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Sheet
Have you ever tried to open a website and all you see is a white screen? You assume it’s taking long to buffer and therefore you go to make some coffee…when you return, it’s still the same empty whiteness! Well, this scene is called ‘the white screen of death’…not sure why, however I can relate to the feeling of blankness or helplessness that one feels.
This is how my brain has been the entire week…no matter how much effort I put into changing the situation, it stubbornly remained blank. A white sheet. It brings to mind the moment when things go quiet and you stop seeing results…kind of like what happens in nature. Have you ever watched a swan gliding on the water’s surface? Quite regal! But underneath, unseen, are its two feet doing the work! Have you ever watched an eagle gliding in the sky? Effortlessly floating and sitting in the wind? But unseen, is the effort the bird took to get to that level in the sky!
Having a white screen of death in your mind is not a bad thing. It becomes bad when thoughts of self-doubt start trickling in. Just as a computer or smartphone needs a reboot, so do you!
Have you ever tried learning a new skill that requires manual dexterity? Sometimes you feel like your hands are not cooperating and other times, they take on a mind of their own…the white screen of death is temporary!
Have you ever felt like ignoring your exercise regimen, and you end up doing less? The white screen…very temporary!
I insist that the state of blankness is temporary because I believe that you have enough faith in yourself and Him, to hit the reboot button and give yourself a boost. You also have to put in the work and trust that the fruits will mature when it’s their time to.
Work that sheet!
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Horse.Ing
The battle of Troy made famous the ‘Trojan horse’. According to historians, the story of the Trojan horse is part of Greek mythology, however, it’s significance has remained throughout the centuries.
The short version of the myth is, the Greek soldiers used a hollow wooden horse to gain entry into the city of Troy. The Greeks had pretended to desert the war and used the wooden horse to gain the entry they needed by saying that it was an offering for Athena (the goddess of war). There were several warnings against allowing the horse into the city but none were heeded. The soldiers hiding in the horse, emerged at night and as they say, the rest is history.
The reason behind writing about the Trojan horse, is that they are still in existence, however, they have taken on a different form…some are physical and others aren’t. I believe we have had the experience of buying some shiny gadget with a ton of performance promises, only to have it function for a few months before dying…you see the horse?
We have had interactions with people that leave us with puzzled looks and memories…you see the horse?
Let us be extreme…some human experiences have left us defeated and undone…I’ll say no more…you see the horse?
So how do we identify the Trojan horses that are roaming freely? I would ask you to trust your intuition…your sixth sense…the feeling that ‘something isn’t right’…! As with all skills, the more you use them, the sharper they get. Is your intuition sharp or blunt?
With the many happenings around us, it’s not always possible to keep the Trojan horses at bay. So what do you do when they weasel their way in?
Keep your guard up…they say..
Guard your heart and mind…they say..
Guard yourself. Surround yourself with people who have you at heart.
“They know how to win the battle because you tell them the tools they need to defeat you. Guard your heart, hold your tongue.”
Carlos Wallace
The deceptive horse does not have to be shiny or of an imposing nature. However, it can go undetected because it somehow blends in…until its too late.
Are we horse-free? No.
Are we able to identify the Trojan horses in our lives? Yes.
Are we equipped to outlast deception? Yes.
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With.Out
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
India Arie
This song has a catchy tune that has stuck in my head for years! Now, I’m not sure what Ms. Arie was thinking while she was writing the song, but I thank God that she wrote it because it resonates with what goes on around us.
We human beings have the default character of ‘judging someone based on how they look’. How many times have we laughingly told someone ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’…’don’t judge me based on my outward appearance’…’You’re not as scary as you look’…?
This week I’ll keep it short so let me hop onto the poetry train..!
When you see me quiet, don’t think I’m a snob. Ask me the reason..
When you see me dressed contrary to your expectations, don’t label me a rebel or vagabond. Ask me the reason..
When you see me frowning, don’t assume you are the cause. Ask me the reason..
When you see me disturbed by the line of conversation, don’t assume I’m antisocial. Ask me the reason..
When you see me sleepier than usual, don’t assume I’m lazy. Ask me the reason..
Ask me the reason..
“I am the soul that lives within” – India Arie
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Hack
The events of this week got me thinking…let me start from the best place…the beginning.
My Muse was hacked and I wasn’t able to access it for some days.. thankfully I have a friend I can rely on who came through. When it was brought to my attention, I experienced a mix of emotions ranging from anger to confusion…poor little me…I thought… Let me get to the point …and that is YOU..
If a computer system can be hacked, what would cause YOU not to be hacked? (I see the puzzle on your face!) There are numerous things that can ‘hack’ your system…and I’m not talking about germs and pores and fungus…I’m talking about all the other things that exist around us…negative peer pressure…self-doubt…lack of focus…lack of goals… procrastination… pride…and the list continues!
Have you been in a situation where you convince yourself that ‘its just this once’? …Or…’just one more and I’m done’? How does it end? …Be honest!
Have you ever prepped for something and then started doubting yourself? Wondering whether it’s good enough? … How does it end? ….Be honest again!
Our human system is so vulnerable! When you let your guard down, you open the gate for all manner of hacking!
“One single vulnerability is all an attacker needs” – Window Snyder
What guards have you put up to prevent being hacked?
What contingency measures exist just in case you are hacked?
Who alerts you when they notice that you are a little ‘off’?
Are you so easily hackable that anyone can guess your passwords? (Read ‘weaknesses’). We know that we are not islands, however, it’s important to ensure that you are not inviting a hacker by showing them that your systems are not guarded. I mean, take care of yourself and lean on Him who can help you, in addition to being aware of what our weaknesses are…because those are the openings that a hacker needs.
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W.H.Y
I am in the middle of an interesting read called ‘Start with why’ by Simon Sinek. Simon is gifted with the ability of breaking down ideas and clarifying their application in the real world.
As we outline and modify our goals, we are encouraged to know ‘why’ we start because we are more likely to complete the processes once we start.
To break it down further,
Getting out of bed in the morning can be easy or difficult depending on ‘why’ you are getting out of bed. To be fair, sometimes you are pushed out of the bed by your bladder! Or perhaps some looming deadline!….but why do you get out of bed when the two scenarios are not in play?
Sticking to a practice regimen for a musician is akin to scaling Mt. Everest! Especially when your brain and fingers don’t cooperate! There are times when it seems easy and other times when you are tempted to pack up your instrument and escape to Timbuktu! The same can be said for fitness enthusiasts and their training regimens!
There is a reason why we hear some cliché phrases…”the fruit is sweetest at the top of the tree”….”the best views are seen after the hardest climb”…”the sweetest melodies are heard after grueling hours of practice”….”a step forward is better than no step at all”….”the best rainbows are seen after the worst storms “….(These phrases serve as a reminder that every effort made in the right direction will always be rewarded..perhaps not now or tomorrow, but I urge you to keep going)….!
We all have dreams and goals we would like to achieve…at least I hope so! As we plan how to achieve them, do we know WHY they are so important to us? As we outline them, are we careful not to interfere with someone else’s goal achievement? Are we careful not to inconvenience others?
Are you clear about the dreams you have or are you just recycling society’s expectations?
As I said in the beginning, I’m in the middle of the book, so clearly there’s a ton more to discover..I encourage you to purchase the book and accompany me in the journey of discovery…because, it can only get better!
“A dream that cannot come to life stays a dream” ….Simon Sinek
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Ghostbuster
If there’s something weird
And it don’t look good
Who you gonna call?…..(Ghostbusters)
If you’re seeing things
Running through your head
Who can you call?…..(Ghostbusters)
For the movie buffs, the Ghostbusters movie was originally released in 1984. It has thereafter been made-over but the theme song remains… ‘who you gonna call?…..GHOSTBUSTERS!’….(you can see I clearly enjoyed the movie!)
Back to my point. For the purpose of this article, let us define ‘ghost’ as ‘a memory of something past, a current occurrence or an anticipation of the future’.
Memories from the past have been known to impact the present. Those memories can either be good or bad. Have you ever felt ‘stuck’? Unable to move on from a significant event that happened in the past? Have you ever been euphoric for months after an electrifying event, only to realize that you have not made any progress from that one awesome experience that was months ago?
Anticipations of the future have been known to impact the present too. These anticipations can help in planning or they can fuel procrastinations. Have you ever postponed something and then eventually it gets forgotten? Have your daydreams ever stopped you from actually putting rubber to the road?
In the present, we can either procrastinate, be paralyzed by unfounded fears or eagerly create moments where the rubber meets the road.
Where are you at the present moment? Neither here nor there? Are you actualizing your goals and dreams? Are the current occurrences in your life haunting you?
I am no expert but I do know that for something to change, it has to have clicked psychologically…meaning, you have to make a conscious decision to move…in any direction…preferably a positive one!
At the end of it, the lyrics above are not far from the truth! We have the ultimate Ghostbuster! Him who sees what we can’t see! Hears the ‘yet to be heard’.
When you’re feeling lost, who you gonna call?
When you’re feeling scared, who you gonna call?
When you want to celebrate, who you gonna call?
…..who you gonna call?….GHOSTBUSTER!
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Pinch me a day
Let me attempt some poetry again!
Try me on a Monday not
For the first step is always the hardest.
Test me on a Tuesday not
For the second step is similarly wrought.
Wring in my Wednesday perhaps
For the middle is progress measured.
Try and test my Thursday
For rewards are but a sniff away.
Fry me on Friday not
For roast and burn are just the same.
The weekdays seem to operate in waves of undulating highs and lows. Is it by choice, circumstance or design?
The first step is always the hardest. The journey will be wrought with landslides, mudslides and morale slides. Continue up the steps for the sweetest fruits lie atop.
Muscle on Monday
Try on Tuesday
Wish on Wednesday
Top up on Thursday
Finish on Friday
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Put a face…on me
courtesy @Senses with Nj Put a face on me, I am not a stranger.
When we meet on the street.
When we meet and don’t greet, or accidentally rub shoulders,
I am not a stranger.
When I sit next to you, lost in my thoughts
When I stroll slowly down the street, perhaps too slowly for you,
I am not a stranger.
When I am driving my PSV like a maniac, chasing the elusive shilling,
When I forget to return your change, or miss your bus stop,
I am someone’s child…parent…sibling.
I am not a stranger.
When you walk past me as I hold a bottle of glue to sniff,
When you judge me by my outward appearance,
When you call me a thief and a vagabond,
I am someone’s child…sibling…not a stranger.
When I am driven by my circumstances into poor choices,
When I am handed bitter life lessons,
Still, I am someone’s child. His child.
Put His face on me.
I am not a stranger.
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Ol Pejeta
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You-man being
Have you ever walked into a grocery shop or fruit vendor to buy fruit? (allow me to use bananas as an example).
