Pinned…e idea after reading the responses of so many social media users from different racial backgrounds. I am not averse to a different agenda being pushed on the African American community that promotes happiness, love, and health even if that means branching out and dating outside of the race. Aren’t we all in the pursuit of happiness?Black Women Dating White Men: The Agenda Nobody is Talking About3K121Nikki LivesLook, it's no big deal.Look, it's no big deal. I married a man who was not afraid of an argument. He was very intelligent , caring, loving and supportive. Before I married him I wanted to have a second opinion about his non-racist stance. Two of my brothers questioned him, my sisters watched his…1 min read1 min read
Published inCRY Magazine·PinnedMember-onlyHow To Live A Full Life while Accepting Your Age?First, you decide if you are going to let your years or your abilities limit you. Life is a balancing act between constraining limitations and endless possibilities. There are some precocious babies, bright and winsome but they won’t be talking to their parents at six months. …Cry3 min readCry3 min read
Published inThe Shortform·1 day agoMember-onlyThe One Commandment I Keep Breaking Again and AgainThe older I get, the harder it becomes to find role models — I’ve broken the 10th commandment that forbids covetousness. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house … or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17, NIV) Although I’m uninterested in my neighbors’ houses or donkeys, one neighbor has some valuable things I crave. It’s hard to avoid envy…Coveteousness2 min readCoveteousness2 min read
Published inThe Shortform·5 days agoMember-onlyOne Useful Lesson Learned from The Mint PatchHolding on to redundant situations keeps us from reaching out While I was watering and feeding the ochre plants, I saw the drooping patch of mint. Water and plant feed have not delayed its prompt response to the call of Fall. The leaves are falling. No more mint for my…Acceptance1 min readAcceptance1 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·6 days agoMember-onlyIf Emergency Health Care Is a Human Right, Why Is It So Inequitable?We do not care enough — Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash Last Saturday, I sat with Martha, an elderly friend for twelve hours in the Emergency Room of her local hospital in Tennessee. Regrettably, some folks, who were there when we arrived, were still waiting when we left. She had her blood pressure and pulse…Urgent Care6 min readUrgent Care6 min read
Published inThe Shortform·Sep 3Member-onlyCommunity Is One Undervalued Insurance Against Unexpected DisastersSaying you don’t need others is talking like hot air — The thermometer read ninety- four degrees. I turned down the thermostat, concerned about the comfort of my huskie. The next morning, damp floors confirmed that we had a problem despite a routine maintenance check three months ago. I feel guilty moaning about the inconvenience of my failed cooling system when…Community1 min readCommunity1 min read
Published inKoinonia·Aug 28Member-onlyWhat Do You Do When God Locks You In?You have several options, but there is one thing you must not do when God turns the lock — The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. (Genesis 7:16, NIV) I remember my Sunday school days. This song about Noah’s Ark was one of my favorites. The Animals Marched in Two by Two. Sung…Christianity4 min readChristianity4 min read
Published inThe Shortform·Aug 17Member-onlyMy Quiet Sister Kept Her Social Secret For Over Fifty YearsShe disrupted my assumptions — Some secrets shatter family members forever when told. Others destroy our assumptions. Last week, during my sisters’ visit, I realized that siblings can experience childhood differently. I always assumed that they were compliant with the rigid, religious regime of our parents . When one sister talked about her childhood to…Siblings1 min readSiblings1 min read
Published inThe Shortform·Aug 4Member-onlyTelling Our Loved Ones They Matter Shouldn’t Depend On A Special OccasionDan Foster, a contributor to the Backyard Church closed his article on final goodbyes with this line: “Do not save for tomorrow what needs to be said today.” Tomorrow, I’m meeting with friends to share our memories of a gracious lady. …Affirmation1 min readAffirmation1 min read
Published inThe Shortform·Aug 1Member-onlyOne Hidden Form of Grief that’s Unacknowledged by SocietyIs it because it is related to aging? — I sat beside Edith, a nonagenarian in Church. I envied her outfit and sense of style. Her close friends were missing. One became housebound many months ago, and the other has just died. Saying goodbye to our friends as a young- person is numbingly sad, but the relentless demands of…Grief And Loss1 min readGrief And Loss1 min read