Full Circle

From community factions came action. The action produced reaction. The reaction breeded satisfaction. Satisfaction became the distraction. The distraction brought about inaction. Inaction then returned us to the original problem therefore losing traction.

Once upon a time, our communities were filled with leaders and activists who were afflicted with the facts of life causing them to break into different factions, or form groups, for change. They confronted these problems through their actions that produced a community reaction which resulted in change. Their recognition for change sparked revolutions and produced results. People responded; progress ensued. Somewhere down the line satisfaction crept in, and put us on our heels instead of the balls of our feet. Momentum was lost. Satisfaction was the distraction. It took the urgency away, kidnapping the need for continuous revival. In all, the distraction caused a full swing revolution (full circle) which in turn countered the revolution (the movement), meaning that our inaction resulting from the distraction that blossomed from satisfaction, is reversing the effects of the reaction, which is taking for granted and lessening the meaning  of the action and returning us back to the same ol' (though in different times) problems that confronted the original factions.

Let's take back our communities. Let us regain the momentum for change. Let us re-lift our spirits. We must ask ourselves an  important question of "what can and must I do for my community?" Our communities are our nations. We must continue the dream and progress of our ancestors, and become powerful predecessors. We need to change our mentality, and begin to compete in the world that we lag behind in.

God Bless

My day reading at George Washington Carver Elementary

Today, I visited an elementary school to read to a group of kindergarteners, 4th graders, and 5th graders. It was a great experience, and I would definitely take advantage of the opportunity to do it again. The kids were awesome, and it brought joy to me to see the enthusiasm on their faces. For me, it was more than just being a professional baseball player visiting kids, but it was an important opportunity to observe and interact with them in an educational environment. The pureness of the kindergarteners laughter while reading and the knowledge of the 4th and fifth graders were very touching. My best moment of the day came while talking with the kindergarten class, and I asked one of the girls what she wanted to be when she grows up. She responded with a beautiful and innocent smile, " I want to be a paleontologist." I had to double take and ask her again because she said it so clearly and confidently. Then I asked her if she knew what a paleontologist does and she replied,  "They find the bones of the dinosaurs." I could do nothing but smile. "So smart are these kids," I thought to myself. I was so amazed about how much knowledge the 4th and 5th graders knew about space and geography, and even their comprehension of themes in the books were great.

This experience reiterated to me that our kids really are our future. Their minds are hungry for knowledge, and their hands are reaching out for guidance. We must not forget about them, and we must not allow ourselves to take them lightly. Their pureness and innocence is one of their greatest assets because their minds think limitlessly, and their hearts express openly. They are our greatest joys and they deserve our greatest investment in them and their future.

God Bless

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I envision a world where people are able to freely live their lives with no boundaries- free of poverty, hunger, racism, and religious persecution. Most passionately, I envision (and pray) that people develop a free and strong mindset. What's so deep in my heart, expresses itself through the channels of my mind, in hopes that the passion and effort flows freely to those who aspire to the same things. I want to reach our youth and help them unleash their thoughts and dreams to allow them to grow and manifest. I want to see people experience the revelation of freedom in their lives, and the beauty that life has to bring them by opening their eyes and minds to new possibilities. The state of society and, more personally, my communities troubles me. If I have to be the example, I want to be it. I aim to plant seeds, not to force hands. I plan to work, not just talk.

God Bless

Its an Emergency

Recently, parts of the eastern coast of the United States experienced an earthquake and endured the blows of a hurricane. (Thoughts and prayers goes out to those who were affected by either -or both- events). One of the things that I noticed was that, in lieu of these events, the urgency to brace for potential catastrophe was elevated as people rushed to grocery stores, hardware stores, and gas stations to load up on the necessary supplies for survival. It began to make me think that in many cases, all it takes is the fear of danger to spark a movement of action. Naturally, we are a being of comfort and tend to stay in such a state until something prompts us to act with a sense of urgency. That is the problem many of us face. We fail to recognize the true emergence of our stagnation until we are directly affected by some opposing entity. It runs deeper than sheer procrastination, but to the very core of our refusal to act. Why? Because it is not important until it becomes "important." We would rather continue to patch the leak instead of repairing the pipes, and when eventually the house floods, we put ourselves in the mode to act. The problem, in many instances, is that in times of emergency, it is already too late to act. The house is destroyed.

Sometimes, when waiting for disaster to occur in order to act, we miss out on the opportunity to prepare. We end up being left with the oft uttered phrase "should have." Moments will pass and the time to act will expire, and many times when the emergency strikes, it is already too late. Take heed of your situation, and recognize the potential severity in action that is provoked far too late. There is a saying that "if it ain't broke, why fix it," but there is a responsibility to keep it maintained.

God Bless