Symbols Of Obscurity

So I was at my job and was a little bored and I was watching one of my fave movies "V for Vendetta" and I never realized how much of an impact this film has the potential to make on people when they really look at it and pay attention to the obscured symbols behind it.

Some of the quotes in there film were so impacting and thoughtful. "People shouldn't be afraid of their government; the government should be afraid of its people." "Blowing up a building is a symbol." Just those two quotes, although they aren't the exact quotes from the movie (lol) made me truly think about this year's presidential election and then some.

September 11, 2001: I'm sure we all remember that day, at least I do. The Twin Towers and the Pentagon were attacked by terrorists. In the film "V for Vendetta" the saying went "Remember remember the 5th of November...". It was on that day that a man tried to blow up Parliament. In the film the main character V later acomplished that goal. But anyway, the question was not why did this attack happen, but rather what did this attack symbolize. True, blowing up a building does not really accomplish much when it is just looked on the surface as an action and only an action. However, with enough people that action can become a life-changing symbol and that's just what the attacks on 9/11 did. The attack became a symbol for the American people. It became a symbol of unity. It was on that day that color, race, religion, gender and sexuality no longer mattered. All that mattered was that each one of us held hands and prayed together for our loss and that we all came together and stood as one people.

November 4, 2008: Well, that day is just around the corner and by now we all know what this year's presidential election is a symbol of - CHANGE!!!! When JFK was in office, there was a moment when he said that there was no reason why a black man should not be able to obtain the same position that he was in. I believe he knew what he was talking about. Here we are not with a black man running for President and he has a great potential to win. There should not be a reason why his color should even be a factor in him going into office. But his color and the fact that he is running is- like the other examples above- a symbol that can often be obscured by surface circumstances. He is the change that the Black race has been praying for. He is the symbol of opportunity that MLK, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and even JFK had fought for. Why wouldn't we as Blacks go out and vote? This is too important. This is the one chance that we as a people have a positive African American male to look at and see that change has come. He is a symbol that is speaking out to America saying YES WE CAN!!!!

Don't let weather, tv shows, classes, or a job stop you from voting in this election. We have come so far as a people and still have such a long way to go. Don't let the journey toward change stop here. Get out there and VOTE!!!!!

Inspired by: "V for Vendetta"

"Ask More..."

So I was walking through a CVS store near campus one day and I went to the book and magazine section. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but there was one book that caught my eye titled, "All About Me." I looked through it, and it was one of those fill-in-the blank books that ask you about yourself. Sure, I've seen those types of books before, but this one got really personal. It asked you about your morals, sexuality, God and the world, family, friends, etc. The questions were very mind-boggling and really made me wonder how well do I really know myself? How well does anyone really know themselves for that matter?

I decided to get the book just to see what answers I would fill in. To my surprise, I found it a bit of a challenge to answer everything, which to me was no surprise seeing as how sometimes I even forget who I am (lol). But I believe that the point of this book wasn't to simply fill out the questions and that's it. I believe the author intended for the book to be some sort of reflection type book, and really lets a person ask questions that otherwise probably wouldn't be asked.

I often wonder if I even ask enough questions. Whether the questions be about myself, or other people and things, I just don't know if I ask enough sometimes. There's no such thing as a dumb question right? Well, I supose sometimes there are exceptions to even that rule. However, I think that each day we are destined to learn something new. It can be a small lesson, or an even more valuable lesson. Either way, asking questions is the only way to get by in this world, because no one is born with the answers to everything. Even Jesus asked His Father questions sometimes too. What have you asked someone today?

"My Man"

I was walking around outside one day, and I overheard a group of young girls talking amongst each other as to what kind of wedding they wanted to have.  It was actually really cute and funny at the same time.  These girls couldn't have been any older than seven or eight years old.  "My man is gonna be big and strong," one stated.  "My man is gonna wear a blue tie and be a doctor," another one voiced.  Little did they know that when I was there age I used to say the same thing with my girls.  It didn't occur to me until years later that I had been looking at my ideal man the entire time.

I wanted my man to be intelligent.  I wanted him to be strong and good looking.  I wanted him to always tell me that I was pretty.  I wanted him to make me smile and understand me.  But most of all, I wanted him to love me simply for me.  I would imagine that all girls would want a man like  the one I desired.  Why wouldn't they want someone like that?  I even know some older women who have yet to find a man like the one I had and still do have.  Yeah, I used to speak of him all the time whenever me and my girls would sit around and talk about our future husbands.  I sill laugh to this day about it.

So where did this man go?  Some may read this and wonder if he's still in my life.  Is he alive?  Do I plan to be his forever?  Does he still love and respect me?  Does he buy me nice things?  Does he still treat me like a princess or queen?  I even look at these questions and would probably wonder the same things if some girl had described this man to me.  I would even ask her if she even found this fantasy man at all.  

The truth of the matter is, I have always answered "yes" to those questions.  I go on to tell those people that ask me such questions that he even cooks for me.  That really surprises them all.  He was the first man that ever held me.  The first man I ran to when I needed help.  The first man I ever cried in front of.  The first man that ever told me that he loved me.  The first man that ever had my back.  The first man that called me his own and to this day I'm still his own.  

So how could I have  found such a man at such a young age and remained his for this long?  Well, it's easy.  While some girls look to television stars, famous athletes, movie stars, singers, rappers and models for their ideal men, I found mine the day I was born.  I had found my father.

I realize that there are so many girls out there that don't have their fathers around and in the end look for any kind of man to make them feel like a "woman."  Well, each day I thank God that I have a real man in my life to show me  what a real man truly is.  Daily my father treats me and my mother in a way where we are royalty.  He takes charge and takes care of his family.  He works for us, cooks for us, and most of all follows Christ in his daily walk.  This is the kind of man that my father will soon walk me down the aisle to, and it's not because I looked at idle men to find what a "real" man was.  I simply looked at the first man that has ever loved me and that is how I found the type of man that I want my dad to walk me down the aisle to on my wedding day.

I love you dad.  You will always be My Man.