Forgiving people has been soothing for me. Whether I am forgiving them for something they actually did or said to me or for something that I thought they did or said (smile) - it has given me a comfort that I can't describe.
But forgiving someone doesn't mean that you have re-establish a relationship or that you even have to talk to them. You don't have to subject yourself to those same people that have hurt you because chances are that although you may have changed - they haven't. I wouldn't put myself in any position that may open old wounds. I am glad to know that my heart has forgiven and that I will move on and live my life.
As this Thanksgiving approaches, my feelings are bittersweet. Things will never be as they were in the past, but the future looks bright and I am blessed to have been invited several places for Thanksgiving Dinner.
So Happy Thanksgiving to All Of You and if you haven't yet -
Forgive Somebody.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Michael Jackson is STILL The Man!
On Saturday as I entered into a crowded Produce Store - I mean so crowded that the check out line started almost at the door where you enter. Very little room to move around and pick up items that I came for - then on the radio youhear the melody of "You Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" by Michael Jackson. The funniest thing happened - almost EVERYBODY stopped in their tracks and started singing! Some started dancing! I was cracking up laughing! One older lady put it all in a nutshell - "Michael Jackson still bringing unity."
Rest In Peace Michael Jackson!
Rest In Peace Michael Jackson!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
My Roots
"Only Faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that, at present, remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended."
Hebrews 11:1 The Jerusalem Bible, Reader's Edition
Wow. I have known that I had some pretty interesting family roots. But guess what? Most of what I've learned in the last four years can be attributed to Mr. Noah Lewis who portrays and is now in the process of writing an autobiography on Ned Hector, who is one of my ancestors! He was interested enough in my family's history to bring it to life. For that I thank him! Here is just some of what I've learned from him
Ned Hector Free Black Colonial Soldier, Wagoneer, Respected Patriot, Hero. Hectors Street in Conshohocken is named after him.
Leah (Fisher) Hector - Widow of Albanus Fisher Sr. Remarried son of Ned Hector. Became a widow for a second time. Owned a store and several properties in the Norristown and Conshohocken areas.. She grew her own herbs and specialized in herbal remedies. She lived to be 113 years old.
Albanus C. Fisher
Son of Leah Fisher. Served in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, This is the Black Volunteer Regiment depicted in the Movie GLORY. There are copies of handwritten letters that he wrote in the Gettysburg College Museum.
Ambrose C. Fisher
My great-grandfather. He was politically active and a registered republican. He worked as a janitor for the Norristown High School for many years before his retirement.
I remember he walked with a limp. My grandmother said he only had half a foot, but I don't remember what happened.
Catherine Fisher-Massey
My grandmother. The oldest of 5 sisters and 3 brothers born to Ambrose C. and Leah Fisher (Mom-mom and Pop-pop) In 1978, she and her siblings started the "Fisher Sunshine Club" in memory of their parents. The groups mission was to organize family events and trips. I remember all family members wearing red t-shirts that read "Body by Fisher". I didn't know what that meant, but I remember that we weren't allowed to use that slogan. So from then on we just wore red t-shirts. They also started a scholarship fund for students at the Norristown High School in memory of their father, Ambrose C. Fisher.
I'm am excited because I talked to Noah today and he has even MORE DETAILED INFORMATION to share with me!!!!!!
Stay tuned....
Peace and Love.
Hebrews 11:1 The Jerusalem Bible, Reader's Edition
Wow. I have known that I had some pretty interesting family roots. But guess what? Most of what I've learned in the last four years can be attributed to Mr. Noah Lewis who portrays and is now in the process of writing an autobiography on Ned Hector, who is one of my ancestors! He was interested enough in my family's history to bring it to life. For that I thank him! Here is just some of what I've learned from him
Ned Hector Free Black Colonial Soldier, Wagoneer, Respected Patriot, Hero. Hectors Street in Conshohocken is named after him.
Leah (Fisher) Hector - Widow of Albanus Fisher Sr. Remarried son of Ned Hector. Became a widow for a second time. Owned a store and several properties in the Norristown and Conshohocken areas.. She grew her own herbs and specialized in herbal remedies. She lived to be 113 years old.
Albanus C. Fisher
Son of Leah Fisher. Served in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, This is the Black Volunteer Regiment depicted in the Movie GLORY. There are copies of handwritten letters that he wrote in the Gettysburg College Museum.
Ambrose C. Fisher
My great-grandfather. He was politically active and a registered republican. He worked as a janitor for the Norristown High School for many years before his retirement.
I remember he walked with a limp. My grandmother said he only had half a foot, but I don't remember what happened.
Catherine Fisher-Massey
My grandmother. The oldest of 5 sisters and 3 brothers born to Ambrose C. and Leah Fisher (Mom-mom and Pop-pop) In 1978, she and her siblings started the "Fisher Sunshine Club" in memory of their parents. The groups mission was to organize family events and trips. I remember all family members wearing red t-shirts that read "Body by Fisher". I didn't know what that meant, but I remember that we weren't allowed to use that slogan. So from then on we just wore red t-shirts. They also started a scholarship fund for students at the Norristown High School in memory of their father, Ambrose C. Fisher.
I'm am excited because I talked to Noah today and he has even MORE DETAILED INFORMATION to share with me!!!!!!
Stay tuned....
Peace and Love.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
WHY I VOTE INTELLIGENTLY
Quite simply the reason why I vote is because my mommy said I should. Period.
My mom was ALWAYS a political activist, ever since I can remember she worked the polls as minority leader, majority leader and was on the ballot for Judge of Elections before her untimely death in 2005. Undoubtedly she would have won. I remember I was in the 8th grade telling my classmates about voting NO for the charter change - a change that would allow Rizzo to run again and extend the term limits of the mayor. And some of my classmates at St. Therese actually listened to me. lolol. I remember Leon Hosendorf and I were like two old people discussing politics. (RIP Leon) (Leon also believed me when I told him Issac Hayes was my uncle so....)
So like it or not, I've always been around politics. This Tuesday will be no exception as I cast my vote for Seth Williams for D.A., I will be a part of history in the making. Philadelphia NEEDS to VOTE FOR SETH WILLIAMS FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY. I can say it enough.
Yes there are other offices that are up for grabs including City Controller. I've heard some otherwise intellegent people declare that they will vote for the incumbent Alan Butkovitz because he supports black businesses. So what if he does and how has that helped any black business that you know?! That's not his job as City Controller. The City controller is primarily responsible for auditing municipal government. Period. What is the track record here? Who is his opponent and what is his track record? Do you even know? People WAKE UP, GET INVOLVED and HOLD ALL YOU ELECTED OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY ARE COMMISIONED TO DO BY THE CITY HOME RULE CHARTER.
I vote becasue my conscience tells me to. I've been taught to learn about people who are running and to make an intelligent decision about who I am voting for. I'm trying to teach my children the same ethic but right now they look to me (or their father) for who to vote for. I'll be glad when the day comes when they can tell me who I should vote for and why.
My mom was ALWAYS a political activist, ever since I can remember she worked the polls as minority leader, majority leader and was on the ballot for Judge of Elections before her untimely death in 2005. Undoubtedly she would have won. I remember I was in the 8th grade telling my classmates about voting NO for the charter change - a change that would allow Rizzo to run again and extend the term limits of the mayor. And some of my classmates at St. Therese actually listened to me. lolol. I remember Leon Hosendorf and I were like two old people discussing politics. (RIP Leon) (Leon also believed me when I told him Issac Hayes was my uncle so....)
So like it or not, I've always been around politics. This Tuesday will be no exception as I cast my vote for Seth Williams for D.A., I will be a part of history in the making. Philadelphia NEEDS to VOTE FOR SETH WILLIAMS FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY. I can say it enough.
Yes there are other offices that are up for grabs including City Controller. I've heard some otherwise intellegent people declare that they will vote for the incumbent Alan Butkovitz because he supports black businesses. So what if he does and how has that helped any black business that you know?! That's not his job as City Controller. The City controller is primarily responsible for auditing municipal government. Period. What is the track record here? Who is his opponent and what is his track record? Do you even know? People WAKE UP, GET INVOLVED and HOLD ALL YOU ELECTED OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY ARE COMMISIONED TO DO BY THE CITY HOME RULE CHARTER.
I vote becasue my conscience tells me to. I've been taught to learn about people who are running and to make an intelligent decision about who I am voting for. I'm trying to teach my children the same ethic but right now they look to me (or their father) for who to vote for. I'll be glad when the day comes when they can tell me who I should vote for and why.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
I LOVE WHYY/PBS
Did anyone watch FRONTLINE last night? I did and I was relieved to find out that some of my "crazy" thoughts are NOT crazy at all. I was also proud to learn about Brooksley Born - a lady who attended law school in the 60's when it wasn't very popular for women to attend law school. Faced with discrimination on all levels not only did she excel, she went on the be the lone wolf who gave warning to the government about non-regulation and "derivatives". But again she was faced with discrimination, not only because she was a woman, but she was not politically connected either - but she stood her ground - her warning went unheeded and here we are today. She warns again that the situation WILL NOT improve until REAL change is made.
So, I learned that my suspicions of the banking crisis being much more than meets the eye were pretty accurate and I learned the details of my suspicions.
It's times like this when I miss my cousin Robert "Kim" Massey the most. 28 years and I still miss him. He would have turned 54 on Oct. 19th. He is one of the few people who would not only entertain my "crazy" thoughts, he would encourage them. If Kim were still here I would have probably known the details before now...and I would probably be a lawyer by now.
Anyhow, you can watch it at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/.
So, I learned that my suspicions of the banking crisis being much more than meets the eye were pretty accurate and I learned the details of my suspicions.
It's times like this when I miss my cousin Robert "Kim" Massey the most. 28 years and I still miss him. He would have turned 54 on Oct. 19th. He is one of the few people who would not only entertain my "crazy" thoughts, he would encourage them. If Kim were still here I would have probably known the details before now...and I would probably be a lawyer by now.
Anyhow, you can watch it at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
LONGER SCHOOL DAY? YES!!!
Great articel and "kudos" to Dr. Ackerman!!!!
I dreamed I stood in a studio and
Watched two sculptors there:
The clay they used was a young child's mind
As they fasioned it with care.
One was a teacher, the tools she used
Were books and music and art.
The other sculptor was a parent
With a gentle and loving heart.
Day after day, the teacher toiled
With a touch that was deft and sure;
While the parent labored by her side
To polish and smoothe the child o'er.
But each agreed they would have failed
If they had worked alone
For behind the parent stood the school
And behind the teach, the home.
Author Unknown
Thursday, September 17, 2009
THE HONEYMOON IS OVER
I love Barack Obama. I've been giving him the benefit of the doubt ever since his election. But now, I think the honeymoon is over.
Believe me, I understand fully the mess that he inherited and the courage that it takes for him to try to clean it up. Most of all, I understand the ugle world of politics.
All I'm gonna say is that if he seriously wants a shot at anohter term, he better start acting like he know black people count.
Peace!
Believe me, I understand fully the mess that he inherited and the courage that it takes for him to try to clean it up. Most of all, I understand the ugle world of politics.
All I'm gonna say is that if he seriously wants a shot at anohter term, he better start acting like he know black people count.
Peace!
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