On 8 October (2001), the Lady who brought me into this world made her transition out of it.  All of my Life we knew that she had Health challenges that included a faulty ticker (though she had a Heart for the world), which was not helped by the nasty habit she had developed for nicotine by way of the Pall Mall cigarettes that she smoked.  But she even did that as a Lady, for she rarely smoked in public, reserving that for when she was at home in the confines of her personal surroundings.  And of course there was the caffeine addiction that I recall being manifested via the daily draining of a thirty-six cup coffee urn, that transitioned into Coca-Cola for the caffeine replacement.

But this is, in fact, a Love Letter in remembrance of my Mom.  For the Holy-Day (holiday) Season was always for her ‘♪…the most…wonderful time…of the year..♫.’!!!.  The gathering of family and friends.  The seasonal meals and activities.  The gifts that ‘wowed’ the children.  Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman.  (In fact, she always threatened me because I had become so ‘realistic’, she felt she would be forced to beat me for not sharing ‘Santa Claus’ with my children.)  The snow and the cold.  The Christmas Tree with its fragrant pine scent wafting through the home.  The budding New Year.  The Manger and the Wise Men.  (This part always reminds me of our in-home Bible study lessons in the shed kitchen where we ate dinner when it was just the four of us, learning the lessons of Life and Death, right and wrong.)  Yes, it was this time of the year that my Mom enjoyed above all others, and she relished in the joy of the entire Spirit of Christmas like a new babe overwhelmed with the lights, sounds, and all.

So since now is the heart of that period, from its onset at Hallow’s Eve (Hallow’s Eve, often mispronounced as “Halloween”, which is, in fact, the eve of All Saints’ Day, 1 November; a day that is set aside on the calendar for the revered remembrance of One’s ancestors.  It has now devolved into ridiculous costumes, ghosts and goblins, and the consumption of poisons (in the form of candy) for unsuspecting children on their way to juvenile on-set high blood sugar, often a wonderful precursor to childhood obesity.) to Thanksgiving and finally to Christmas.  I am carrying her Spirit and energy a bit more than usual some ten years after she made transition to the Universal Spirit.  A Love Letter drafting, now, because the time of the year fosters this discussion, and because one of her children, my first baby brother, Skipper, recently made his transition as well to join our Mom at this, ‘♪…the most…wonderful time…of the year..♫.’!!!.  (And though he had made this “early” path for himSelf, I was nowhere near ready for him to leave to return to the Universal Spirit at this time. Unfortunately, that event is now history, on the cusp of the Winter Solstice, the official Holy Day Season event.  He has rejoined Mom, who I am certain wanted him to cease the suffering that he endured in this Life.)  But I digress; this is a Love Letter in remembrance of my Mom.

Early in Life, my two brothers and I spent most of our time in the company of my Mom.  Our father usually worked two jobs, so was not often around during some of our very significant daily interactions.  Mom played games with us just like another child, and of course, to some degree she was another child, bearing me, her oldest son, at the age of nineteen.  It was Miss Helen that taught us how to shoot marbles, play Jacks, Kingball, and Deadbox.  We played many of the hot board games with my Mom, like Monopoly, Parcheesi, Pokeno, Trouble, Backgammon, and Checkers, as well as the card games WAR and Pitty-Pat.  She was extremely competitive, and hated a cheater.  In fact, her quote was “If you lie, you cheat, and if you cheat, you steal, and I can’t stand any of them- a liar, a cheater, or a thief”.  (And we were always told that if we went to jail for any of these violations, we were on our own.)  So a competitive win was honored, but cheating was definitely out when Mom was in the game.  (Oh, did I confuse you with some of those games mentioned above?  My bad!!  But all of them are still Healthy games for children and adults alike, so if you want to know more about them, give me a shout and I can enlighten you.)

And just like these childhood games were taught to me by my Mom, it was Miss Helen who taught us how to seat a woman at the table, hold the door for a Lady, and informed us as to where the silverware went on the table and the order of its use.  No, we did not often go to fancy restaurants, but we practiced at home at the dinner table, she being the Lady in every case.  Daily lessons in etiquette were a part of our home training, so that when in sixth grade, I was taken to the theatre (by my Mom), I was quite comfortable in the restaurant after the show.  (Thus, Miss Helen was actually my first date as well.)  Whether it was Linton’s, or Kelly’s Seafood Restaurant, or Horn and Hardart’s Automated Coin-Op Restaurant, understanding the value of social etiquette in public was an integral part of our upbringing.  Of course these basic training skills came in handy as I actually began to go to social events once I got older.  Even the concept of walking the Lady on the inside was drilled into my head by Miss Helen early on, so that there was no shock in doing this whenever walking with any Lady.  Unfortunately, it seems that many women are completely unaccustomed to this practice.  I remember years ago, I was questioned by several women as to why I kept ‘…hopping around…’ while we walked, with my only response, ‘My Mother ruined me, so you will just have to get used to it!!’.  (Note that in some Latin American countries, if the woman is walking on the outside, it indicates to others that she is for sale!!)

‘Ruin’ is probably not the most accurate term, but the lessons and guidance did establish those old-school values as pertains to interacting with the opposite sex.  When I went to college, the phrase that was taught to me by the older male students was that ‘…Discretion is the better part of Valor…’.  When I joined the Masonic Order, I was told that the secrets to Masonry were no more than what your Mamma taught you:  “Yes, Thank You!!, No Thank You!!, and Please!!”.  Thus, Mom was again at the forefront of the lessons that were/are most valuable in managing the social fabric of engagement.  And though I had my own ideas about doing things, there were these foundation lessons that stuck and maintain themselves in my psyche and general behavioral demeanor.

Yet, there were also lessons in the mundane.  We started cooking at a very early age, hanging out in my Mom’s kitchen making our own biscuits for dinner.  Preparing meals has carried through with us since that time, as each of us has spent time in a professional kitchen at some point in our working career.  Miss Helen’s vision was initially not so lofty, she just did not want her boys held hostage to some woman because we had no culinary skills, and I would have to say that that concern has been met.  Stove skills were not the end of the line – washing the dishes, and maintaining the kitchen was integral to our domestic training.  Cleaning house; no problem!!  By the time we were young teenagers, my Mom only did house work when she wanted to, for we did all of those chores.  A tear in your pants?  Find the needle and thread and stitch up the rip.  Doing the laundry once the mending was complete was just the next function on the list; and laundry was done on an old-fashioned wringer washing machine to boot.  A clean bathroom and kitchen, and a made-up bed were her hallmark themes that had to be kept just so, in the event of unexpected company.  Needless to say, we were thoroughly versed in the duties of Hazel and the butler; take your pick Giles or James.

But what of some of the other finer things in Life?  We grew up listening to jazz; this muse was ever-present in the house.  (Jazz is the first completely American music form, developed from rhythms of the African beat, vocalized through the slave songs wailed in the fields, the Spirituals, Religious Anthems, Gospels, and the Blues, and eventually drawing on the Classics of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and beyond – and clearly before!!)  Yes we heard Arthur Prysock, Sarah Vaughn, Cal Tjader, Lee Morgan, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Charles “Yardbird” Parker, Edward “Duke” Ellington, William “Count” Basie, Carmen McCrae, Johnny Mathis, David “Fathead” Newman, The Jazz Crusaders (later just ‘The Crusaders’), and Ray Charles, to name a few, on a daily basis.  This laid the foundation for me to further explore Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk,  and John Coltrane as I ventured further into the music.  Miss Helen also had us listening to Frank Sinatra, Ima Sumack, and Xavier Cugat.  We urged her into the Motown Sound (well I thought it was us through the prompting of the neighborhood teenagers who were blasting the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder all around us), but I recently came to understand that the popular music of the ‘Bobby-Socksers’ was no foreign sound to Miss Helen either.  On a weekly basis, we gathered in the Living Room (Miss Helen and the three boys; the fourth came later) to vote on which ‘forty-fives’ we going to buy from the record store for a nickel a piece to play on the “Hi-Fi”; all this before I headed off to college, on the ‘Soul’ of Aretha and the Spinners.

But when I returned a year later, it seemed that my brothers had ‘discotized” my Mom, because the radio was now constantly tuned to WDAS F.M., whereas when I left one year earlier, Miss Helen was holding fast to her WIP A.M. radio, listening to Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66, Mitch Mitchell, and “Fridays with Frank” on the Mark of Jazz with Sid Mark on WHAT F.M..  The old doors had been blown off, and Teddy Pendergrass, Deniece Williams, The Isley Brothers, and George Benson were commanding the audial attention in the house.  But in reality, the evolution had been going on throughout our maturation, I just had not noticed it before.

‘But what does all of this have to do with the Love Letter that you insisted on at the beginning of this diatribe’, you may ask?  Well, though I mentioned that we are now in the throes of “♪…the most…wonderful time…of the year..♫!!!”, hearing music and wading through memories and experiences with Miss Helen is an all year experience.  Anytime I play music, inevitably my Mom, Miss Helen, is going to poke her loving Spirit through the sound and pay me a visit.  I am invariably going to pull out an album (ooops, I mean CD) that is going to generate sounds that will take me to some period in my Life when Mom held sway and influence over the sounds that I heard through the music that was generated on the Hi-Fi, or the stereo.  Music was one of our special connections, and her indomitable Spirit continues to speak to me through any and all music, and especially during this, “♪…the most…wonderful time…of the year..♫!!!”.  It is at this time, the height of the Holy Day Season that my Mom loved so much, that the sounds are concentrated, and the warmth and joy of the Holy Day Season are aglow, and all of the music is most evident in the hummings, rhythms, and soundscapes that culminate in the dinner dressings and desserts.  And amidst it all is Mom!!!

(Did I mention that as a Boy Scout, at Hart Scout Reservation, we were always in camp during the celebratory week of 25 July, and it was at this time that the camp celebrated “Christmas in July”, so Christmas Carols were sung throughout the week by the staff.  Thus to this day, I am still wont to sing Christmas Carols during the month of July!?!?!!!!  – Therefore, music has no seasonal limitation for me!)

Let me also mention the child-likeness and Spirit that we enjoyed with Miss Helen.  From “Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin” to “Frosty the Snowman” to “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”, to “The Scrooge Christmas Carol (Bah-Humbug!!!!)” starring Mr. McGoo, and the other animated shows that populate the television airwaves for the younger Ones that believe in the power of Santa Claus, and the Spirit! of Christmas, Miss Helen was parked in front of the magic-box watching every year, as if it were the first time that she gazed upon these images.  She thoroughly enjoyed these shows that generated smiles, hinting a return to the innocence of a Child, and by extension, a Child-of-God!!!

Thus it is with heavy, but joyous and Loving heart, that I write what may not necessarily sound like a Love Letter, but believe you me, this is a serious Love Letter!!!  A Love Letter that I write in remembrance of my Mom, Miss Helen (and even my first baby brother, Skip, who is now with her), as we forge forward through her favorite time of the year, which is “♪…the most…wonderful time…of the year..♫”!!!!

Let me close by noting that there is an African proverb that states that as long as a person’s name is mentioned, that person shall live forever.  Thus, through the words of this Universally shared, but very personally flavored brief memoir, I continue to invoke the name and Spirit! of my Mom, Miss Helen, that she may live forever, by way of this single “Love Letter”!!

At about 1:30 A.M. on Sunday morning, 18 September (2011), I was told that there was glass heard breaking in the back alley, but Life went on, and whomever it was that broke the window in the alley portion of my backyard, made their way into my home to eventually steal the flat screen television that I used as the monitor for my computer, and about three hundred dollars in change left in bowls and vases scattered around my home.  I discovered the results on Monday afternoon when returning home to prepare for a workshop presentation later on that day.  Needless to say, I did not make that event, with the police report and all, and exploring methods and tools to better secure my ‘property’.  Interesting word property, because now after having my ‘home’ violated’ by unwanted scurvy, the sanctity of what I knew as home felt dirty, violated, and like property; “…a house is not a home…” after such an event.

As a result, I have been forced to “prison-ate” the house; all of the windows at the back of the house have custom bars over them.  The back door, where the vermin exited after going through my belongings, now has a locked gate in place to thwart escape, should the property be targeted again, I being the fifth, and so far, final victim of an attempted, and in some cases successful, break-in on my narrow street.  And though no one knows anything, the finger-pointing was fast and furious in the first several days.  I spoke to the potential assailant, and am probably speaking to the actual bandit when I am about my business through the block.  The police investigation turned up nothing, and only further enforced my sense that they are often useless when it comes to criminal activity in my neighborhood.

In addition to the very real sense of being barred in/out now, I reluctantly, but circumstantially purchased an alarm system that alerts “Five-O” in the event that there is an unsanctioned breach of the entry points of the house.  The reality of a poor economic climate, and living around a majority of persons whose daily activities occur within a five block radius, combined with a myriad of additional psycho-social challenges, and the need to live the American dream at the cost of others, only makes the events that led up to my personal rip-off understandable, predictable, but no less rattling and disturbing.

Yet despite this, there are positive take-aways that show that the Universe has a sense of humor (or highlights the short-comings of those that engage in such behaviors).  The flat-screen television was used as my computer monitor.  Fortunately, the computer was left on the workstation, unharmed.  This was critical, for being in business and not losing the data stored on the computer saved me years of ‘interruptive’ retrieval work; and though much of it is backed up, there is still the little minor annoyance of having to go to the second source for data retrieval.  The music system was left alone.  Though there was dirt from a defunct bonsai tree poured onto my dry cleaning, most everything was left intact.  And finally, while I was actually at home earlier that evening, something compelling drew me out, and may have been the difference between me being merely robbed, rather than maimed, or worse yet, dead.

So, ‘one step back’; financially strained as a result of attempting to avoid such a breach in the future at this physical location.  And while this was not a welcomed gala, at the time, I was about three weeks into a training that would give me a new Health and Wellness skill to ply in conjunction with my other dynamic services.  The new skill is ‘Therapeutic Foot Manipulation – Reflexology’.  In addressing the soles of a client’s feet, it is possible in a glance to assess very general things about the quality of their Health, and provide relief to an exhausted being.  In Biblical times, this practice was known as ‘the washing of the feet’, and was usually reserved for worthy travelers that had walked some distance.  It was an honor to have the ceremony performed, and depending on the guest, an honor to be chosen to perform the rite.  Just as a body massage tends to be rather relieving to the recipient (and often the giver), a foot manipulation is an excellent way to provide absolute relief to the weary.  Consider that the way to get from one place to another often requires that One place the whole weight of the body onto the two feet; transport devices.

Having your ‘two feet up’, allowing someone to rub out the kinks and strains of the day is more than just relaxing, but it is beneficial to the Mind, Body, and the Spirit.  If done on a regular basis, the strains of the week, month, Life can be minimized, and in many cases erased; it is soothing.  Know that if this service is provided on a regular basis (within the space of thirty days) the beneficial effects will become cumulative.)  And for its relatively impersonal approach, it is a technique that has very positive effects akin to a full body massage, when done to your liking.  Done properly, a therapeutic foot manipulation will make you melt like butter in the hands of the trained practitioner, and ease Life’s strains.

Thus, Life throws you its curves.  It tests you in the experience of being Human.  As the ‘Earth, Wind, and Fire” lyric instructs, ‘…Life is very fair, but so uncool…’.  How you handle the adversities (and the wins) reveals your constitutional nature, as well as what you have learned from the prior experiences, and how you managed them.  So for now, as annoyed as I am about the unwanted entry into my home, to move past it as progressively as possible, I have taken the light from the situation and framed it thus:

“One Step Back – Two Feet Up!!”.

۩ss Crack
The opposite side of the waistline argument pertains to the young girls (and women), who swear that they cannot buy a pair of pants that are loose enough, and full enough to cover the cracks of their ۩sses.  Have you been accosted while sitting on the bus by the woman who is sitting directly in front of you, who stands up to exist the bus, and then you are blinded with five inches of fresh, unadulterated ۩ss Crack. Damn!!!

And believe me, one size does not fit all!! Big ones, thin ones, thick ones – there is no telling when you may be attacked by the Crack.  Walking down the street, right after lunch, it peers out from below the too-short blouse with frills and flesh – and Crack.  Fashion designers are saving tons of money on fabric, but we are witnesses to the revealed tons of ۩ss Crack as a result of their economic savings.  But everything in its place, as ۩ss Crack has its functional role in the needs of the body, but it is hardly a valuable aesthetic that has been foisted on the vision of the public.

And of course, in the role of runner up is ‘too tight Coochie View’.  It is suggested that men wear boxers rather than briefs because it allows the genitals to breathe.  Women need to heed this message as well.  The tightness of the pants does not allow ‘that Girl’ to breathe.  Dye from the material further complicates this situation, and the next thing you know, Toxicana Kitty Kat.  Air; it is not just for Athletic Shoes.

Too Fat to Fit – It Was Not Made for You

Miss Helen always said, “Just because it is in the store does not mean that it was made for you to purchase and wear.”  As the fattest nation on the planet, Super XXX sizes are an American invention.  Yeah you have Sumos in Japan, and American Samoans (see that word American again), but it is recognized that this small class of individuals are an anomaly to that specific society.  The Super XXX size is almost standard, and even this is too small for both men and women in this society.  How do I know?  I see them on the streets of Philadelphia, New York, D.C., Port of Spain, Boston, and there are comments made about this phenomenon in the newspaper and medical journals.  Though the textile industry has attempted to keep up, and these larger sizes do exist, some things were just not made for everyone.  Just because you can afford the outfit that your neighbors’ daughters wear, does not mean that it looks good on you.  Now seriously, you may want to consider dropping about one hundred of those pounds before you make a concerted effort to redo your wardrobe.  I don’t understand you say. Well, though Mo’Nique made a living on ‘Big Girl’ comedy, it seems that she has scaled back the pounds.  Still a ‘Big Girl’, but probably a lot Healthier as a result of the size reduction.  Can you say “Jennifer Hudson”?  And I love me some “Queen”.  But Latifah made the argument that she needed to “trim the Girls” because they were causing her Health concerns.  Dress age-appropriate, and be elegant!!

Dishonorable Mention:  Just because you are thin, does not automatically mean that you look good.  A good meal and/or some heavy gravy may be your best friend.  Are you listed here?

Cellular Telephone Talking and Personal Business
I really do not want to hear about Mookie’s attitude, and how he always givin’ you grief, but won’t stop comin’ around for the boote…’.

I could care less about how you are ‘…tired of these damn kids, and their teacher callin’ up to come get them outta school because they ain’t actin’ right in class; thas’ they damn job to handle that sh*t…’.

I am the least bit interested in knowing that ‘…your bills are so far behind that you are on the verge of being evicted, and nobody in your family is shoveling over the money to help you out, because the last time you disappeared for three weeks to the crack house and spent up all the money they lent you for the last episode of eviction scare’….

Kindly keep to yourself, that ‘…you had to leave town because they wanted you to murder tha’ boy, and you jus’ wasn’t down wit dat sh*t’; they crazy’….

Ever wonder how we got to know all of this stuff about the people around you as you travel through the city, supposedly minding your own business, but being encased in these conversations?

Two words:  Cellular Telephones

With the explosion of affordable technology, we have been forcefully included in conversations that were in the recent past, none of our business.  Most of the urban population uses this technology, and when they use it, they do it loudly.  Thus I am an unwilling participant in the conversation.  Very personal, and very unwanted information is being streamed to me on a regular basis as I attempt to avoid these steady intrusions from peoples’ lives that I do not (nor want to) know.  Just like cashiers, cellular telephone use in confined quarters should be disallowed, and volume police probably need to be hired.  Better yet, create the technology that monitors volume, and when you exceed the limit, you are duly reminded.

Dishonorable Mention:  Foreigners seem to talk the loudest.  I have no idea what they are discussing, whether they are from Africa, India, Poland, or China, but they have the discussion at such a volume that it is audibly disturbing.  Know that it is a consistent pattern that I have noticed locally, and in my travels.  If One put their mouth close enough to the transmitter, there is a high probability that it is unnecessary to yell at the device; just a personal observation.

Dishonorable Mention – Stupid Announcement:  Older persons who are traveling on public transportation need to much intelligent about their telephone etiquette in such environments.  For someone who is challenged by multiple maladies, including poor hearing, and less than agile movement, announcing on your cellular telephone that you are going to, or coming from the bank, is probably not the most beneficial discussion to have while on the bus, subway, or commuter train.  There are younger, stronger, more desperate individuals, (male and female) that can use the money in your wallet or pocketbook for their own needs and wants.  And in your compromised physical condition, you may b a candidate for making a sacrifice to the ‘Gank-Gods’ (crooks, thieves, and strong-arms).  Not to mention that your frail person may be subjected to additional physical hardship in the process of donating to these financial relief experts.  Save your conversation for when you are in the privacy of your own home; not public transportation (unless of course, these personalities live in your home; if so, mum’s the word).

Cigarette Smoke
It would seem that in today’s industrialized societies, where information is readily available about most things whether personal, professional, or social, that the reality that cigarette smoking (or any smoking that requires one to ingest hot fumes) is probably not the best thing for anyone’s Health to deliberately inhale.  As I walk around the streets of Philadelphia, it amazes me that so many people still smoke (though I now know that the active narcotic in cigarettes, nicotine, is extremely addictive, and stimulates pleasure centers in the brain that make it even more difficult to discard).  Nicotine is produces “free radicals” in the body and starves the system of oxygen.  Free radicals damage the body’s DNA (DNA makes you you and someone or something else), which is the chemical structure inside the body that makes you you.  Damaged or mutated DNA is a major contributor to cancer, which has its roots in free radicals generated by cigarette smoking.  Note also that there are approximately six hundred (600) additives in cigarettes including ammonia, that further exacerbate the deteriorating characteristics of the nicotine, and become even more dangerous when burned.  For example when a cigarette is burned chemical reactions produce hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides all of which are very toxic and/or carcinogenic.

But adults have an option to do as they please, so if you would like to be exposed to these proven toxins, you are welcomed to do so.  But cigarette smoke is not static; it moves.  Those persons who do not want this imposition are exposed to any of the related ailments associated with this smoke consumption.  So for those restaurants that have a ‘smoking section’ I have to state that they are not really concerned about their Health or that of their non-smoking patrons, because smoke moves; again, it is not static.  The importance of this Health hazard cannot be overlooked, despite its economic beneficial economic impact.

Dishonorable Mention:  Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the site of the annual Montreal Jazz Festival is also the second worse city in Quebec behind Quebec City in terms of its cigarette smoking population.  This activity in Montreal is always acutely displeasurable and takes some of the enjoyment out of attending the festival.  There is a complaisance about it that defies logic, but maybe the complaisance is fueled by universal Health care for all in Canada.  Unfortunately, smoking is linked to lung cancer, and cancer still kills.

Body Odor and Bad Breath
There are many sources for body odor and bad breath.  Bad breath often starts in the mouth, but often is generated by putrefaction living inside the small intestine in the form of un-eliminated waste. If that bad breath smells like “poop” it is most likely “poop” in the gut; and old “poop” at that.  Drinking water and eating a Nutrition regimen high in vegetables and fruits can address this challenge in the long-term.  A series of high colonics may be the immediate fix for this challenge.

“B.O.” can also be the result of a poorly kept internal environment, but the more immediate remedy for this is “a bath”!!!  This is not a drip on those whose living situation is extremely challenged and their ability to access proper lavatory hampers their ability to handle this bodily requirement.  This is about those persons who work every day, have the means to bath regularly, but choose to avoid the activity, whether morning, noon, or night.  I have walked by persons in professional environments who smell like goat-herders; not good!!  We need to find a way to say to these persons that this is not a cultural entitlement; it is offensive, kindly change!!  And if the discussion gets stuck in the cultural arena, remind them that the “cowboy culture” of bathing only on Saturday nights is no longer the norm and is therefore not welcomed in modern society.

Respect YourSelf
This is a difficult area. Many have no idea what it means to ‘respect One’s Self’.  It is not just about One’s likes and dislikes.  It seems that the key to this lies in the concept of Self-Esteem, which itself is intricately anchored to One’s level of Self-Confidence.  Self-Confidence is feeling comfortable about One’s ability.  Thus, these three states of mind (Self-Respect, Self-Esteem, and Self-Confidence) are intricately interwoven, and influence the general character of the individual.  but when viewing Self-Esteem, this idea becomes more generalized to encompass One’s overall comfort in all aspects of One’s Life.  And it should be noted that in respecting the Self, it is not necessary to denigrate others.  Any attitudes or reflected behaviors (yes, attitudes and behaviors are different, though attitudes usually dictate how One behaves) that resemble non-appreciation of other Human beings is something other than Self-Respect.  If people generally enjoy spending time with you because of who you are, and not because of what you have, or what you can do to or for them, it is likely that you have a decent handle on the Self-Respect/Self-Esteem/Self-Confidence locus. Therefore, for those who do not have it going-on in this arena, incorporating a Healthy dose of Self-Respect may be a great additional to enhance the quality of your Life.   This can be easily accomplished by spending some quality alone-time with yourSelf to review this partition of your Life.

Babies Making Babies
“Youth is wasted on the young!!”  As I watch the children of children attempt to make their way through the maze of Life with little or no valuable guidance, it is a sad reminder of how far we have come/fallen as a species by way of the modern creature comforts that have eroded our sense of, and actual Humanity.

All Guts, No Glory
There is a difference in seeing someone, male or female, in a shirt or blouse that shows off a “six-pack” of abdominal muscles, as opposed to ‘jelly’.  So for those who only have ‘guts to display’, believe me, these ‘revealing’ tops on you are anything but ‘glorious’.  Stop it!!!

Personal Space
When I get on the bus, I try to distance mySelf from others allowing them, as much as is reasonably possible, their personal space.  So I am quite annoyed with the person who gets onto a near-empty bus and comes to sit right next to me.  I always wonder if the individual is so insecure that they need to blend into my person to hide.  Or alternatively, I wonder what their motivations are, and if they are trying to do something to me.  I now try to avoid this conundrum because I often sit on the outside seat, which forces the individual to ask to cross over me, and more often than not, if they of the first personality mentioned above, they are not going to pierce that wall.  Peace and quiet in travel; what a luxury.

Dishonorable Mention:  At open concert events, I again try to sit away from the crowds and find a space alone.  Invariably, someone immediately shows up and sits in my damn lap, like they cannot make a decision until I make one; that my location is the only one of thousands that look like the place to sit.  Again, this personal space issue becomes unwieldy and confining because it seems that the public at-large has a difficult time standing on their own two feet, or sitting in their own personal space.

Fake Hair
This fashion service is not new.  Ladies have been enhancing their persons with fake stuff ever since clothing became fashion, thus moving beyond function.   Fashion developed out of ‘costumes’ and informs the general public as to trends in dress, especially as pertains to clothing, shoes, and accessories that extend the look of the person.

The primary function of hair is to protect the human by providing heat in the winter and cooling in the summer, but is more often thought of in a more social context.  As a result, for centuries, hair has become an obsession in itself.  Having long hair is often thought as valuable, and Chris Rock did an expose’ on the notion of “good hair” and the lengths that many go to to have hair on their heads.

I rant because like many obsessions, it has moved many from more substantial concerns, like Health and Wellness (though for some, it is become the key external vehicle to bolster their Self-Esteem), skills, relationships, and a lasting view of the world in which we all Live and breathe.  There is so much more that can be explored concerning this topic, but as I have been told, “…It is my hair; I paid good (or not so good) money for it…”.  Fling on!!!

Junk-Food Vegetarians
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains are the components of a vegetarian Life-Style.  Animals and their by-products do not truly qualify as plant-based items which, along with animal rights, may have fostered the need to identify as OneSelf as a “Vegan” to make certain that it is understood that no animals or their by-products are eaten, and if possible, used (like in clothing).

There are many that may not eat animal products, but continue to harm themSelves through the consumption of minimally Nutritious items, such as potato chips, candy, processed snacks and drinks.  And let me remind those that know me, I have a fetish for potato chips and fine chocolate, but these are not my staple.  Processed foods are processed foods, and their ability to provide what a body needs are limited to the level of processing of the item, and to the ability of the individual body to break it down and absorb what is useful from the consumption. I follow a “plant-based” regimen, and approximately ninety to ninety-five percent (90-95%) of what I eat on a daily basis are plants in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds; assisted by the periodic piece of fish, and plenty of water.  Most of my juices are blended or squeezed at home, and ‘Voila!!!’.

So, I am not harping on the consumption of processed items to the point of ad nauseam.  I am strongly suggesting that those who have stopped eating meat to become vegetarian, take it upon themSelves to also do some homework, and less that, eat some fresh fruits and vegetables, supported by a all-star cast of whole grains (not pasta and white rice), nuts, seeds, Sea Vegetables, and beans, and avoid the dairy (including cheese), alcohol, chemicals, and toxins to allow the body to make its necessary adjustments to this new approach to food consumption.

Health Takes Personal Commitment
To close, let me insist that the quality of One’s Health is a direct result of the care and attention that the individual pays to those things that are happening in their kitchens, outings, and Lives. Doctors and Wellness Practitioners will lead you to the door using their specific methodologies.  But it is really up to You!!, the individual, to make certain that you are in optimal shape and consuming the best beneficial foods.  You have to want and pursue a high quality of Life as a matter of Life and Death.  Because in reality, it is a ‘…matter of Life and Death…’; Yours!!!  (And just know that there such things as ‘the walking dead’; they are just too hyper to lie down.)

So straight up: you are the best person to invest in, and improve your Personal Health.  Guidance comes from many sources, but it is really up to you to do the work once receiving the data, whether from reading or counseling or a medical advisor.  And remember, “Bon appétit!!”.

In September (2001), I made my first excursion to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago to witness the marriage of my first cousin to his bride, and descendant of Trinidad.  The afternoon marriage was performed on the beach of Grande Riviere Trinidad, a literal stone’s throw from the Caribbean Sea.  We were sustained by the Indo-Caribbean cuisine that has evolved over the centuries that incorporate elements of the Caribbean and Indian, with Hindu and Asian dishes to make full use of the indigenous agriculture and livestock of the region.  Fresh fruit punch for breakfast, or any time of the day, coconuts, Amaranth, (taro/dasheen bush), spinach, shark, and Scotch Bonnet peppers all combine in this cuisine to create ‘coconut’ bake, roti (bread wraps) of all sorts, callaloo soup, or pepper sauce:  the items that define this vibrant cuisine.  All in the crucible of the near-equatorial heat, surrounded by the music of Calypso and Soca that is the backdrop for “limin’ and winin’” – relaxing and dancing (winding).  This first experience stimulated several returns, but this year I returned for the annual celebration that precedes the religious observance of Lent – “Carnival”.

The theme for Carnival this year was “Back to D’ Savannah”, which spoke to a return to the large park area known as the ‘Queen’s Park Savannah’ on the edge of the capital of Trinidad, Port of Spain.  There is a major staging area there, and for Carnival there are parades, bands, costumes, music, and feting (fete – partying) that eventually finds large groups of people in the Savannah throughout the celebration.  Carnival proper, is the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and officially starts on Monday morning at around 4:00 A.M. with an event known as “J’Ouvert” (which means daybreak), which lasts until about 7:00 A.M..  (According to historical accounts, this particular portion of Carnival is rooted in the slavery period of French Carnival where the slaves tried to disguise themselves with mud and paint to be allowed into the costumed balls.)  Monday is a kind of informal presentation of costumes and bands, with Tuesday being the day for full regalia in the streets until the last bands cross the stage of the Queen’s Park Savannah.  And then there is a mad dash to Tobago to “lime” on the beaches of that island, and I guess to detoxify before fully returning to work the following Monday.

A very enjoyable time overall, but from a Health and Wellness perspective, I noticed that there is a ton bread-type items served at all the meals, and like the United States, you really need to search out a restaurant to get served quality greens.  Yes, there was the obligatory salad, and though I was in ‘Callaloo-Land’ for nine days, I had not one bowl during the time due to pre-fixe menus at many of the establishments at which I found mySelf dining.  Saved by the supplements of Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae (Blue-Green Algae), Chlorella, Spirulina, and digestive enzymes, I was able to combat the limitations of such a daily consumption to ensure the intense greens required by the human body.  So, Carnival was a success, and I have already been asked to set up next year’s excursion (from 16-25 February (2012)).  Find below images from this year’s event to provide a sense of the experience in both Trinidad and Tobago.

Arrival – Ready, Set, Win’!!!

Upon leaving customs in the Piarco Airport in Trinidad during Carnival, these are some of the first images One encounters.  Make it your business to check out the standardized Taxi Rate Placard” giving you a sense of what it will cost to get from the airport to your destination.  Prices are in both local currency (“TT Dollars”) and U.S. currency.

One’s first images are warm and welcoming.

Coblentz Inn and Battimamzelle Restaurant

We stayed in an area just outside of the capital, Port of Spain, known as Saint Ann’s.  Saint Ann’s is right next door to the Carnival main events on the Queen’s Park Savannah, and our resort, Coblentz Inn, was an approximate fifteen minute walk down the hill to the happenings.  To boot, it was a very nice boutique hotel, with a phenomenal resort and restaurant staff.  I am definitely looking forward to another stay at the Coblentz Inn…

Coblentz offers a wonderful combination of Comfort and Relaxation; RnR.

…and Battimamzelle Restaurant

Island-elegant dining is readily available at Battimamzelle!!

The Saint Ann’s Neighborhood

As you walk down the street toward the Queen’s Park Savannah, these are some of the sights along the way.  So if you want to shop or get your forgotten medication, or secure some Spiritual comfort, these are available to you in this neighborhood.  Additionally, there are other hotels with restaurants and other activities to visitors – cultural events at the Queen’s Hall.

These images approximate our daily walk out.

Friday’s Frederick Street Walk through Port of Spain

On Friday, we had to go to Port of Spain to collect our tickets for the ferry ride from Trinidad to Tobago the following week.  It turns out that Frederick Street is the main street for the bands to travel on the day of Carnival.  The other main street is Charlotte Street, next to, and parallel to Frederick Street; there are many historic sites on Frederick as well.  These are some of those sites.

National treasure images.

San Fernando Day Excursion

After walking to, and through Port of Spain, we took a water taxi to San Fernando which is south of the capital.  It was toward the end of the day, so we did stay very long, but it was an opportunity to check out another part of the country, through a new type of experience.  San Fernando is built around a mountain, very similar to Montreal (or for the natives, Mont Royal, or ‘the royal mountain’).  These were some of the sites we consumed for that portion of our day, at the end of which was a dusk image of the statue in the center of ‘Memorial Park’, where we enjoyed Carnival revelry on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

A full day’s activities and sites in another part of Trinidad.

Children’s Day on the Savannah

On the Saturday before Carnival, the children have the opportunity to participate in Carnival Mas.  We did not spend the day on the Savannah this day, because we were trying to get to one of the mall’s to purchase some literature, and we were already warned that Sunday was ‘iffy’ and that Monday and Tuesday, the only game in town was Carnival, so you had better make it count.  However, toward the mall, we were able to capture a few children’s/family images along the Savannah that Saturday.  We even experienced Dr. Slinger Francisco, known to the world as “The Mighty Sparrow” at the foot of Saint Ann’s.

Sunday Evening – The Quiet Before the Storm

On Sunday we went to the Savannah because the bands are working on some of the final touches to the costumes/floats that will be displayed during the parade.  Again, Monday is somewhat unofficial before the big day on Tuesday.  Behold:  Carnival costumes in waiting.

And So It Begins…

We did not take part in J’Ouvert.  It was our understanding that you know the people with whom you participate.  Remember, J’Ouvert is a celebration that often manifests concealment, via masks and painting.  And though it should be a ‘celebration’, for some it becomes an opportunity for taking advantage, and criminal activities creep into an otherwise harmless event.  Per those warning by those with whom we came in contact, we by-passed the early morning event and came out to the ‘unofficial’ day of Carnival Monday activities, with the bands, the music, partial mas, and sunshine!!  (Well, it was actually overcast on Monday.)

Winin’ – For Real

Limin’ and Winin’ go hand in hand.  But “Winin’” is the dance that Trini’s do which you can probably recognize as similar to the dance and gyration done on most Hip Hop video presentations.  Below, you will see a young lady winin’ alone in the street.  You will notice that she knew I was taking her image and shared this visual.  Unfortunately, it is not moving video, but I think you will get it.

…and just in case you did not get it…

I do believe you have it!!!

Strike a Pose!!!

On Carnival Tuesday, revelers were in full costume for the balance of the day.  Engaging a camera, any camera, is all part of the allure, and in the following images, most of the costumed revelers are staring directly into the “image capture box”.

Full regalia in the house…

…and then some…

…and for good reason.

Tobago Lime

When Trinidadians cannot afford a trip to the United States and beyond, one of the vacation spots of choice is the island of Tobago.  Tobago and Trinidad were separate governmental entities until around (1962), when they became independent of United Kingdom rule.  Tobagoans get to enjoy much prettier beaches that Trinidad, and thus it becomes the default vacation place to lime, inexpensively.  It is also Carnival tradition to get to Tobago after the excesses of celebration during the ‘Holy Day’.  Below are some of the images taken in during our stay on that island.

Kariwak Village

We stayed at a holistic spa in Crown Point, Tobago, which speaks to having a ‘Wellness’ component associated with Ultimate You!! Accommodations’ travel excursions.  There were yoga and Tai Chi classes, massages and Reiki services; the food was prepared with herbs grown on site, and the drinking water was ozonated.  Though the facility was nice and very accessible from the airport (it is right around the corner), the management was quite inaccessible.  Additionally, many of the staff were robotic and sterile.  Good thing the weather was warm to compensate for the lack of personal warmth; maybe we just did not fit into their customer profile.

Inviting.

Crown Point, Tobago – Sights and Beaches

Scarborough, Tobago is the capital and major city of the island.  If One takes the ferry from Trinidad to Tobago, this is the port at which you will disembark.  Also, cruise ships spend their time in Scarborough as well.   However, twenty minutes down the road is Crown Point International Airport, and it where we stayed during all of our stays due this phenomenal accessibility.  Tobago has great beaches, but as a non-beach person, the Crown Point location offers easy mobility to many of the activities – limin’ and winin’.  The images below are all within walking distance of the airport and the resort in that area.

  Pigeon Point Heritage Park is the only beach that charges an entrance fee:  $18.00 TT ($3.00 U.S.) per person.

Departure

All in all, this was a really great excursion.  The national celebration of the annual Carnival was new and exciting, and allowed us a very different access to Trinidad than previous visits, as we stayed in more remote areas of the island.  I would encourage you to ‘…get your win’ and lime on’ at the Trinidadian Carnival at least once.   Mardi Gras is only in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is nation-wide.  Get some!!!

A few airport images at your final departure.

Join us at next year’s Carnival and Tobago lime – 16-25 February (2012)!!

For Carnival, there are bands and music in the streets, final selections for the best bands, the best ‘mas’ (masks or costumes), etcetera, and the final competitors are selected well before the weekend’s activities get underway.   There are events throughout that weekend that are in/directly associated with the two day celebration, and lead up to crownings for the winners, some of which occur as early as Friday of Carnival weekend.  The steel bands march through the streets with throngs of revelers following their music-spewing vehicles, and on Tuesday, elaborate costumes are adorned by those so inclined.   Carnival in Trinidad this year was in March, and the average day-time high temperature was 87 degrees, with an overnight low of about 70 degrees.  Needless to say, costumes were rather scant.

Now it is my understanding that one of the attitudinal highlights of visiting some of the Caribbean islands is the sense of pride that is exuded from these former slaves.  There is a sense of Self-Esteem that is generally expressed in the walk, the stature, etcetera.  This was first displayed to me during my freshman year at Lincoln University when interacting with the continental Africans and Caribbean students.   There was a ‘haughtiness’, if you will, that was loud and clear in their dealings with the ‘African-American/Black’ students who were also in attendance at Lincoln.  And mind you, this was a general observation.  It was always an interesting attitude to me since many of the islands are economically poor, so the attitude seemed misplaced to me since they were coming to the United States (where I am a ‘native’, born and reared) to get an education.  I dismissed the attitude, because often I have been told that I have the same type of attitude, and have been called many of the associated derogatory adjectives, including:  ‘smart n♦gg♠’, ‘boozhie’, ‘uppity’, etcetera.  To which I have responded that ‘Self-Confidence seems like all of those negatives, but my mother told me different’, (so there!!).

Yet at some point Self-Pride and Self-Confidence affects other factors that cannot be ‘hidden’; so back to Carnival and the costumes that were worn.  For two days, I had the displeasure of seeing scant costumes on bodies for which such an absence of material was not designed, though purchased.  At first I thought it was the ‘puritanical’ foundations of my upbringing – many on the East Coast have not escaped the Quaker principles that lie underneath significant portions of that world view – but I had the opportunity to speak with several ladies in Trinidad who confirmed that ‘no shame in One’s game, is in fact, the name of the game’.  Pride, in this case, outweighed ‘responsible fashion sense’, and many manner of visual atrocity was revealed under the guise of Carnival revelry.  During these conversations with the more chaste-oriented ladies of Trinidad, they expressed the importance wearing clothing that flattered, rather than wailed.  It reinforced the concept that ‘production, availability, and affordability’ does not directly translate to “wearability”.  It was so refreshing to move through an environment where Self-Esteem and Self-Pride is the daily mantle, for the men and women, but I also embraced the aesthetic that a balance needs to ensure that public display does not devolve into ‘Pride and Shame’.

Health and Wellness is really rather simple: ‘Consume those things that provide the body with the Nutrients it needs to function, and find those Nutrients in the most Natural, Humanly bio-available condition possible, and everything else will take care of itSelf’.   This approach to Health and Wellness is built from the reality that ‘…given the proper materials, in sufficient amount, provided the appropriate amount of time for biochemistry to function, and the body WILL HEAL ITSELF’.  Yes!  It is that simple.

So why is Nutrition deemed to be so complicated?  Well, it is not that complicated.  What is complicated is trying to incorporate the ‘modern’ Life-Style into the ‘old Human organism’, trying to make it a perfect fit.  Not only does it complicate things, it is a difficult proposition, and even more difficult to achieve.  What I propose is that you become intent on making a concerted effort at “Keeping It Real!”.

Eating food is one of the most fundamental ways for people to get the Nutrients into their systems.  Historically, our food was either grown in the ground, or our food consumed its food from the earth (including the waterways and oceans).  The ecological system of ‘eating up the food chain’ is the primary method for most creatures, Humans included. In the early part of the twentieth century, there was an uproar, noted by Senate Document 264 of the 74th Congress, 2nd Session (1936), that the soil growing our foods was miraculously depleted, thus ninety-nine percent of all Americans were Nutrient deficient.  It was also about this time that ‘modern inorganic/synthetic farming’ practices had come into vogue, and plants, just like Humans, have a difficult time assimilating synthetic materials and converting them biologically to useful organic materials.   The result is that the plants are compromised, thus their product (our food) is compromised in its ability to provide what it is that we need to gain from it Nutritionally.  By extension, if the plants are compromised for Human consumption, they are also compromised for livestock consumption, so the entire food chain is ‘depleted’ of its Nutrients because the ‘soil’ is compromised by the synthetic additives forced onto it by modern farming methods.  To make a pun, it seems that this gets us, at least, near the “root of the problem”.

The soil is depleted because it has had synthetic substances dumped into it, that are then absorbed by the ‘organic’ plants that we (and our livestock) eat.   The plants cannot metabolize (synthesize/digest) these substances, so their biological structures take a hit, and as a result are limited in their ability to be fully Nutritious for us, and we resultantly become Nutrient deficient after consuming these foodstuffs.

Simple; the problem is solved – return to ‘organic’ substances to feed the plants that in turn, feed us and our livestock, and everyone gets what they need and goes about their merry way.   Right!?!  Not so fast.

If the discussion about depleted soil persists today, something must have occurred that did not take the simple methodology put forth a sentence or so, above.  It seems that there were forces at work that did not allow for this to happen.  Without doing any research on the ins and outs of this matter, and relying strictly on deducing the possibilities of events, knowing that agriculture is currently referred to as “agribusiness”, I would have to gander that in the name of science, technology, and economics, the simple solution above was discarded in favor of a scenario that probably resembles the following.

The scientific community, via its accounting and legal departments, argued that it had invested so much time and money into ‘creating’ these new products that it was unfair from a business vantage point, to abandon the ‘improvements’ accrued.   Given a bit more time and money, the difficulties experienced could be addressed, eliminated, and made better.   The government (by way of political leaders that rely on the campaign contributions of these large companies), not being experts in farming, acquiesced and allowed the scientists the opportunity to make good on their argument.  The ‘improvements’ were implemented, at additional costs (economically, financially, and via public Health sacrifices), the challenges were addressed and eliminated, but then some other factor now became misaligned and needed to be ‘corrected’.   (And let us not forget that in the early (1930′s), the country was grappling with the result of the stock market crash of (1929).  Feeding the masses at all costs was paramount in the minds of the public and the government, so the possibility of improving food production made these economic and science-infused arguments that much more fertile and convincing.)  Today we hear the same statements about depleted soil, as it seems that the failing cycle has continued in this basic fashion since the mid-thirties.  And while the ‘depleted soil’ argument persists, the Health of the nation continues to deteriorate, and agribusinesses continue toward economic engorgement, despite the depleted ‘synthetics is better-than-Nature’ solutions offered to correct the situation.   Other industries benefit as well, including (but not limited to) insurance, hospitals, pharmacies, and Health supplements.

But I digress; we need to find a way to Live our Lives, maintain our Health, and do so by consuming the most Natural, Nutrient-dense foods available.   The word “Organic” comes to mind, when seeking quality foodstuffs.  Not the chips and snacks that are processed ad-nauseum with the word “organic” splattered across the wrapper; though possibly better than comparable products, these items are also quite removed from their ‘Natural’ state.  Alternatively, rocks and pebbles from the earth or the ocean are Natural, but are inorganic and not readily bio-available to the Human physiology, so are only a slight step above the synthetic supplements marketed as ‘Health’ items for the Human organism.  It is imperative that the members of the general public take more than a fleeting interest in the quality of their Health and Wellness by investing in themSelves through the consumption of truly “Organic and bio-available” foods in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans, and Sea Vegetables.  (Often used as supplements, micro-algaes like Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae, Spirulina, and Chlorella are whole foods in and of themSelves.  These foods/supplements have been studied and proven to be Nutritionally beneficial for Human consumption and are farmed organically in their Natural state.)   And let us try not to confuse the issue: science and technology has its place and has helped to catapult society forward in unimaginable and Healthy ways, while marketing has kept us informed about new discoveries available to assist our Lives as well.  But it is just as critical that we recognize that many of the “old” things work just as well, and in many cases better, than the brand new-fangled thing fresh to the scene.  We must not falter and always impose a basic, yet rigorous common-sense analysis in determining what works best for our overall Health and Wellness. As we individually and collectively safeguard our quest for Health, it need be done in the dynamic Spirit of “Keeping It Real!”.

Since starting down the road of Health and Wellness counseling as a professional in (2005), I have had the opportunity to see several different perspectives in the industry – as an individual consultant guiding folk toward their personal Health interests, including challenges such chronic immune disorders like high blood sugar (diabetes), or other issues like heart disease, the general feeling of malaise, to providing workshops and seminars around issues that affect us all. I have heard and responded to questions that reportedly have been effective and beneficial.

In some cases, as I unveil the data that I have accumulated to answer a query, the questioner’s response evokes feelings of surprise, disgust, and sometimes outright anger as they feel cheated. There is a pattern that has begun to take shape that is the focus of this brief newsletter, and that is the idea that somehow, ‘…I am a victim…’. It has never been said just like this, but it has been expressed as “What are they doing to us?”, or “The FDA approved that, and it has what in it?”, or “I saw it on TV; they don’t lie on TV”, or “…but my doctor said…”, or finally, “They are trying to kill me/us!!”. The inference is that someone else did (or did not do) something to or for the questioner, and that the responsibility for One’s Health status (kind of like Health/Sick Care Insurance) is outside of the individual. So the obvious question is ‘Who is minding the store?’, or “Have the inmates taken over the asylum?”. And though this line of questioning does have merit, it seems more important to determine the reasons for this begging-off of personal Health management. Is there a condition or obstruction that contributes to a general line of reasoning?

When presenting seminars, discussions about several factors are often inescapable: caffeine (in the form of coffee, soda, or energy/stimulant drinks), nicotine from tobacco, and refined sugar (in its numerous incarnations from candy, to food additives, to various forms of alcoholic beverages). The idea that these items are not harmful gives credence to the power of marketing strategies that use the best psychological methods massaged by advertising companies at exclusive rates. The reinforcement that a harmful item would not be available to the public if not approved by the government (or government agency, the Food and Drug Administration: “FDA”) helps the formula accelerate its hold on the ‘likely’ consumer. But I recall some time ago the dictum, ‘Let the buyer beware’. That phrase continues to have value, and its longevity diminishes the argument that anyone is a ‘victim’, but bolsters the idea that many are uninformed, or that they choose to be in a state of ‘bliss’. Further impacting the ‘blissful’ reality is that the three “legal” substances above (caffeine, nicotine, and sugar) have brushed the definitions of “drug” on numerous occasions, and their ubiquity in the Standard American Diet (“S.A.D.”) intimates that many are addicted and therefore, limited in their ability to make clear rational decisions because they are functioning through ‘Addict’s lens. And usually when the term ‘addict’ is employed, it is not done so in glowing terms; it often indicates an adverse imbalance.

So is there an antidote to this ‘addicted’ condition? Are companies that are making a fortune multiple times over on your suffering going to stop making money multiple times over on your suffering by mandating that their products be removed from the shelves? Highly unlikely. Is the public going to magically awaken from this nightmare and become Healthy at the next dawn? That would be fantastic, but miracles are limited, or at least miracles of this type. (There are always the Natural miracles that occur daily, like sunrise, birth, joy, and those many other events that are often overlooked for factory glitter as the new and sustaining standard.) Is there now a ‘silver bullet’ pill currently from the makers of ‘the thing that is ailing you in the first place’, available as an altruistic attempt at making amends to solve these concerns once and for all? Well, again, I would caution you not to hold your breath awaiting that presentation to the masses.

The long and short of the issue is to take a look at very basic, simple factors, while assertively becoming informed about how the Human body operates. The reason that you want to pursue ‘basic information’ is because the Human body has not drastically changed over eons. It requires fuel, in the form of bio-absorbable carbohydrates from foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains), protein from food sources that have not been adulterated by processing, (whether food additives, food alterations, or genetically modified products), because protein helps build the muscle tissue of the body, and quality fats (all fats have their place in the Human Nutritional regimen, except “transfats”, which are chemically and mechanically altered and have a deteriorating impact on the body). These macro-Nutrients are necessary on a daily basis, and are supported by quality air and water, as well as physical activity, whether in the form of strenuous, moderate, or light daily exercise or activity.

And despite all of the ‘science’ that is being sold to support new approaches to Health and Wellness, it is really quite simple how this all works: ‘quality in, quality maintained’. If the quality of your Health and Wellness are suffering, there are most probably violations and infractions of this fairly simple and straight-forward ideal. Modern Life is designed to stray from this notion, because, “Come on, it cannot possibly be that easy”, and therefore supremely beneficial. Science has its place, but can you eat it and thrive after consuming it? Look around.

So the idea that I want to convey here, is that many of the complaints and deteriorating conditions that plague, not only this ‘wealthy’ society, but cultures around the globe, is that we have collectively abandoned the simple basics. Collectively we have ‘bought into’ the ‘new and better way’ to solve the state of our Health and Wellness, yet are continuing to become more distant from the condition that we seek. We have become ‘addicted’ to principles and behaviors that are foreign to Nature, and have not become enhanced, but resultantly diminished. Our condition begs for release, but we are unable to turn off the ‘juice’ because the ‘charge’ is so fleetingly satisfying, though the long-term effects have brought us to this place of disconnection – with ourSelves, our Health, Wellness, and the broader Nature of things, physically, psychologically, emotionally, and Spiritually.

And what is the way back to qualitative reality? Is there an answer to the question, “What is the obstruction that is minimizing the quality of our individual and collective Health and Wellness?’. The resounding answer is that we have released responsibility to others. What therefore needs to happen is that we, individually and collectively return to the Natural Simple Basics. Find a valuable means by which to get informed, and then make a concerted effort to take responsibility in beneficially changing the condition for One’s Self, those around you, and those you Love! Alas, the answer was there all along, and in fact, came with the package at birth; we have just abandoned it listening to noise.

We can circle back to the simple basic elements of our Human condition and truly recognize that “I am NOT a Victim, and DO NOT NEED TO BE AN ADDICT!!!”.

In addition to great weather (again the Canadians were complaining about the ninety degree weather, but the comparatively low humidity made it more than bearable), there were two other events that further enhanced the experience:  Cirque du Soleil’s newest traveling show was being performed in the ‘Old Port’, and the Festival was featuring the music of Miles Davis, thus there was a corresponding exhibit open to the public at the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) that toured the Life, times, and more importantly, the music and musical accomplishments of Miles Dewey Davis, Jr..  (Recall that last year the Montreal Jazz Festival was opened by Stevie Wonder for a free concert in downtown Montreal, about six days after the death of Michael Jackson.)

So, below are some of the images from my experience in the ‘City of the Royal Mountain’, and hope that this may be a bit more encouragement for you to plan to attend and ‘stop wishing you could go’.  Au Revoir!!

Going to Montreal by train is an all day ride starting at “O-Dark-thirty” in AMTRAK’s 30th Street Station for a transfer in New York and a ride up the scenic Hudson River.  The first three images are from inside Philadelphia’s train station.

In Montreal – Some of the sights experienced while on the tour of the city, or while walking around the downtown area, which is where the jazz festival is staged.

At the Jazz Festival – Signs and statues litter the area contributing to the festive atmosphere.  This year the theme was Mardi Gras, and the final evening concerts featured bands from New Orleans, an authentic Mardi Gras parade (I did not get pictures of the event), and characters to support the event.  The four murals of the jazz artists are part of the standard visual art associated with the festival, by Yves Archambault.

Cirque du Soleil Characters – At any time of the day, you may see one or several of these characters wandering around the jazz festival audience.

The Daily Cirque du Soleil Parade – This parade is presented throughout the Montreal Jazz Festival featuring characters from Cirque du Soleil.  The parade route is through the guts  of the festival (up Saint Catherine) and lasts about forty five minutes to an hour.

And There was Music

L’Exposition We Want Miles – There was an exposition of the Life and Music of Miles Davis at the Musee de Beaux-Arts de Montreal that will end on 29 August (2010).  Unfortunately, it is not currently scheduled to come to the United States.  I am currently reading the autobiography of Mr. Davis, and he would probably say ‘…it was a bad …!!”

Finale’ – This is not exactly what happened at the end of the festival, but I did get shots of fireworks while there, so it just fit the ending.

These above images are a few from the ‘Christmas in the Desert’ excursion in December (2009)/January (2010).

I had never been to Las Vegas because I do not gamble, and the idea of “Sin City” activities really did not appeal to  me.  But I must tell you, Las Vegas is a wonderful place to visit, and there is more to do there if you just do not get caught up in all the marketing hype.  There are shows with phenomenal sets, excellent dining establishments, and as quiet as it is kept, there are some delectably engaging Vegetarian restaurants throughout the region.  (Go to www.HealingMothersSpirit.com under the Life-Style tab for more on these venues.)

Hope to see you on a future excursion to the desert.

(Note:  There may be lines across the initially accessed vertical shots, but if you zoom in to the images, these lines seem to disappear and give you a more detailed view.)

Though I rarely receive immediate responses to my newsletters, I often see addressees in-person who make face-to-face commentary, or note that it may have been a while since last receiving the latest installment, and the first quarter of this calendar annum is a case-in-point. In March I was on the cusp of finalizing an event whose time was just nigh, but alas, it was postponed yet again, and the newsletter slated for the first quarter was mulled under the tow. Because I receive the positive responses to the newsletter when encountering readers, I felt it was important to make mention of the fact that it was not a dismissal, but more a matter of maintaining some semblance of perspective – that perspective being to avoid bombarding your electronic mail addresses with information – so a pause seemed to be in order. But that pause has come to pass, and it is now my pleasure to “Unveil” the new and improved www.HealingMothersSpirit.com.

Passion

For the past several years, my wife and I have had season tickets to the Philadelphia Opera, but during the most recent offering, “La Traviata”, was I hammered with the complete import of the phrase, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings” (though I must tell you that the lady in the title role in Philadelphia was anything but fat – but it is the voice and its effect on the emotions in tandem with the presentation of the story that is really where your attention needs to lie). Summarily, La Traviata, is a musical adaptation by Giuseppe Verdi of the novel “La Dame aux Camelias” or “The Lady of the Camellias” by Alexandre Dumas, fils (junior), the illegimate son of Alexandre Dumas, pere (senior). The story is about a young courtesan, Marguerite Gautier/Violetta Valery, who develops a genuine love with a young nobleman, but dies prematurely as a result of consumption (tuberculosis). The novel is a representation of Dumas, fils’ actual affair with Marie Duplessis (born Rose Alphonsine Plessis in (1824); she was essentially ‘pimped out’ by her father at the age of twelve (12). These experiences led to her numerous affairs with prominent men, but before her death at the age of twenty-three (23) she had learned to read, write, and stay attuned to world events to allow her the ability to maintain a level of comfort in social circles, yet not embarrass her escorts. It is also known that she was also quite discreet about her intimate “social” skills, thus was a sought after commodity, not to mention that she was ‘fly’.) La Travita captures the essence of the tragic circumstances, for the ‘fat lady’ sings, then dies.

La Traviata intensely explores the core of love and passion. Marguerite/Violetta is dying from a disease that no one can impact. She knows that she is a courtesan and by social standards does not have the right to have such a relationship with a nobleman, but the man has given up his life of nobility to be in her company – the presence of her company, for the finite time is just that important to him. The father of the nobleman implores Marguerite/Violetta to separate from his son, as it is having an adverse impact on his daughter’s ability to get hitched. She agrees, but then laments the decision, as does the noble son. On her deathbed, the value of living a Life of passion and love is dripped onto the stage with all realizing the importance of living fully and in the moment, and embracing the fleetness of Life to all of us. As Marguerite/Violetta crumples to the floor in death, these facts, in a fever-pitch are crystallized, and the curtain crashes to the stage, freezing the tears her estranged lover endures.

What is your passion? Are you living a Life of divinity in that you are enjoying each moment in joy, or is it a struggle to get out of the bed each morning to face the day? Are you in bed all day because you are ‘just waiting to die’ and each moment is a torture to your flesh? Are such realizations escaping you?
I started Healing Mother’s Spirit! because I am passionate about Health and Wellness and the opportunity to drive this vehicle forward presented itSelf so I took full advantage of it. I would be remiss if I said that I never looked back; Healing Mother’s Spirit! began at the dawn an intense economic depression (they call it a recession so that it is not as frightening to the masses, but have you looked at your situation lately?), so there were some lean times. And though I looked back, I continued forward. If you know Sankofa, it is important to look backward to be able to assess where you were to more effectively move forward – some call that history, others call it mystery (His-Story/MyStory).

In gathering mySelf, I drew upon skills and interests and in a former newsletter noted that I was shifting away from an individual focus to a broader more teaching focus. It was important for me to translate my passion about Health and Wellness and to share it with as many as possible, thus seminars and workshops have been the focus of my attention. I get the opportunity to read and research information and interact with others, some more knowledgeable than others, and have intense discussions about a topic with which I am very engaged. Last year I added a dynamic travel practice, Ultimate You!! Accommodations, which allows me to offer a different approach to Wellness that is not so narrowly aimed at information sharing, but broadens the palette to combine ‘Life-Style and Wellness through Travel’ in excursions that feature the intangibles of Health just by getting away from the madness and rejuvenating your batteries. Some of the excursions offered have included: a ten day excursion to Las Vegas during the Christmas season of (2009), ‘Christmas in the Desert’; a train ride to the ‘International Festival du Jazz’ in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in (2009) and (2010), and; the stage play ‘Fela on Broadway’ – Life and experiences of Fela Ransome Anikulapo Kuti, a Nigerian saxophonist and developer of the sound known as ‘Afro-Beat’, in the context of a day-long excursion from Philadelphia to New York’s Broadway Theatre District, with a brunch stop at Josie’s East, an organic restaurant with a presentation on Health and Wellness. Fun stuff, but the focus is the same: Basic Nutrition and Life-Style, Health and Wellness at all costs, supplemented by everything else.

So, if you feel like the passion in your Life has faded, or that you just cannot turn the engine over even with that full tank of gas, get in touch with me. I am passionate and enthusiastic, and it is my understanding from those that attend my seminars and workshops that the passion is exuding, stimulating, and infectious. If newsletter is reaching you somewhere other than my immediate geographical location, I am usually no more than a telephone call away. You do not have to go wanting. And if you work in an environment that is draining the Life from you as you watch, maybe you need to share this information with your co-workers. Maybe just having one more person with whom you can talk will make the difference between relief and drudgery. Maybe your entire workplace needs a jolt (and not that intensely caffeinated drink)!! And maybe, you just need to go to the opera, and really listen to the ‘fat lady sing’. Hear the tears in her voice, whether of joy or sadness. Appreciate that the Human condition is the same in the songs of Motown, Metal, or the Midwest. And maybe, you just need to know that in the end, it is the passion in your Life that counts, and is Ultimately the true reason that it is not over until “…the fat lady sings…”!!!