As my maternity leave came to a close, I felt an anxiety I’d never felt before. I hadn’t spent more than a few hours away from my son and the thought of handing him over to anyone - even a family member, close friend or trained professional seemed like a ridiculously dangerous idea. Who could replace me for eight hours or so and who could possibly pick up on all the little details that one only learns with time? Who would know to distract him with the ceiling fan on a medium setting while changing his diaper to keep him from squirming? Who knew that if you cradled him in your arms, he would open his mouth wide ready for milk? And of course, how was he going to be guaranteed enough nutritious breast milk, if the direct source of his milk was sequestered away in an office, earning a living?
Read MoreOne of my biggest pet peeves is seeing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s name without the “Reverend” in front of it. Earning a doctoral degree is certainly an accomplishment, but Rev. Dr. King’s political and civic action was fueled by his work as a spiritual leader. The man who looked on as President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act spent more time preaching from pulpits, singing hymns, and pastoring a church than people often remember. With the clear view of hindsight, it is easy to see no conflict between his faith and political action. In fact, Rev. Dr. King is the only American to be honored with a national holiday arguably because of his courageous and skillful ability to create political change through the power of his faith-based morals.
Read MoreI have written this post in my mind probably a dozen times, and each time I mean it a little more. This post may be better titled "The Evolution of My Attitude toward Football." But before we get into that... a couple stories for you.
My freshman year of high school, I was in the marching band. More specifically, I was in the drumline. Before you conjure up images of a young female Nick Cannon wow'ing the crowd, I should clarify... I played the least glamorous (but very necessary!) instrument of them all - the cymbals. There were two incentives for doing this. 1) I had a crush on one of the snare players, Jay Free (I mean with a name like that - how could you not?) and 2) Being in the marching band made me a part of something big - something very big - our high school football experience.
Read MoreYou know how some women get really upset when you touch their hair? That's not me. I think a pretty good indication of the beauty and health of your hair is how "touchable" it appears. I've always believed it's the ultimate compliment when your hair is so attractive that it generates a reflex to reach out and touch it.
Note: That doesn't mean that I particularly enjoy complete strangers touching my hair (although this has never happened) or that I enjoy when people approach my hair with a curiosity that makes me feel inhuman (this has happened sparingly).
I am an idealist. I believe that people typically have the best of intentions. Moreover, I usually fail to follow Oprah’s oft quoted advice that has almost become cliché: “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” I'm a second chancer.
So when the NRA announced that they were delivering a press conference, breaking their weeklong silence, I saw a glass half full. I expected that twenty six coffins, particularly, the twenty smaller ones, had inspired an epiphany.
Read MoreLast Sunday, the pastor at my church delivered a great Mother's Day sermon. He opened with a familiar theme: mothers whooping their kids. Both of my parents spanked/whooped me growing up, so like the majority of the congregation, I laughed in agreement with mixed feelings of nostalgia and relief (no more whoopings!)
But then I started thinking about it, "Am I going to spank my kids?" Probably not.
Read MoreAt least once a year, I reread Why We Can't Wait by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, quite possibly one of the greatest non-fiction books I've ever read. It's a work not often talked about but it is often quoted. You may have heard the following:
"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."Read More
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
I'm a little bit of a nerd about Black History Month. I enjoy reading and sharing the facts and contemplating my role in it all. But I never considered it a moment specifically for Black Americans to be proud; I thought it was something for all Americans to be excited about. After all, don't people of all races & ethnicities love peanut butter and blood transfusions? (George Washington Carver & Charles Drew respectively)
Read MorePeople Are Like Eggs
A few years ago, I overheard a woman talking to her son. She said, "People are like these eggs. Some of them are brown, some of them are white, but they're all the same on the inside." At the time, I was truly awed by this mother's wisdom. What a great way to explain different races to a child! But for adults the whole "We're all the same, just different colors" is dangerous and ignores the ongoing, complex race relations issues in our country.
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