When I think of Christmas, I always think back to the days I grew up in my grandmother’s house in Riverside. We did not have a lot of material possessions, but we had a big family that would always come together from across the various roads of life we were traveling.
For over 30 years, I have owned a company that started as an event management firm. I was blessed to work with some of the best companies, organizations, and individuals helping them with various events. I especially appreciated when I was able to work with groups that not only held an amazing event, but their main goal was to party with a purpose. Their desire was to raise funds and awareness to help others.
I once heard a pastor say that if you stop and count all your blessings and all the good things happening in your life, you will think twice before you start to complain. Although our world seems to be in chaos, when we look around there are still many things we can pause and be grateful for. As my grandmother used to say whenever you wake up above ground you have the opportunity to do something new or different with your life.
Getting our finances in order is always something good to do. Staying on top of and understanding where we stand financially is critical. October is Financial Planning Month, so if you have not taken a good look at your portfolio in a while, I recommend you do it now. As the saying goes, “keep your mind on your money, and your money on your mind.”
Spring and Fall are good times to plant trees because the soil temperature tends to be mild. As I ponder what is best to do during the various seasons, one of the questions I ask myself is, “What trees am I planting today that will provide shade for future generations?”
I moved to Los Angeles in 1979 from Riverside to attend the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). During those days, Riverside was considered a small town. Moving to the big city, I was excited, and I could not wait to see what my future held.
This past Saturday, we ushered in a new season. We said goodbye to Summer and welcomed the freshness of Fall. Globally, we have experienced so many changes and challenges with the weather that most of us believe there is such a thing as climate change. The erratic weather pattern makes it impossible to judge the seasons primarily on how hot or cold it is.
The word godfather prompts different images in our heads. Immediately many people think of the movie starring Marlon Brando and eventually Al Pacino. While others think of rhythm and blues artist James Brown.
Technology is not my lane. I always struggle with putting things in the right place on my computer. My former assistant would always tell me I need to set up folders to file things away and not have so many things saved on my desktop.
Life sends us through many trials and tribulations. When we go through the highs and lows, the question we must ask ourselves is did we just go through it or did we grow from it. If we just go through it, we are bound to experience the same adversity again until we learn the lesson.
When my first grandchild was born, I looked at him and I immediately said, “He looks just like me.” Whenever we have newborn family members, we always look to see who they favor.
I have often asked myself why it is important to become our best self. We owe it to ourselves, as well as to others, to live the life that God intends for us to live. If we want to live our best lives and contribute to our community, we first must understand what is our “why.”
As a young girl growing up in Riverside, my aunt was fascinated with butterflies, they were so beautiful and free, and she would admire their elegance and grace. I wondered how could something that started out as an unattractive caterpillar turn into something magnificent.
Two people in history that I have admired are Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. While these two men lived in different times and places, there are several notable similarities between them.
Do you think the United States of America should financially compensate Black Americans or Black communities for past wrongs like slavery, racial discrimination, and systemic inequality? If your answer is yes, then you believe in reparations.