thejourney

     I had the pleasure of ingesting this film this past weekend. Despite my attempts to find the book (which I know I own) within my personal library, I wasn’t able to read through the entire literary masterpiece prior to seeing the film. No matter, I’m sure my reaction to the detail which I will immerse myself in as I read the pages of this book will equal, if not over power, my appreciation for this movie.

     I will not go into extreme detail with this post because I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone that is contemplating viewing it. I believe the trailer that I have included gives a good depiction of what the movie is about. There are several suprises, which may incite extreme emotion in the watcher. I have a system that has yet to fail me in determining a film’s worth. If I rise from my seat at the end of the film with the notion of wanting to purchase the movie on DVD for the sole purpose of delving deeper into its realms, then I know that this movie will probably end up on a nomination list some time in the near future. (I should be a movie critic!!)  Look out for this one. I’m sure the theater is only the first stop on a long journey for this movie.

     As a writer, I am always astonished at the ability of other writers. Sue Monk Kidd came up with this amazing story. My mind wanders to what her setting was in the midst of penning this amazing prose. Was she sitting on her porch in the midst of deep thought and the sudden sight of a bumble bee buzzing past inspired this best seller? Who knows? And then for Gina Price-Bythewood to come along and compose the second proposed screen play (the first was not well received by Fox Searchlight pictures) is fascinating to me.

     As I begin this public writing journey, I wonder where I will travel. I feel like I have quite a few novels in me. This world is longing for substance. We need prose to make us think and reflect on those things of the past, present, and future. Only God knows, but I’m excited that anything is possible.

FMH,

Shiri

     I have always considered myself to be an optimist. In my mind, there is always a silver lining to every dark cloud. There is always a yes when a field of  no’s seem to strike like lightning. Despite taking this position in life, I am often rendered speechless by some of the occurences in my life and the lives of others. I tend to be extremely private with the inner workings of my mind and my personal life. There are only a few that know and understand the plights that have come my way. Nevertheless, there are stories which I’ve collected over the years from people that sincerely have brought me to tears. I don’t intend for this post to be entirely somber, but before I illuminate its darkness, I must first acknowledge it. Simply put, sometimes life is hard, unfair, and the verb “hurt” is sincerely an understatement.

     Music and writing have always passionately embraced in my eyes. They do this amazing dance in my mind. By some divine intervention, they often appear on a page or tape recorder and make my rough days a little more bearable. I thank God for blessing me with that artistic relief. In many ways I can say that it has saved me and allowed me to develop into the person I am today. I want others to know this freedom. The simple freedom to acknowledge whatever your emotion is at that particular moment, and move forward without dwelling is unbelievably liberating. In compliance with my newly adopted life moto, I just want everyone to know the feeling of being free.

     Wherever your life has taken you and despite the road you still have to travel, remember that there is always HOPE. There is always a reason to smile. Life is still a legitimate cause worth investing in. If no one else has said it to you today.. or ever, I understand how fickle life AND THE PEOPLE IN IT can truly be. I also understand what an amazingly thrilling ride it is. At the end of the day we are just the sum of our experiences. We are mere flowers with a story to tell. Without down, there would be no up. Without bottom there would be no top. Without pain, there would be no room for love. Without total confusion, there would be no room for clarity. Have faith that God truly knows all. He will never leave nor forsake you. Even in those moments when you feel like your unfairly dealt hands will have no end, there is peace in knowing that the best is yet to come. I absolutely love this song!! Listen to the words and allow them to soak in. I pray it helps you as much as it helps me.

     Even as I sit here typing these words as they come to me, I am inspired and comforted. Stay on your path. Look neither to the left nor to the right at anyone else. Make no comparisons. Shine through it all as the soundtrack of your life continues to be composed. One day….one moment at a time.

FMH,

Shiri

    When faced with decision making I have always found that there are several categories to choose from. There is the logical path, which is frequented by many. In today’s fragile society, it is often the “sure thing” that reigns supreme when it comes to decision making.  At the opposite end of the spectrum lies the dream. This is the decision that typically only makes sense to you and, with some fortune, a few people surrounding you. Comfortably nestled in the middle is what I refer to the “might as well” decision.

     Now, the “might as well” decision can be extremely intricate in nature. It can ellude the decision maker on many planes. This complex has the ability to appear as the perfect logic/dream combination. Unfortunately, it’s not and can’t ever be the dream. Nevertheless, it’s often too close to the dream to abandon on a whim. In analyzing the situation, the decision maker carefully internalizes all of the facts and, with a sigh of uncertainty, exhales a hopeful “might as well.” There just aren’t enough reasons to say “no.” There is too much sense in the “might as well,” while the dream promises nothing.

     This issue has perplexed me for some time now.  All too often I hear about people who settle for the might as well. Their decision often stems from several ever present fear factors that are often too overwhelming to bear. ”If I pursue my dream, will it come true?” “If I let this opportunity pass will I ever get another chance?” “What do I have to lose?” After weighing all of these and many other questions in my head, I have determined that trying for the dream is necessary. If you never make an attempt to reach your ultimate goal, your mind will be plagued with the aforementioned questions forever. If you try and don’t quite reach the dream, then at least you can record the journey in the scrapbook of your mind as an amazing, and sometimes tumultuous, adventure.

     No matter what the dream is, TRY!! Your logical and “might as well” paths will be there while the dream escapes into oblivion. Pursue it with all you have and remember that your dream need only make sense to YOU…. and you alone.

 FMH,

Shiri

      Today is the last day to register to vote. I know that by the time many people read this the registration deadline will have come and gone.  Therefore I will focus this post on the importance of voting and a few of the issues at hand.  This election is so important for so many reasons. I think that the concentration of most minds has been on the fact that, for the first time in history, an African American male has an amazingly great chance to win this election.  There is also the possibility that a female will hold the office of vice president. For a few moments though, I would like to focus on a few of the issues looming over our heads.

     1. Global Warming- If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” I would strongly suggest adding that film to your collection. He touches on so many different points which illuminate the trouble our Earth is in. I think that we take all of that information for granted because we can’t see its direct effect in our everyday living. The Earth hasn’t gotten to the point YET where you walk outside and scorch your skin from the trapped infared rays. Nevertheless, those days are no longer mythical, but inevitable if we don’t take sincere and immediate action.

     2. Health Care- This issue has been a constant fight in our society. It amazes me how a life can be equated to dollars and cents. In foreign countries there is FREE HEALTH CARE. There is no consideration of whether or not a person can afford it. The provision is made and, despite economic status, health care is available to EVERYONE. What is so different about our country? Why is inadequate health care coverage often the reason that many people waste away in emergency rooms?

And finally…….

     3. Education- Where did we go wrong with this one? There was a time when I was told as a child that one of  the most important things you could ever achieve in life was an adequate education. Now, there is so much more focus on other issues that are not as pertinent to the future of our nation. Teachers aren’t adequately compensated. This is often a deterring factor for many who could make an enormous contribution to the world of education, but refrain from doing so becuase they are concerned about their ability to support themselves or a family sufficiently.

     These and other issues should be the basis on which we vote. Listen to the candidates. Let’s force them to talk to us and tell us the realities. It’s time to be less concerned about the personal lives of these candidates and more involved with what they WILL do for this country. No matter who you decide to vote for, these factors should be taken into consideration. Get out there and VOTE!!!!!

 FMH,

Shiri

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