Blessings, affirmations, grace, and reflection

Ah man, so many thoughts weighing on my mind. You know when the world seemingly falls off its axis and throws you for a loop it can be hard to recover. I am facing the fact that life has changed tremendously . This is a pivotal year for me in so many ways. I've been rolling with the punches, but so many changes in a matter of months eventually catches up to you. A shift in energy is what it is. So many memories of what is no longer there. A house that is no longer a home. A family member who is simply a shell of who they were in my memory. A lover whose kisses are just a faded memory. A childhood idol gone, leaving behind a tainted legacy. My heart is heavy, but my third eye is clear. I can now see the B.S. as soon as it presents itself. So many people who are lacking authenticity. So many people think they can judge others while they are living contradictory lives of their own. Where did we lose our way and how can we find our way back? Imagine a world where we all were just who...

I am still processing the loss of MJJ . As many have already said, he was like a first love. Mike was 10 years older so technically he was too old for me, which is why I think I crushed on the younger brother Randy. But who didn't want to be part of such a talented brood? As time passed and Mike because more reclusive and eccentric folks gave him the side eye, but deep down in our hearts we really truly loved him like a relative. He was a part of our lives for our whole lives. The year they played the Apollo was the year I was born. My first LP was ABC by the Jackson 5. The first album I bought on my own was Off the Wall. When I copped Thriller my girls and I sat on the porch and sang every single song! When he was burned during the taping of the Pepsi commercial we prayed for him. I argued with the neighborhood kids who claimed they were his cousins. My own cousin only wanted black high water pants, white tube socks, and Hush Puppy penny loafers for Christmas one year. I longed fo...