Happy Fresh Start Friday! I love happiness. My recent vacation reminded me that happiness isn’t hiding; it’s quietly growing inside the choices we make every day. At any given time, we can say, “There’s a lot going on.” When I hear that statement, I sense an undertone that suggests we can’t make too much room for happiness because of how doom and gloom might fill the room. Here’s what I’ve been reminded of: happiness isn’t always something you find; it’s something you allow. As human beings,...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! I’m a huge Luther Vandross fan. Since he passed, his music speaks to me in a different way. Sometimes it makes me sad. The word loneliness shows up a lot in his songs. A close friend of his once said, “If you really want to know Luther, listen to Any Love.” I did. Whew! All my Luther wanted was love! He sang, “Everybody feels alone without love.” Loneliness is a signal; proof that humans need connection. Belonging is the answer: not just having people around, but...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! Sometimes, life places us in situations that don’t make sense in the moment. Doors close. Plans shift. Opportunities slip away. It can feel like loss until we realize those detours were actually redirections. What if the things you can’t see right now are working for your good?What if the unanswered prayer, the delayed dream or the unexpected “no” is simply life’s way of clearing space for something bigger, greater, and perfectly aligned with your future? Fresh...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! There’s a famous line from the movie Dirty Dancing that gives me chills whenever I hear it: “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” In the story, Baby was underestimated, overlooked, and told to stay small. That moment was about pulling her out of the shadows so she could shine in the light. People can have a way of putting us in corners, too. · Maybe it was a teacher who doubted your potential. · A boss who dismissed your ideas. · A partner who told you that you weren’t...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! It’s been said that life imitates art. Many years ago, a sitcom called Sanford and Son aired weekly on national television. The main character, Fred Sanford, often called his adult son Lamont a “big dummy.” The studio audience erupted in laughter every time. It became a catchphrase repeated in some households, playgrounds, and classrooms. Imagine being called a “dummy” over and over by someone who was supposed to build you up. Language is not just entertainment; it...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! We often measure life in deadlines and milestones. By 25, we think we should be here. By 40, we should have that. By 60, we should be finished chasing our goals. But time is not a finish line. Time is a tool. The real question is not how much time has passed, but: What will I do with the time I have left? Think about it: A seed planted today can still become a tree. A word spoken today can still heal a wound. A decision made today can still change your story. It...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Fresh Start Friday! A particular scene from the movie Fences (2016) starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis plays in my mind whenever I think about families breaking negative patterns. In the scene, Cory looks at his father with a slight hesitancy in his voice and asks: "How come you ain't never liked me?" Troy pauses, as if the question is foreign to him. Then, in his gravelly voice, he lays down a truth that does not feel soft or gentle. The response is from his own understanding...
3 months ago • 1 min read