remembering the dreamer giant

When I see this picture of Josh, I am reminded of his days at Tougaloo and the light that he so easily exuded. He was a giant; not only in stature, but in heart and soul. Seeing him go after his dreams inspired me personally to know that all things are possible to a willing heart if one is ready to dream big, take risks, and put in the work. His life had merit because he was not afraid. The sky, although he could reach it better than most, was not too distant-- the unreachable attainable.

Josh represented the best of who we are and what we can become. When I learned of his sudden departure from the classroom of life last Friday, my heart was overwhelmed. Surely, this dreamer still dreamed and had plans for continuing the great work he had begun. I was perplexed, and more precisely, devastated. Sitting under the stars that night, and sipping hot cinnamon tea, I gave thanks for the chance to know him. I gave thanks for his life. I cried for his mother and those who loved him. I cried for him.

The best tribute we could offer to the life and legacy of our beloved Master Chef is to live "master lives". And by that I mean to go after our dreams with abandon but not without surrender. When we choose to do anything good and uplifting, there will be forces hell-bent on discouraging us and getting us off course. It becomes supremely important to do all that we can do, but when our finite resources are insufficient, we can turn to the infinite. We can turn to a power far greater than ours. Sometimes that help may come in the form of a therapy session, or through meditation, a book or a conversation. But come, it must.

"For those who are among the living there is hope"

Ecclesiastes 9:4

I will forever remember the laughter, the dreams, and the man that was Joshua Marks. May his light continue to serve as a light for us all... Until we meet again.

Comments

who are we when we love? Honoring Nelson Mandela

I remember very vividly the summer I first read Nelson Mandela's A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. I was living at my grandmother's house then. At nineteen years old, it was the longest book I had ever attempted to read. But I felt my soul leaping and growing and telling me that I had to live courageously. I could not afford to not fight for justice. I could not afford to not dedicate my life to love's purposes. By reading Mandela's story, I saw what the best of humanity looked like. I saw that no matter how much oppression and humiliation others may inflict upon us, we can rise above it. We can choose to not let their evil define us. Nelson Mandela is my hero. He was a giant of a man who had the unique ability to make others feel even larger than he was. You see, that is what great people do. They remind us that the light they have is inside all of us as well. We only need to let it shine, fearlessly and with the intent of eradicating evil by the power of love....

i am grateful for OPRAH

Yesterday, my "Angel Mother" as i like to call her, Ms. Oprah G. Winfrey received the highest honor in the land-- The Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama applauded her for... "reaching the pinnacle of the entertainment universe." For twenty-five years, The Oprah Winfrey Show helped to extend the conversation about topics that were taboo; from sexual abuse to cellulite, she made it okay to tell the truth. She created a safe space for people to come and leave their shame and the secrets that blocked their light. Because of this, millions of others were liberated by the knowledge that they were not alone in their suffering. I started watching the Oprah show when I was around eight or nine years old. Her voice was soothing. Her insights were as wise and profound as those of my own mother. I saw the same light in her eyes that I saw in my mother's eyes. I believe it was because of this that she would go on to mean even more to me after my mother lost ...

your life is sacred: honoring every moment

on this day, exactly eleven years ago today, my mother entered the Baptist for her second mastectomy. the cancer was vicious, relentless, and evidently insatiably hungry for the life of my mother. She had already had the other breast removed and she went into this surgery confident that it would be best. i remember her strength and her faith most vividly during this week. i also remember her strongly rejecting my request for funds to purchase a new shirt for the pastor's appreciation that was coming up that Friday. i'm not sure if my mother knew this was her last week on earth. there were no "final conversations" or any discussion of what was next for our lives without her. she would leave behind her four children, her dreams, and ultimately, a life well-lived that same night of the pastor's appreciation, which also happened to be All Saints Day. my mother's life, her struggle with breast cancer, and her early demise at thirty-three helps def...

YOGA BEAUTY WELLNESS

Search This Blog