We forgot; We did our nails at the kitchen table, washed our hair in the kitchen sink, and straightened our hair at our kitchen stoves. We forgot our food came from our own yards, and we formed and fashioned our own clothes with Singer, Kenmore, and Brother... Somewhere along the way we must have bought this ideology of investing in others opposed to investing in ourselves. Many of us saw our former lifestyle as impoverishment, but I saw it as being Rich. Rich? Why? I remembered the pride of wearing something created just for me, even if it was merely altered to better fit me... I recall stepping out into the back yard where greens and tomatoes and onions and other foods grew... as well as the old wooden garage which hid the roasters and chickens, from the city streets. In Illinois two of my aunts OWNED LAND... and we pumped water from our own wells, and caught rain water in large drums as it ran from the roof. We were rich then, but I faltered too... For a moment, I too bought into the illusion and found myself in debt. And how did I get out, I return to those old land marks and the training I received as a child... First, freeing myself of the need for relaxers, nails, and all those crazy hair produces that bear black faces but are Asian owned... Second, I tapering my diet and began growing my own garden on my apartment balcony, and Third I live by NOT ONE COPPER PENNY BEYOND NECESSITY; Now I am debt free, because somewhere I began loving myself enough to say enough is enough and invested in me. Until we first invest in ourselves we cannot sincerely invest in OUR PEOPLE... The key to Loving Thy Neighbor As Thyself... Is Loving Thyself... and this is true Individually and collectively... Black Folks Must First LOVE and Empower Black Folks before empowering others... This is not racism or hatred... It is merely WISDOM. (Photos: Be Still By James Loveless; Seamstress By Jacob Lawrence)
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 07:37:21 +0000
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