FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 12

Praise A Person...


I have had friends in my life that were only here for a while, but there is one person who feels like more than a friend to me. This challenge to me is so great because it allows me to give thanks for someone in my life and hopefully that will help to lift her up as well. I feel to do this for all the important people in my life, but I will send that to them individually.

Patrice Grandison.

This girl is my best friend, sister and partner in crime. She is a few days older than I am, and unlike most friendship stories that started in childhood, our friendship really blossomed in Lower Six at Wolmer's Trust High School for girls. She has been there for me and I pray I will always be there for her. So she is my person to praise today.

Patrice has helped me through some of my roughest days and the days that seems a bit difficult. She was there and still is there for me with regards to my mother's passing. She helped me through a pretty tough breakup and has always encouraged me to do what is right in my heart. When everyone passed judgments on what they believed I should do, she pushed me to do what I believed was right for me. For this I praise her and love her even more.

Patrice is a smart girl, she learns quickly to me. She is dedicated and driven in her pursuit of her career path. She got a scholarship for University and after completing her first degree, she got into Medical School. She is an inspiration to girls who don't really have a lot but they have what matters; that's brains and spirit. There are times when she has expressed doubt and wanted to take a break, but she hasn't and that again makes her so much greater than she believes she is. She is determined and has heart!

No one is perfect, so she has her flaws and little things that may get me ticked off, but she is still a fabulous soul. She is vibrant, joyful, funny and a whole ball of excitement. She is one of the craziest persons I know and that is one of her best qualities. She knows how to get a person to smile and feel comfortable and that is an amazing gift. She hasn't had things easy, but when I see her, she rarely lets it show. She tries to find the brighter side of the day and gives God thanks for that.

She is trying to be a woman of faith and of God. Being young and at the age of "experimenting" this is a brave and life-changing decision. She has a boyfriend and for that I am proud, because she has matured to a state where she is able to allow herself to feel for someone else and to allow them to feel for her too. I am a sucker for love so this is just magnificent. 

She has shown such tremendous growth in her life and work and I proud for more from her. I speak into her life a balanced dedication, a wonderful family and a successful career. I pray that she will be able to change lives and live a God filled and happy one herself.


So *muah* Patrice! Keep up the good work and keep growing.

Advice & Beyond

@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 11

Health Scare...

I have never really had a significant health scare, at least not compared to what others may have experienced. But to keep true to this challenge...Here we go.

I woke up with stomach pains that felt familiar and had me doubled over. I was sweating and needed to use the bathroom. It was no surprise that my period had started. I did my usual clean up and used the bathroom, going to bed expecting to fall asleep. I was wrong.

I tossed and turned and found myself visiting the bathroom to pass my waste more than twice within the hour. I decided to sit in the bathroom, because I was getting exhausted from the back and forth and passing what I didn't have inside me.

I started to feel as if I wanted to vomit, but it would not come. It stayed there, made my stomach upset and my situation worse than it needed to be. After waiting, I felt it. I vomitted and I figured based on the relief I felt, I could go back to bed.

With my back bent, I shuffled back to my room and in my bed, but I found no relief. I was in pain beyond belief and I could barely close my eyes long enough to blink. I conceded with myself and dragged myself down stairs to make myself a cup of tea. 

After I was done, I came back upstairs and straight to the bathroom where I released my bowels once more...I am weaker than I should be right now. I decided to sip the tea I made and take two pills. A little while passed and I felt relief again. I went back to my room and laid on the ground, but the minute I stayed still for a bit, the pains started and I had to move.

I felt as if there was something inside me that needed to get out. I was going to die was my thought, I was not being mellodramatic. My head was ripping apart, I could not stop passing stool and my stomach was falling out of my body. I prayed to God for it to stop, for this to be a normal first day of my period.

Just as I took another sip of my tea and thought it was helping to settle my stomach, I felt the uncontrollable urge to vomit. I tried to get calm and hoped that would ease the feeling, but it didn't so I tried to crawl to the bathroom. 

I did not make it. 

I did feel relief, as if whatever it was that was clawing at me from the inside, was no longer there. I was too weak to move, but I found the strength to call my aunt who found me just as I was about to pass out in my own vomit.

She carried me to bed and gave me a glass of water and I only remember saying Thank God before I would assume I fell asleep.

I would never wish that feeling on anyone. Just the thought that your body was either failing you or fighting itself and hurting you in the process.

But in all things give thanks. It could have been much much worse. Praises on to the Most High.

Advice & Beyond
@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 10

Defining Life Moment...

A moment that define or redefine you. Can be good or bad and had an impact on the way you view yourself and your life.

My defining moment was one that caused me to change the way I dealt with things...this came little by little but the progress was a result of this moment.

November 26, 2007.

My mother died.

Losing someone is not easy, but for many it is the last moments of someone else's existence that opens their eyes to aspects on their own. I was no different.

My mother had breast cancer. It is sad for me because I can't tell you exactly what it did to her. I know it was hard because I saw that, but she was so strong that she tried to keep her spirits high.

I never really experienced lost until that day my mother died.  When I heard, I passed out but never fully got what it meant. I cried but never really felt. I felt it a few weeks or less after her funeral, when I was sleeping in class and had a dream that broke me down. 

When my mother died, everything else started to come to me. Like a gate, this single event opened my mind and brought out memories I worked so hard, not knowing, to forget. Childhood memories I wish were no more.

It was truly the hardest time of my life. I was not only struggling with her death, but also fighting my new reality. It felt as if no one truly got it and I was alone. I was in one of the darkest places of my life. I had night terrors, I cried in my sleep and felt completely void of happiness. Some of the people around me noticed that I was off, but they never really knew the extent to which my hurt had taken root in my heart.

I had lost my mother, the woman who should be here to help me on my wedding day, when I am giving birth to my child. A woman I needed to know more and be with more, she was simply gone and I had no say. Anger burnt the coldness of my heart until only tears were left...when that was used up I was back to that emptiness, familiar but sickening.

I found the strength to open up to a friend I never truly appreciated until this time. Patrice. She was my friend and I loved her, but losing someone you expected to be there always, made you hold on to everyone else a little harder. I started to notice that little by little, things got better. I was able to express. I was able to speak more freely to the other persons around me. I solidified in my mind what my purpose is in this world. I knew then that I want to be able to help persons get through the rough patches of their lives.

Before and during the time of my mother's passing, I never gave much regard to expressing my feelings and I am not sure why. But when you experience a load of pain, squeezing your heart because you kept it all in, you realize, it can kill you.

It took me some time, and I still cry for her but I know that I am different. I appreciate a little more the simply things in life. I try to let the people around me know I love them. I try to look on the brighter side, because I never want to feel that sadness again. It may happen, but I hope to be able to cry with hope and not despair. 

So maybe my defining life moment happened after my mother passed, a day when I decided to change how I viewed this world. I honestly don't know. But I do know this, she was my mother, my channel to this Earth. I miss her and losing her changed my life. At first for the worst, but I know now that we can live through the dark days and as cliche as it sounds, "The storm won't last always."

Advice & Beyond

@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 9

Theme song of my life...

This is beyond difficult.

When I listen to music, and I mean songs that really hit me, I am no longer here. My heart beats with the song and I can't help but to sing it as well. It is hard for me to find a song to be the theme song of my life right now, because I am actually all over the place. I try to find my footing, but right now I am not sure where that is.

The song I chose though, speaks to how I want to feel as well as how I feel now. It is 

Nashville Cast - A Life That's Good (feat. Lennon & Maisy)

Sittin' here tonight,

By the fire light,

it reminds me I already have more than I should.

With all that I have been through in my life, one would think I would be worse off than I am now. With everything that has happened recently, I am beyond grateful that I have a roof over my head, a job and food to eat. I have more than I should and more than many could even dream of. My riches right now cannot be borrowed, they are not material but are apart of my soul, my mind and my being.

I don't need fame, no one to know my name,

at the end of the day,

Lord I pray, I have a life that's good.

A lot of people crave to be know and seen. Honestly, I don't need the flashy, I don't ask for popularity. I want to be happy and to be able to make others happy. So I don't strive to be like the Kardashians, or anyone else on E! or Bravo or another of those other reality shows. If I am only known by my friends and family, and I am able to make a change in their lives, then, shoot, I am beyond grateful.

Two arms around me, Heaven to ground me,

and a family that always calls me home.

Four wheels to get there, enough love to share

and a sweet sweet sweet song

At the end of the day,

Lord I pray ,

I have a life that's good.

What is more satisfying than the gift of love? What more can we ask for when we have stability, companionship and the heavenly grace of God? This is my want and my need. Some may think I am not asking for a lot and i need to strive for more, but this is the greatest gift and the hardest to achieve for most. I will not be lonely, sad, homeless or any of that. I will have a life that's good.

Sometimes I'm hard on me,

When dreams don't come easy,

I wanna look back and say,

I did all that I could,

Yeah at the end of the day, Lord I pray,

I have a life that's good.

Life isn't as easy as we may wish for it to be, and things get hard and right now I feel stuck. I feel as if I need to be doing way more than I am not. Yes, I am young, but I have dreams as the song says and they are not coming easy. I want to go back to school and get my master's, have a better job and start a family. I pray for the strength and the blessings that will help me to achieve these things.  But I also want to know that when it is all said and done, I did my best and I lived.

at the end of the day, Lord I pray

I have a life that's good

I pray for a life that is good, and I will also work to have a good life. I promise myself that I will focus on the positives in my life, I will give thanks and spread kindness to others. I pray for the strength to forgive, to guide and to help others. I pray...at the end of the day...for a LIFE THAT IS GOOD.

I guess it wasn't so hard after all.

Advice & Beyond

@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 8

New/Different City...

I don't travel. The most I have done is go to another parish for a day or two but I have never left this small island.

But I find that I have a longing to visit beautiful places,  like other islands or landmarks. Relaxation is my aim when I go on a trip.  I should be able to travel and have fun.

I remember going to Portland with my friends for my boyfriend's birthday and that was such a great experience. To be away from the chaos of my regular life was a blessing. To lay on the beach and feel the cool water on my skin...that is a bit of heaven.

Jamaica is a beautiful place, so trust me when I say that going to Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Portland or anywhere other than Kingston is an experience for me.

I have promised myself that until I am able to muster the courage to travel internationally, I will try to visit wonderful places on my island.  Places like Tower Isle that has amazing resorts, a mineral bath, a cave, just somewhere different.

Being away from the same scenery can prove to be therapeutic for most. It is that escape you get when you read a book or you listen to a song.

I want to be able to visit islands like Barbados and other countries like England ans Brazil. I need to see more or God's creation...to experience the diversity of His people. That is a great blessing.

So I may not have travelled much, but it is apart of my plan and I will start in my own backyard.

Advice & Beyond
@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 7

Because I have a blog people assume...

I feel myself and my work. I am actually very critical of myself and what I write. When I post something I get so nervous I am almost pushing my close friends to read so they can give me some true feedback.

That's why I am proud of myself, I write about the things that concern me and that I love and I put it out there for the world to see. This is why aspects of this challenge is great for me because I get to let go.

People also assume I am mad creative.  I am not. I try to be insightful and read a lot but I am not creative. I can't make music, I can't draw or decorate. I also cannot write a full story on my own but I am learning.  So if having a blog means I am a work in progress then damn skippy you are right.

People also assume I am 'emo'...I am not. I believe I am fun but I am just expressive.  I try not to keep negative emotions locked in and I also try to be as positive as I can be. Yes I have down days and I will write about it, but that does not make me 'emo'.

People also assume I am very aware of what's happening in the world. I'm actually not.  I should be more aware of the important stuff but for the most part I am not. I am not into politics nor do I follow up on the lives of celebrities.  So if you are expecting a blog about the life of a celeb,  forget it.

I don't know what else people assume and I actually try not to care. I write because it helps me to express myself clearly.  It also keeps me connected to my future,  psychology.  I hope the things I write may touch someone and if it does then that's all that matters.

Advice & Beyond
@Looking_Within

FEB 2014 Writing Challenge - Day 6

Embarrassing moment...

I have so many I can't decide which is appropriate.  Lol but here it goes.

I was in first form at Wolmer's Trust High School for girls and it was right in the middle of a political election. We had to leave school early because of civil unrest so every one was pretty much on edge.

Our school chartered buses to carry us in specific general directions,  good for me there was a bus going to Duhaney Park. So a few of my friends and I hurried and made our way to the bus. I had my dictionary in my hand and o remember my friend telling me to put it in my bag but I just brushed her off.

The bus turned out to be packed and so we had to stand. My crush was on the bus though so I didn't mind much standing close to him. We were waiting for a while though and my friends started to say 'funny' things about my crush, honestly I was torn between laughing and ignoring them. He could actually hear what they were saying but I didn't want to seem 'uncool'.

Anywho, my dictionary started to become a problem because couldn't hold on properly.  So I decided to put it in my bag and right at that moment, the bus started to move.

I fell. Flat on the ground, bag half open and my book in my hand. He was staring right at me, laughing along with everyone else on the bus.

Now know this, Jamaican children cab be mean and they love to jeer each other, I feel (pun intended) into a trap that had me teased for months.

I have other moments, like the time a friend dared me to put my school socks on my hand and hair, then dance where the 4th form boys could see me. But I won't share the full details of that.

Thanks for reading!

Advice & Beyond
@Looking_Within