A Tanka

 Inspired by Sabrina C.

What are the small wins?

Lean into that my dearest

But balance it out

Let it be fire for you

Proper for your greatest self

An Intersex Awareness Day Reflection

My Intersex Awareness Day reflection made it to Black Catholic Messenger

Proud to be a Michigander

 Woot!!!

Governor Whitmer officially recognized Ace Week

Version 4.3

 

Another trip around the sun is here for your humble blogger. It's a blessing to make it this far. In fact, some of the lessons from the past year has been don't take anything for granted and go at your own pace. Time may pass by quickly, but stop to smell the roses sometimes.

-Msranadee

Making it to U.S. Catholic

 Your humble blogger made it to U.S. Catholic with a review of Matt Kappadakunnel's The Catholic Church and the Struggle for Racial Justice.  Check it out at the link below and definitely check out Matt's book.

https://uscatholic.org/articles/202408/what-were-reading-this-month-september-2024/

Embracing caftans

 

According to one of my favorite fashion mavens, Lauren Ezersky, "We'll all be wearing caftans this summer". Never in a million years did I think that I would get to the point that I would wear one. I thought it would make me look older than I am. But, at this point, some fashion rules can be broken. There's no age limit to caftans, and if you want to wear one, make it work.  Do what's comfortable for you. For me, I felt like a short one (since I'm short) was the best. Luckily, this Emerson Fry piece has a tie on the inside to give a little form fitting silhouette. With that, I'll be glad to say I'm in my caftan era

-Msranadee 

Encountering Others, Encountering Self

Earlier today, your humble blogger came across this insightful preaching on today's BIble readings in the Catholic Church

https://youtu.be/wVcTrzNU_vw?si=Uhsz_66RwcbaRhs7

What really hit home were the following quotes on the positive attributes of not putting people into boxes:

To be in conversation is to be open to conversion. We can be changed by understanding the other person’s point of view. We can grow in compassion and empathy when we listen to the reality of another person’s life. We can see things differently when we listen to their spoken truth and shared wisdom.

Familiarity doesn't have to breed contempt. It can also be the doorstep to deepening relationship. Deepening relationship is the threshold of encounter with another and with the Divine.

 Given that we're social beings, it seems logical that listening to and growing in compassion and empathy towards another person doesn't only entail seeing things differently for their sake, but one's own. In other words, there is a plausibility to the idea that one can encounter one's self when encountering another. One opens themself to areas where they may have put themselves in a box. And in getting into the the open space that is encounter, they can deepen relationship with themself as they deepen relationship with the " other", letting go of any boxes that limit.

How many times do we think we know ourselves too well, only to see something we didn't know was inside brought out when encountering someone we've labeled "other"? Of course,  this is not talking about situations where real psychological or physical harm can occur.  It is worth considering,  though,  that we might encounter ourselves when we encounter someone who pushes us outside our comfort zone.

On Luxury

 (Inspired by Denisio Truitt)

What is luxury for me?

It's 

Walking down the street in my favorite pair of shoes 

The sun on my skin while enjoying a coffee in a cafe's patio seating 

An outfit that makes you feel just right 

That song that hits your soul

Good food

Good people

Great conversations 

Uniting heart to heart

On that note,

Above all,

1 Corinthians 13 love

In Honor of Movement

 It's that time of year again! You're humble blogger's favorite festival, Movement, is going on now. If it hasn't been mentioned already,  I love electronic music, and Movement is THE festival for electronic music,  period.  In celebration,  I figure I'd share a couple of tunes on my radar from a couple of artists on this year's roster

AceMoMa-Top if The Mountain 

https://youtu.be/IL_rr_DNJwY?si=kAzQCQtPCUMIP1NQ

If this doesn't make you dance, I don't know what will

Channel Tres-Walked in the Room 

https://youtu.be/tHioM1FKgH8?si=ube7A0-tmFyvOz9E

Clash of the titans! A hot name in electronic music right now Channel Tres, teamed up with Roman GianArthur of Wondaland to mix up this funky groove.

-msranadee 

Consider the Lillies of the Field

 Yes, the title comes from Matthew 6:28. What struck me as of late was a meditation that highlighted enjoying creation. Immediately, my desk plant Ms. Asia came to mind. She took a few bumps and bruises, but she's surviving, even when I didn't expect her to. Her plant species is known for resisting drought conditions and is amenable to minimal sunlight. That took me to the Bible verse. It's amazing how nature, no matter how much it can't be played with, allows for organisms that can withstand testy environs. For them, its all through no work of their own. They just are and grow, despite what comes. Maybe the meditation was right-creation can teach us a thing or to about being able to withstand difficulties. 

Until next time,

MsRanaDee 

Happy Easter

 Blessed Easter to those who celebrate. It's on your humble blogger's heart to share this dynamic reflection on the day from the esteemed Dr. C. Vanessa White.

As always, 

Msranadee 

Be part of Black history now

Black history isn't just events that happened in the past. They're happening now. In fact, you can be part of it. Dr. Hadiyah Nicole Green, one of the first African American women to get a Ph.D in Physics, created technology shown to eliminate cancer in mice and is raising funds to get the technology to human clinical trials. Go to oralee.org to donate and get more information on her groundbreaking work.

Beginnings

 It's on the heart of your humble blogger to speak on beginnings. To get a little personal,  this month was supposed to start a new chapter of my life,  but alas, life saw for things to go in another direction. By no means is it easy, but it means thinking about what that other direction is going to look like. That took me to the concept of beginnings. For me, the new chapter I thought I was going to have is going to have to be rewritten. At the same time,  what would have been is something that will always be with me, no matter what step I take.

The typical image of January is New Year's resolutions, which usually implies new beginnings, which usually has the implication of starting off on a clean slate. What if that's not always the case? What if beginning means building on what's already there? 

The song Auld Lang Syne is practically synonymous with ringing in the new year. How much thought, though, have we given to the meaning of the lyrics? According to Vox, the lyrics are rooted in rhetorical questions about old friends and old times. In other words, it's saying the old doesn't have to be discarded outright. There are things of the past that have virtue. 

New starts can have root in what came before. Whether good or bad, the past has lessons, virtues, and insights on which can be built something new. Again, this may not be a new concept,  but it's worth reiterating. 

-Ms RanaDee

The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out and upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.
No less to Midas than the mendicant.
No less to you now than the mastodon then. (Maya Angelou, On the Pulse of Morning