If art is the imitation of life and life is the imitation of art, then we (humans) are living, breathing, works of God’s artistic expression. And, like a portrait, the impression of our life’s canvas, should be etched in the hearts and minds, of the people we meet and surround ourselves by. The impression we then leave behind, whether negative or positive becomes the window into which, we are conceptually viewed. If this is true, then a persons’ first impression of our canvas becomes synonymous for who we will always be to them. And, no matter how much time we spend with a person, their interpretation of us becomes our motif and it will forever hang on the wall in the back of their mind.

If a person, presents to us first a palette of darkness and then later a contrasting palette of light, our mind’s eye will instinctively imprint their canvas with darkness; and it will unconsciously be interpreted as such. While, their second presentation may emulate light, it will simultaneously be negatively stained by the darkness they first presented. This makes it almost impossible for us to embrace their light or believe a person can or has changed. And, until a person proves to us beyond a shadow of a doubt, the positive light being emitted from their canvas, means nothing! The original portrait of their darkness will continue to hang, on the back wall, in our minds. This is the reason why it is hard, for people who have spent time in jail or who have been in prison, to escape the impressions of their past. They may live, breath, and work in the light, but the stained canvas of their past will continue to linger, in the dimensional darkness, of the peoples’ minds whose first impression of them was darkness.

In theory, this means, a person who presents a palette of light and later a contrasting palette of darkness, our mind’s eye will intuitively-imprint and interpret their canvas as being one of light. And, even though we clearly see their darkness, we emphatically believe, the light we saw first in them, will overshadow their darkness. This explains why a mother, often only sees the good in her children, when they are accused of doing wrong and others do not. She may have concrete, irrefutable proof they are guilty of committing a crime, but, she will be the first person to come to their defense and stand beside them. She does this because, the canvased impression she has of her children, hanging on the back wall, in her mind, is the light she saw in them, the first day they were born.

In conclusion, we (humans) are God’s artistic expression of light and our canvas at birth, is primed, with his haloed light. He skillfully designs us to be replicas of him; we are each uniquely framed to display his love and image. And, our life’s canvas should then genuinely reflect, the light he imprinted upon us.

Life is like a journey, but it’s more of a race. We race from day-to-day and age-to-age. Some days we are the front-runner, on others, we are in last place.

There are days when we travel blind and don’t have any idea where we are going, or what we should do when we get there. Days, when we wander about lost, and the path we need to follow is covered by grout, debris, and clouded by our fear.

Then, there are days when our journey is vivid and clear. When we can see the light, at the end of the tunnel, and we can navigate it with precision. Days, when we know without a doubt, the path we are running on is correct and days when we know we will win.

Life is about push and pull, give and take; it’s about defeats and victories, successes and failures. We are meant, no born, to run the race and face challenges along the way. Our journey, this race is designed to be ran at various speeds and on different terrains.

The key to winning our life’s journey and this race is to ask others for help when we find ourselves coming in last. It is to support others when they are struggling to remain on their feet and to help them keep moving. It is to cheer others on and encourage them when they are running ahead of us.

Life is a race, we win not because we finish first, but because we finish strong.

People, just because it’s the way you were raised, doesn’t mean it’s the way you should continue to do things or say things. Change is inevitable, required, and necessary for our personal growth and the world around us. Continuing to live in the past and refusing to embrace new ideas and new ways of doing things means your lost and closed minded. Life has to move forward you cannot live in the past, our future “Black America” depends on it.

“Life has to move forward we can not live in the past”.

I’m not sure who said this and while I understand the point they were attempting to convey, it is not an all inclusive statement. Nor is it reflective of how the world views black people (in particular) black men in 2016. It is painfully clear, while we see black men every day on TV commercials, in blockbuster movies, and hosting syndicated late night news. They are still viewed by many as “A Bad Dudes” simply, because of the color of their skin, their size, or their style of dress.

In 2016, all black men from the extremely wealthy to the most impoverished are viewed the same when they are behind the wheel of a car, walking down the street, jogging in their own neighborhood, entering into a store, sitting in a parked car listening to music or reading a book. Things other ethnicities do every day without fear of being shot and killed.

“If we fail to learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it”. No Justice! No Peace!

No Justice! No Peace! Has been the mantra for African American people for as long as I can remember and before I was born.  It is reflective a movement, for equality, freedom of rights, and the cry for those who have caused the suffering of others needlessly, to be brought, to justice.

This morning on a popular radio program, I heard a female Donald Trump supporter say the reason we aren’t seeing white males being shot by the police is: “the news just isn’t reporting it” and, “white males don’t carry guns”.  (Wow!) She was then asked, was she planning on watching the debate between Hillary and Donalds. I was blown away by her answer since, throughout the interview, she stood firm on Donald being the best choice for President. “No! I’m a sports nut, if the game is on I’ll be watching it”. (Really!)

Editing your own work in my mind is akin to a lawyer being their  own defense attorney.

So why a blog? Like I said earlier the next 20+ years of my life are going to be on my own terms! This blog is the start of a new adventure for myself and my financial future!! I am determined to do what I am passionate about and I will operate in the gift God has given me –  “to write”!! My hope is that you will LIKE and SHARE this blog. I’ll be posting updates on my current works, release dates, excerpts of my old and new works, and links to my online store. Come with me as we escape!!.

Martha J Brooks-Black

Little Girl,
Why do you sit alone in the park and cry?
While kites fight above your head for space to fly.
I sit here crying and alone,
for I have no place to call my home.

Little Girl,
Why do you sit in the park with your head hung low?
While the leaves sing in the breeze that blows.
I sit here with my head hung low,
for I have no other place to go.

Little Girl,
Why do you sit in the park so solemn and still
While the birds and bees frolic at will.
I sit here so solemn and still
for I have no courage and have lost my will.

Little Girl,
All alone where has your family gone?
They flew away in the breeze, like the kites.
My wings were broken so I couldn’t take flight.
I sit her now quiet and still,
just waiting for my wings to heals!

previously published privately on Facebook

written by: Martha J. Black