Tag Archives: #givemorethanyoutake

Go Ahead and Be Great

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I’d argue that “Let me be great” is one of the most asinine pronouncements of independence an adult could ever make.

Think about everytime you’ve heard the declaration, was the great one trying to explain away a dumb action on their part? Were they convincing themselves that the wrongdoing they were engaged in was a minor infraction? Were they hoping you’d bow down in submission to their every day average behavior?

Do you ever hear the people that are doing great things boast about their superiority? Dr. Ala Stanford, and the Black Doctor’s Covid-19 Consortium, arguably could be a forerunner for a humanitarian award – her every press conference is focused on the work still left to be done. She is being great!

Stacey Abrams was robbed of an election victory. She turned her defeat into a platform that changed the political climate of Georgia for years to come. We, the people, speak about how bad ass she is – she speaks of the need to not become complacent. She is being great!

Aisha Drayton loss her son because a punk with a gun decided to come to her home and kill him. She poured her grief into creating I’s Visision, a foundation in his memory, and now provides fundamental services to children in need. She is being great!

If you’re out here being great is there a track record / resume that affirms your eminence or is your metric based upon the number of designer items you possess?

I currently reside in a city plagued by violence. Homicide rates are on track to be the highest we’ve ever seen and a huge number of the victims haven’t reached adulthood. I can’t claim greatness while families around me are struggling to cope and I have nothing to offer. Somewhere in the midst of this darkness is a phoenix yet to be realized – that person will be great!

Greatness is within each of us! Let’s put it in action so others will see our works – I dare you to!

Baker Status

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I was watching the movie “One Night in Miami” and Sam Cooke, in the midst of an arguement with Malcolm X, made a statement that stung me. He said “everybody talks about how they want a piece of the pie – well I don’t! I want the (expletive) recipe”.

Think about that for a moment!

I have a job! I pay bills! I’m active in my community! I’ve become content with a slice of the pie! Why haven’t I gone after the recipe? Is it hidden from me, have I not evolved into the mindset of a baker, or is the baker a broader concept than I realize?

A few years ago there was an abundance of discussion on the 2nd Amendment. I knew that to be the right to bear arms but the process was foreign. In an effort to make more informed election decisions which would benefit me and my house I applied for a license to carry (LTC) a concealed weapon. To my surprise, the process was incredibly elementary and lead me to being in favor of tougher processes.

I sat on my LTC for a couple of years content with taking that step, but uninterested in the bigger picture. One day during a conversation with a friend it was brought to my attention that I formed an opinion based on partial research, gun legislation is far more complex than my little license. With that in mind I decided to purchase a weapon for concealed carry purposes.

I did a ton of research on the best guns for women, the various methods of carrying, and the laws of my city (note: they vary from those of my state). I went to a gun show armed with my driver’s license and a credit card, after a couple of hours I left with a 9mm, a user manual, and a belief that we are not protected from the dangers of ourselves.

I’ve since aligned myself with an association of gun owners – for a voice, and plan to join a gun club – for training. There’s a whole lot of us that own guns but aren’t making decisions. The decision makers hold the recipe, while we just have a slice of the pie.

It took going through this flawed process of exercising my right for me to realize that it’s ok to sync with others to achieve baker status – it may even be necessary for the community at large to benefit.

Ask yourself what slice of the pie have you become content with? Are there other slice holders you can connect with to achieve baker status?

Slices feed individuals; however, the whole pie feeds the community!

Jealousy vs Envy

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I was in the midst of getting my last wink this morning when I heard a news report on jealousy being ok. Without opening my eyes I thought to myself “no, it’s not ok – it’s one of the deadly sins”. I must have thought out loud because when I got up awhile later my phone had searched the deadly sins. 

Thought: while I’m praying to have a closer walk with God, He’s making a clear path for me to follow. Things with familial relevancy which have been passed down for generations don’t necessarily have a scriptural foundation – that’s where uncertainty resides.

The Bible states rather strongly that jealousy should be avoided but it’s not one of the deadly sins – envy is.

I began to think about the difference between the two, and this time asked Google to assist. There’s an extremely thin line that separates the two, which explains why the ancestors taught of jealousy being unforgivable in the eyes of God. 

Envy requires a spirit of covetousness whereas jealousy is rooted in lack. One who is envious believes they are more entitled to a position / lifestyle / etc and strongly despises individuals because of their status. The jealous person wants what someone else has and at times will go to extremes to get it.

Hypothetical Scenario: two children are in a room playing. One has blocks the other has books. Both children are happy until the child with the books notices the blocks. The jealous child will abandon the books and go take the blocks because they represent another level of happiness. The envious child will hold on to the books and go take the blocks because the other child shouldn’t be happy.

I’ve made purchases I couldn’t afford because “I had to have it”. I’ve gone places I couldn’t afford to be because “I had to go”. I have a jealous nature! In recognizing this in myself I’ve made some internal changes in the way I operate. Before buying something I ask myself “do you need this or do you want it”. If it’s a need it’s purchased without second thought; however, if it’s a want I’ll get around to it after awhile – if interest lingers.

If I give into a want I’ll make an adjustment elsewhere. For example, I saw a pair of shoes recently that I really want – I didn’t purchase them because they’re too expensive but I’m eyeballing them for a sale. I’m also going through the boxes in my closet to see what I can give away: making sure I’m not holding on to the blocks and the books.

Avoid envy, curtail jealousy, and prioritize your needs over your wants. Oh, and while you’re at it check the settings on your Google Assistant cause it is definitely listening.