Hello and welcome!

This week I am travelling, and yesterday I got to spend a little time with my most favourite senior citizen of all time Momma Dickerson.  I have both blogged and podcasted about Momma Dickerson in my posts ‘You Reserve The Right To Be Stupid’.  The truth is I don’t get to see her as often as I would like, but whenever I am in her presence, I listen to her with all of my heart and she has never disappointed.  Whether I get to spend a whole day, a week or even a few hours or moments with her, I usually leave with a treasure.

Momma by the way is the mother of my Coach and rocking chair buddy Anna McCoy.  So yesterday, I got the opportunity to spend time with her again.  To put into perspective for you, why what she said to me yesterday was important enough to share, is the fact that the last couple of years have been hard for Momma.  As with most Senior citizens, her body is the worse for wear, and it has slowed her down considerably.  She is no longer able to go about her business as she used to and while that is hard, as I saw her yesterday, I realised just within moments of looking at her that she understood that what has happened with her body is part of life and therefore, nothing to be ashamed or angry about.  She had a smile as I approached and after the hugs and kisses and asking after ‘them babies,’ she said to me.  ‘I am not able to move around as before, but I am not complaining, and I am grateful’.  She said to me she was grateful because she is well taken care of, but most importantly she said to me; ‘I may not be able to do as I used to do, but each time I see all of you, I know I have everything I need’.  That got to me…

We chit chatted and in the course of the conversation, I realise something most of us should never forget.  The fight is never for the body, or material things, the fight is for the spirit, and if you let your spirit be defeated, you might as well pack up and go back home, wherever home might be for you.  Then, as we talked some more, I also realised that she spoke her mind.  There was no skirting around the issues, she called it what it was, and none of it was in a hostile manner, rather, it was a matter of fact for her.

As I left her presence, I was grateful again for the chance to sit before greatness.  I was grateful for a woman; who has seen it all; pain, joy, suffering, victories and so much more, yet nothing has coloured or changed how she sees life but is grateful every step of the way.  I was grateful that I got to hear someone speak their mind with no fear or fervour and I wondered about my generation and the next and the next… why do we struggle to speak our minds, and when we get to do so, why do we tear each other down in the process.  Why can’t some things just be a matter of fact with no discolouration of any type?  More importantly, why is it such a hard thing for us to understand that life is… life and will happen to all of us?  Why is it so difficult for us to be grateful? And yes, why is perspective so difficult to get?

I am grateful I got to spend time with Momma again, I am grateful she didn’t let life steal her dignity, I am grateful she is not bitter, and I am grateful I can see just by observing her that it is not what has happened that matters but how we handle what has happened.  I truly am grateful for Momma.

Question: What is on your mind, really?

Embrace Your Super Power!

Bidemi