An Interview with a BULLET

This is a re-post in memory of those lost in Orlando.  Our thoughts and prayers to the families, friends, and especially the children left behind.  HOPE. NOT HATE. 

"My statement will be brief, so pay attention.

I am an explosion of energy, the period at the end of your life-altering experience.

I distort story lines and scribe your suffering, and I don't care about the text taken out of context.

I am small and big, hot and cold-blooded.

I CAN be silenced, and yet you still allow me to silence you.

I am a bullet, and I'm good at what I do.

So, tell me, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

My impact goes farther than the skin I pierce.  Deeper than the organs I shred.

Metal and gunpowder kills a man, but I aim for more.

When I speak, I slaughter communities, countries, generations.

Velocity is not my stronghold.  The voice behind it is.

Do I speak for the one pulling the trigger?  Absolutely.

Today, I may say 'Protect and serve'.  Tomorrow, it's 'seek and destroy'.

But I am also whispering in your ear the agenda of those who use pain as their platform,

systematically supplementing your fears.

I make you doubt if Black lives really do matter, and if professing your faith is hazardous to your health.

I suit up and state my case on Capitol Hill, urban streets, and dirt-laid back roads.

You have no choice but to listen, but all signs show you have become deaf to my language.

So, who put the silencer on YOU?

You see me flex my muscles in your babies' nightmares, but you won't speak Truth against my power.

Do you hear the words that are coming out of my mouth?

Your nothing has more impact than my heat.

Imagine what your SOMETHING could do?

I have no self-restraint.  Restrain me!

Deal with me so we can be done with it.

Only you can erase the pain I pen, or will you wait for me to do my thing again?

Complacency is not a good look, and the world is watching.

Pray hard.  Fight harder.  Unite.  Make my wrong right.

I make a statement everyday, so I am not taking anymore questions.  Time out for your questions, but know this...

I am ALWAYS cocked and ready.  ARE YOU?"

Do you looklikeLOVE?  You can in the life of a child.  Visit us at ilooklikeLOVE.org to find out how or email us at letsconnect@ilooklikeLOVE.org

A BEAUTIFUL FIGHT

Beaten?  No, but bruised and battered some.

Overwhelmed?  All the time.  But never overcome.

Tired beyond emotion, but triumph is in my sight.

My victory is a certainty in this beautiful fight.

As the world mourns champion and humanitarian Muhammed Ali, and I personally experience the transition of my Aunt Mollie Woolfolk, I find myself reflecting on how they both uniquely impacted my life.  Their lives were polar opposites: Ali was a presence that captivated the globe,  Mollie, a caretaker that captivated the cul-de-sac. Ali, a physical menace with a gentle heart for all mankind.  Mollie, a mother hen barely 90 pounds with the tenacity of a prize fighter.  Both, great legacies and great lessons of life that I hope I will carry with me for a lifetime.  Lessons like…

MAKE A NEGATIVE SPACE YOUR POSITIVE THINK TANK

As I watched the Ali movie, I most anticipated seeing their rendering of the "Thriller in Manilla" fight and the famous "rope-a-dope" strategy used by Ali to conquer his opponent.  What fascinated me then, and still does, is the grit and fortitude it took to think and strategize while in that vicious brawl, exercising his mental muscles while enduring crushing blows.  What does a man known for his much-publicized personal affirmations say to himself ABOUT himself to survive THAT battle?

The artistry of positive thought became an unbeatable weapon.  It is an exercise in empowerment through adversity that is still dissected and analyzed to this day.  Ultimately, Ali showed us that there is no exterior force more formidable or powerful than the one controlling our thoughts.  And it ours to choose which will have the victory.

ALWAYS BE A PART OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

As my aunt's health began to decline, I had the opportunity to care for her yard.  Her enormous yard with 26 trees.  I rarely spent time in any yard prior to this, but as I dedicated time every week to pick up limbs and prune trees I discovered a new passion for the beautiful things nature brings.  The same neighbors would wave to me on their way to work and returning from work - I had been out there that long.  I was praying with my eyes open, and the peace it gave me far outweighed the energy spent.  That season in my life gave me a new perspective on the beauty found in dirty hands toiling in rich soil.  For me, the power of growth and maturity reflected in the roses translated to a deeper desire to see people grow and reach their potential.

  

All of us are called to flourish beyond our circumstances and to help others do the same.  There is a personal peace that is unmatched when you dig deep to help someone else.  Our lives are only as beautiful as the fruit we bare.  Always be a part of something beautiful.

WHEN YOU ALWAYS GIVE, YOU'LL NEVER BE EMPTY

Both Ali and Aunt Mollie were givers.  Ali to humanitarian efforts for peace, Mollie to her family and many foster children.  All of her children were special not only to her, but to everyone who knew them because you could see how her love for them changed their lives.  I remember an infant straight out of the maternity ward and awaiting adoption.  When she got the word he has coming, the family rallied and for a few days we had a newborn in the family.  He was the calmest baby I had ever encountered.  And after a few days, he was gone to live with his permanent family.  We were all devastated, but Mollie especially.  She loved her children with her whole heart.  No long after, she received two sets of siblings to help fill the void.  For one child, Mollie was the first woman she ever called, "Mama".  You could tell Mollie felt complete.

God has a wonderful way of filling our emptiness with an overflow of Himself when we looklikeLOVE in the eyes of someone else.  In sacrificing ourselves, we discover His sacred love.

ilooklikeLOVE is a testament to all the "Mollies" and "Alis" in my life.   Stay mentally strong, beautifully connected, and always in serve to a point of sacrifice.  Victory depends not upon if we can brawl, but HOW YOU WIN. 

Make it a BEAUTIFUL FIGHT.

Do you looklikeLOVE?  You can in the life of a child.  Visit us at ilooklikeLOVE.org to find out how or email us at letsconnect@ilooklikeLOVE.org