Shares 3 Beverages To Drink For People With Type 2 Diabetes, 'Helps Lower Blood Sugar'—Okra Water, Plus More
Story by Mariam Qayum 
https://www.shefinds.com/

     Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition characterized by insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels. It often results from a combination of genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors, and obesity. Managing this condition typically involves a combination of medication, dietary adjustments, and exercise. But, some health experts also say that certain beverages may contribute to the reversal of type 2 diabetes and help lower blood sugar levels.
     TikTok creator and registered dietitian Charmaine Dominguez (@reversingdiabetesrvltn) revealed three unexpected beverages that could potentially aid in reversing type 2 diabetes and lower your blood sugar. She shared that okra water, ginger tea, and green tea are the ones to add to your diet.
Okra Water
     While some anecdotal evidence and traditional beliefs suggest that okra water may have potential benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes, scientific research on its direct link to reversing the condition and lowering blood sugar remains limited. However, okra is a nutrient-rich vegetable that contains soluble fiber, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels.
     "To make okra water, all you have to do is to wash the okra, cut it into little stems or circles. Soak it in water overnight in a jar and the next day it will turn slimy. I know it sounds disgusting but the reason why it turns slimy is because it has soluble fiber. You know how there [are] people selling these powders that will turn into slimy water? It's because it's soluble fiber. You don't have to pay hundreds of dollars a month for those. Just get some okra, cut it up, and make your okra water because that's going to give you the soluble fiber." She notes that this soluble fiber is not just good for blood sugar balance but can also lower cholesterol and blood lipids, which in return can aid in reversing insulin resistance.
Ginger Tea
     Ginger possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and some studies suggest it may contribute to improved insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Dominguez says to take a nub of ginger, slice them, take about 3-5 slices and in a small pot add water and let that boil for 3-5 minutes until it starts to turn yellow.
     "Ginger is amazing for lowering inflammation and for reducing swelling as well. Now a lot of times I know people living with type diabetes will see swelling in their knees or in their joint, so this can help with the swelling as well as lowering your blood sugar," she says.
Green Tea
     Last but certainly not least is Dominguez's 'favorite,' green tea! She recommends drinking green tea with each meal because "it's going to help you lower your post meal blood sugar."
     Rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins, green tea may have a positive impact on insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation. She notes that green tea is high in antioxidants and has anti-cancer properties. She also suggests matcha specifically because "it is a concentrated form of green tea."

     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.

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - SETTLE YOUR SOUL 

     Wine has been with us since the beginning of civilization. It is the temperate, civilized, sacred, romantic mealtime beverage recommended in the Bible. Wine has been praised for centuries by statesmen, philosophers, poets, and scholars. Wine in moderation is an integral part of our culture, heritage and gracious way of life. I know that wine is, above all else, a blessing, a gift of nature, a joy as pure and elemental as the soil and vines and sunshine from which it springs.
      I've always wanted to improve on the idea of living well, In moderation, wine is good for you - mentally, physically, and spiritually. Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. I feel blessed. So many men and women search and search but never find their passion, their calling, their sense of mission that would ignite their hearts and fill their lives with meaning and joy. Even more importantly, it's wine, food and the arts. Incorporating those three enhances the quality of life. If you go back to the Greeks and Romans, they talk about all three - wine, food, and art - as a way of enhancing life.
     I want to make wines that harmonize with food - wines that almost hug your tongue with gentleness. My path was simple: Follow your passion. Pour in your heart and soul. Settle for nothing less than excellence. And with enough hard work and faith in yourself, you can realize your dream. We want to raise the art of living well. How beautiful it is to excel, and the goodness of giving from your heart.
 

     Robert Gerald Mondavi (June 18, 1913 – May 16, 2008) was an American winemaker. His technical and marketing strategies brought worldwide recognition for the wines of the Napa Valley in California. From an early period, Mondavi promoted labeling wines varietally rather than generically, which became the standard for New World wines. 

Kenneth Davis

TIME FOR ANOTHER 
THROWBACK
 THURSDAY

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   
TODAY'S WORDS -  THE RHYTHM

     Good morning, daddy! Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred? Trilling the treble And twining the bass Into midnight ruffles Of cat-gut lace. Listen closely: You'll hear their feet Beating out and beating out a - You think It's a happy beat? Listen to it closely: Ain't you heard something underneath like a - What did I say? Sure, I'm happy! Take it away! Dream Boogie Hey, pop! Re-bop! Mop! Y-e-a-h!
     An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose. Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness. I stay cool, and dig all jive, That's the way I stay alive. My motto, as I live and learn, is Dig and be dug In return. I got the Weary Blues And I can't be satisfied.  Blues had the pulse beat of the people who keep on going. Misery is when you heard on the radio that the neighborhood you live in is a slum but you always thought it was home. Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid. Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.  The rhythm of life is a jazz rhythm. 
 

Langston Hughes

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

This world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every person the reflection of his or her own face. Frown at it, and it in turn will look sourly at you; laugh at it, and with it, and it is a jolly, kind companion. 

                                             -- William Makepeace Thackeray

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    
TODAY'S WORDS - HAVE PATIENCE

     What we need is a cup of understanding, a barrel of love, and an ocean of patience. Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. Never be hurried in anything. Do all things calmly and in a spirit of repose. Do not lose your inward peace even if everything seems to be going wrong. What is anything in life compared to peace of soul?
     Don't get upset with your imperfections. It's a great mistake because it leads nowhere - to get angry because you are angry, upset at being upset, depressed at being depressed, disappointed because you are disappointed. So don't fool yourself. It is not those who commit the least faults who are the most holy, but those who have the greatest courage, the greatest generosity, the greatest love, who make the boldest efforts to overcome themselves, and are not immediately apprehensive about tripping.
     Don't sow your desires in someone else's garden; just cultivate your own as best you can; don't long to be other than what you are, but desire to be thoroughly what you are. Direct your thoughts to being very good at that and to bearing the crosses, little or great, that you will find there. Believe me, this is the most important and least understood point to the spiritual life. What is the use of building castles in Spain when we have to live in France?  Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them -- every day begin the task anew. Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.
 

     Saint Francis de Sales, C.O., O.M. (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales; 21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation.      

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     June 30, 2024: The storms that come against your spiritual house are from the enemy who is always trying to tear down your dwelling place in Christ. Rise up and resist that evil work and overcome. James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    
TODAY'S WORDS - WORK AND OVERCOME

     I always believe someone somewhere is working harder than me and that motivates me to work harder, give 100%. There is nothing I've been through in my life that I regret, or that I would go back and change. I feel like everything that happened - personally and professionally - I went through for a reason, and I learned from those things. As a result of Title IX, and a new generation of parents who want their daughters to have the opportunities they never had, women's sports have arrived.
     Women play just as hard as guys do. We're just as competitive. Sexuality and gender don't change anyone's performance on the court. Being gay has nothing to do with the three gold medals or the three MVPs or the four championships I've won. I'm still the same person. I'm Sheryl. You have to be positive, and I'm not just talking about athletics, this also applies to life. Some people might say my coming out after just winning the MVP award is heroic, and I understand that. I never really officially retired from the WNBA, I just left the doors open. My reason for coming out isn't to be some sort of hero. 
     Be positive and work hard. I think it's possible to overcome anything, if you're willing to work at it. I'm at a place in my life right now where I'm very happy, very content. I'm finally OK with the idea of who I love, who I want to be with. There is nothing I've been through in my life that I regret, or that I would go back and change. I feel like everything that happened - personally and professionally - I went through for a reason, and I learned from those things.

     Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game. Swoopes has won three Olympic gold medals and is one of eleven women's basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold, and a WNBA title. 

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   
TODAY'S WORD - ENTERTAIN

     Don't let people treat you like you're stupid. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. If you're not happy before you're successful, you're going to be miserable when you do become successful because all your problems just get magnified. You don't meet many comics who came from rich families or were captain of the football team and had a nice car. I'd say a lot of black comics were forced to do the black comedy circuit. I'd go into black comedy clubs and see what they're going through, which is different because they're almost made to be in another world. Most entertainers start at a young age saying, 'I don't want to be normal. I don't want a regular job.'... I think that's something that's innate.
     I've been on the road since 1983. Nothing ever changed, even when I was doing TV and movies. People think comedians don't do drama. Comics are drama. And what is drama, as opposed to comedy? It's all the same to me. I'm under stress. They killed me on Wikipedia. They killed me. And I didn't stay dead long enough to sell no DVDs. I didn't even stay dead long enough - I was too stupid. I should've stayed low. I should've laid low. I could've been gone for a year; I'd have made money. And then I'd have risen from the dead.
     Being in a smaller environment - sometimes I like that. As a comic, we start off in comedy clubs, and there are people right at your feet, right on top of you. And I realize, as I get older, I miss that sometimes. I just want to make people laugh. My job is to entertain you, leave you feeling better than when you got there, and try to give you more than you thought you were gonna get. 

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

     I never should have done 'Celebrity Apprentice.' I didn't want to do it because I didn't want Donald Trump to say, 'You're fired.' Who the heck is Donald Trump to fire me? I regret I didn't tell Donald Trump, 'You need to fire your barber. I'm sorry. I ain't feeling you, man. You're fired! I fire you, Donald Trump.' 

Sinbad

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

James Stone

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     July 2, 2024: At this time many of you, My people, are bringing things to a conclusion. You will need to tie up loose ends at this juncture so that you can move on. Go forward with a clean slate as you leave the past behind and reach for the next goal both spiritually and naturally. Be strong and of good courage. Isaiah 43:18-19 Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N
TODAY'S WORDS - TIE UP LOOSE ENDS 

     We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality. We can only learn to love by loving. Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real. It is in silence that the human spirit touches the divine. Our actions are like ships which we may watch set out to sea, and not know when or with what cargo they will return to port. We are such inward secret creatures, that inwardness is the most amazing thing about us, even more amazing than our reason. For most of us, for almost all of us, truth can be attained, if at all, only in silence. 

     Happiness is a matter of one's most ordinary everyday mode of consciousness, being busy and lively and unconcerned with self. The chief requirement of the good life is to live without any image of oneself. One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats, and if some of these can be inexpensive and quickly procured so much the better. As we live our precarious lives on the brink of the void, constantly coming closer to a state of nonbeing, we are all too often aware of our fragility.

     Then I felt too that I might take this opportunity to tie up a few loose ends, only of course loose ends can never be properly tied, one is always producing new ones. Time, like the sea, unties all knots. Judgements on people are never final, they emerge from summing's up which at once suggest the need of a reconsideration. Human arrangements are nothing but loose ends and hazy reckoning. Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out. The cry of equality pulls everyone down.

     Dame Jean Iris Murdoch, 15 July 1919 – 8 February 1999) was an Irish and British novelist and philosopher. Murdoch is best known for her novels about good and evil, sexual relationships, morality, and the power of the unconscious. 

Kenneth Davis

Welcome Home Charles,
     On behalf of our class and your website administrators, I graciously welcome you to our website. As you search through the pages, hopefully you'll be entertained, encouraged and inspired to contact your classmates with a post or by using the message center. A Class Reunion committee is presently planning our 55th Class Reunion. We've developed a questionnaire to determine the degree of interest, from those considering attending. There's a link listed on our website to complete the form. 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 . Please copy and paste into your web browser.

    If you run into problems, or need additional information about the website, please contact Estella Wright, Joycelyn Lacy or me. Contact me directly at btwco1970@gmail.com or through the website.

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  
TODAY'S WORDS - A NEW SEASON

     Food is a common denominator for all people. Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat. Cooking is like snow skiing: If you don't fall at least 10 times, then you're not skiing hard enough. I don't know what singers feel like when they make a song and people clap along and love it, but when people walk up to me and say the food was outstanding, that's what it is all about. I cook because I like to make people happy.
     Preparing food is one of life's great joys, but a lot of times, parents ask their kids if they want to cook with them and then tell them to go peel a bag of potatoes. That's not cooking - that's working! Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking. It's about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity. Kids want to saute, to cut the pizza, to see how the ingredients come together. If you let them do the fun stuff, they'll develop skills and interests that will stay with them forever.
     I say to folks all the time, 'Watch what you're eating. You don't have to eat it all. Make conscious choices. It doesn't mean you have to starve yourself and eat carrots all day.' Have an awareness. If you slow it down, eat in courses, your body, mind, stomach will catch up with this full feeling and you won't eat as much. No matter how tough the meat may be, it's going to be tender if you slice it thin enough. You dont have to eat a whole cheeseburger, just take a piece of the cheeseburger. I eat healthier than you think. I eat grains and vegetables when I'm home - and I eat in courses. My wife, Lori, thinks it's because I don't want foods to touch. That's not it. If you eat courses, you slow down your meal and eat less. It's a trick I picked up in France as a kid. 
     My parents were all into macrobiotic cooking and natural cooking, and my sister was a vegetarian. I wasn't down with that. My sister and I cooked a lot together; my sister was a very healthy vegetarian. She was always a real good teacher for me about organics, recycling, composting -whenever you hear me talk about it, it's usually because of my sister's influence. At first, people think about vegetarian food like, 'Here's some veggies. Here's some pasta.' But there's so much more you can do in the vegetarian and vegan world.
     Some people are just born to cook and talk. It's always good to go over the recipe beforehand, so you can easily think of the next thing that needs to be done. I really felt that I had accomplished my goals in life. My first passion has always been to be a restaurateur, a good husband and father, and to provide for my family. I'm a five-seasons griller! Did you know I added a new season? Living in Cali, I'm cooking in the yard all the time. I don't care what the weather is like. My hair is impervious to any kind of dampness, so I don't have too much to worry about. Liver is my number one most hated food. Oh, God, I get sick talking about it!

Guy Fieri

Kenneth Davis

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

New Research: This is the #1 Exercise for Reducing Depression Symptoms

By Miranda Manier Updated: Jun. 10, 2024

https://www.thehealthy.com/

     Facing the day when you’re feeling low is daunting, and chances are good that your mood, energy, sleep and appetite are affected. According to the World Health Organization, 5.7% of adults over age 60 struggle with depression globally—but the National Institute on Aging emphasizes that while depression may be prevalent, is not considered to be a normal part of healthy aging. Research has shown that certain lifestyle changes that commonly occur with age can contribute to depression, such as spending more time sedentary and alone. A 2024 meta-analysis of more than 200 studies on depression and exercise found making efforts to stay active is a reliable way to combat feeling down—and new research suggests one way to move your body is particularly powerful.

     The June 2024 meta-analysis published in BMC Geriatrics reviewed 47 studies, encompassing nearly 3,000 participants and analyzing the effects of seven types of exercise on depressive symptoms:

⦁ Walking

⦁ Yoga

⦁ Aerobic exercise

⦁ Tai Chi

⦁ Qi gong, gentle movement exercises that facilitate the release of suppressed energy and emotions

⦁ Resistance training

⦁ Mixed physical activity

     The researchers also aimed to determine how different “doses” of each exercise, or how often and how long you do a certain workout, could affect depressive symptoms. They measured these doses in “MET” scores, with “MET” standing for the metabolic equivalent of a task, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. METs quantify the energy expended while engaged in an activity and can be “translated” into the intensity of movement:

⦁ Sedentary: Uses 1.5 or fewer METs

⦁ Light exercise: Uses between 1.6-3 METs

⦁ Moderate exercise: Uses between 3-6 METs

⦁ Vigorous exercise: Uses at least 6 METs

     According to WebMD, doctors often use MET scores to prescribe exercise to patients. They are calculated by multiplying the METs expended during an activity by the number of minutes someone practices—or is being advised to practice—that activity each week. For example, taking a slow stroll would use about one MET, and doing so for an hour each day would have a MET score of 1 x 60 x 7 = 420. The June 2024 meta-analysis researchers observed that older adults who incorporated regular walking, aerobic exercise, yoga, Qigong, resistance training, or Tai Chi all experienced “significantly alleviated depressive symptoms” compared to the control group.

     However, walking, in particular, yielded “the best effects.” Researchers notably observed that walking effectively reduced symptoms of depression even at a “very low dose” of 250 METs/week. Overall, the researchers found that expending between 350 to 1,000 METs per week effectively reduced depressive symptoms, with an ideal dose of at least 800 METs per week.

     This synthesis of such a vast body of research reminds us that exercise is one of the most powerful tools to boost self-esteem, create a feeling of achievement, provide opportunities for social connection, and fire up the endorphins that make you feel so much better. No matter how old you are, if you’re struggling with depression, consider starting with just a slow, easy walk around the block to feel how the fresh air, sunshine and a little gentle movement affect your mental well-being. You’re worth the effort.

     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.

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Now that we have crossed 70 and are headed to 80, we must consider the following:

1.  After loving our parents, our siblings, our spouse, our children and our friends, we must now start loving ourselves.

2.  Realize that we are not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on our shoulders.

3.  Stop telling the elderly that they've already told that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

4.  Stop correcting people even when we know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on us. Peace is more precious than perfection.

5.  Give compliments freely and generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for giver.  A small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turns it down, just simply say "Thank You.”

6.  Stop worrying about a crease or a spot on our clothes. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

7.  Walk away from people who don't value us. They might not know our worth, but we do.

8.  Remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun us in the rat race.  We are not a rat and neither are we in any race.

9.  Don’t to be embarrassed by our emotions. It’s our emotions that make us human.

10.  Know that it's better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. Our ego will keep us aloof, whereas with relationships, we will never be alone.

11.  Live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

12.  Do what makes us happy. We responsible for our happiness and we owe it to ourselves. Happiness is a choice. We can be happy at any time, just simply choose to be!

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   
TODAY'S WORDS - INTERSECTION OF LIFE 

     Be your true self. Because if you're not, there are consequences to be paid. Your actions are not in a vacuum. They impact other people. We always see abhorrent behavior and say why, but then we get mad when somebody tries to answer. One of the great things my grandparents and parents taught me was, there are those who don't have your best interests at heart. My dad prepared me for the worst of times while also enabling me to succeed in the best. He taught me to confront the insidiousness of racism head on, no matter what the ramification, so it will not fester. Defeat it and get past it. That was The Talk. Nothing scared me after that. In our house, my dad had a chair. It was a Barcalounger, big and comfortable. If we missed him or wanted comfort when he wasn't home, we'd just climb into the chair and let it envelop us.
          Our thoughts are to the individual as our art is to the community as a whole. That's where you reflect on who you are, who you hope to be, what you've gone through, and where you hope to go. People forget that art is not just a piece of entertainment. It is the place where we collectively declare our values and then act on them. That's one of the most powerful things we have as a community: our culture and our art. And it's the intersection between life and how people deal with life. It's the most important thing we do.
     I have so much love for art. The whole idea of jazz came about as the interpretation of the human dialogue, trading fours. When someone's soloing and someone picks up the solo and plays it back at 'em, it was the imitation of the human dialogue. It was how people spoke, through music. And that's what art is, a form in which people can reflect on who we are as human beings and come to some understanding of this journey we are on. 
     Culture is the intersection of people and life itself. It's how we deal with life, love, death, birth, disappointment... all of that is expressed in culture. Culture is the intersection between people and dealing with the journey of life itself. How to deal with life, how a people deals with life is literally manifested in its culture, in its food, in its music, in its art, in the way you dance, the way you communicate. 

Wendell Pierce

Kenneth Davis

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