I Stand Tall and Flex

Love that 'appreciation' for the Beautiful Black Woman feeling 

I get when I hear a song like THIS!

A piece of my mind...

---------------------------------

Matters of the Heart

---------------------------------

'I Stand Tall and Flex'

My protector by Laurie Cooper

 My Beautiful Black Queen, 

You fuel my heart and soul

With an overwhelming
Desire to...
Need to...
Stand tall and flex.

Like a 

’Tower of Power’ 

you can lean against 

in your time of need. 

I stand tall and flex

With open arms
I stand stern

I stand ready

To comfort you

With a warm embrace

Ebony Embrace by Clay Wright

To let you know
You’re safe with me.


My Beautiful Black Queen,

With you by my side

You fuel me with Pride

That gives me the

Strength to…

Power of Love by Wak (Kevin A. Williams)

Courage to…
 

Stand tall and flex…

As I stand strong

And hold my ground, 

I serve as the protector

Of your heart, mind and spirit
with an 'undying and unconditional love'

For a lifetime

My Beautiful Black Queen,

You are my gift from ‘God’

And I pay Homage

To your beautiful presence

When...

I Stand Tall and Flex!

Terry Reese Jr.
(C) 2004

Never again do I want you to feel...

Missing someone isn’t about how long it has been since you’ve seen them or the amount of time since you’ve talked. It’s about that very moment when you find yourself doing something and wishing they were right there by your side.

---------------------------------------------------------

I absolutely love how this song take me to that place. I heard it on my drive home today and it has me thinking about how certain songs are elevated in your train of thought depending on your state of mind and/ or stage in life where there's a crossroad. I guess you can say I'm at a crossroad in my life when it comes to finding that lovely lady who will be by my side mentally, physically, and spiritually enduring and overcoming the challenges of life. 

You Deserve The World by Kolongi

Living and learning from the choices we make definitely has its growing pains and when I listen to this song, it sings to my heart and soul as I reflect on how my lack of honesty, lack of trusting my innermost thoughts with that special someone who I'd give the world.

The picture I want to paint isn't always filled with roses when it comes to 'matters of the heart'... the fear of losing a blessing lead to some selfish acts that could have been avoided if I had simply faced those fears with the one I love.

~~~~~~~ Matters of the Heart ~~~~~~~

Never Again do I want you to feel…

For your eyes only by Gerald Ivey

 Never again do I want you to feel

the pain you're in...

I can't keep count
of the number of times
you've had to dig deep within
to forgive me and love me
through the lies and the whys.

Never again do I want you to feel
the pain you're in...

You from the beginning
have been an example
that honesty brings about
total understanding.

Never again do I want you to feel
the pain you're in...

I don't know where to begin
to apologize for the hurt
but I know now this is where it ends.
No more will I revert
To the lies and the whys

Never again do I want you to feel
the pain you're in...

There was no gain
in the lies i tried in my reasoning why,
I prayerfully hope that your heart
will forgive me and I can
someday regain your trust...
That my love for you is truly genuine

and you loving me weren’t a misjudgment.

Never again will I cause
the pain you're in...

Because this is where I begin
To live by the way you've
always been...
Honest with your thoughts and
Trusting with your heart.

No Burden's Too Heavy by Alonzo Adams
© Terry Reese Jr

Supporting Black-owned should be a priority in my opinion

Personally, I feel too many in the black community take this way too lightly for various reasons and/or give a 1001 excuses not to support black-owned. Since my new found passion for skating started almost 2 years ago, I bear witness to this madness... the lack of support.

I lace up my 8s (skates) as much as possible and where I reside (Raleigh, NC), there's two rinks that either meet my desired environment or come close to it. But once I found out the one I frequent the most was black-owned it got my full support, why? Because it felt good being able to do something I've come to enjoy and be able to spend my money supporting a black business. 

I personally feel we as a people haven't 'ARRIVED' and can't nor should we ignore supporting others in the black community. ARRIVED <~ you know that feeling of... "I've work too hard, I've accomplished too much to be told where to spend MY money... so I'm spending it where I want to." That's all well and fine, but don't be in the business of being destructive (pull business away from) to another ~> black business that's trying to 'ARRIVED' and do big things as well, like giving back to the community we live in. 

I say, toss the reasons why you don't and make supporting black businesses a priority.

Here's a nice article I found written by Aisha I. Jefferson. 

4 Ways to Support Black Businesses

How to put your black buying power to use

by Aisha I. Jefferson Posted: April 18, 2011

           

'The Skating Place' Raleigh, NC Black-owned and operated

With black buying power on track to reach $1.2 trillion in 2015, Chandra R. Thomas of Atlanta, GA, along with two of her friends, found it disturbing that although African Americans are the largest consumers, they aren’t spending money with African American vendors and business owners. In 2003 they established a discussion group primarily for African American professionals, called TalkBLACK. The group hosts two-hour meetings on the first Saturday of each month at a black-owned venue and encourages attendees to purchase at least one item from the menu. “I want to dispel the myth that by supporting black-owned business you’re settling for less quality,” says Thomas.

The 37-year-old freelance journalist provided these four tips to encourage others to support black businesses.

1. Research local black-owned businesses.

You may be surrounded by black-owned businesses and not even know it. Find out by asking friends, contact an African American business organization, or casually inquiring at a venue about its ownership. “We also emphasize in meetings that we are looking for black businesses, and people will say ‘I know someone and give a referral,” Thomas says.

2. Make supporting black-owned businesses a priority.

http://www.theskatingplace.us/

TalkBLACK built the idea of supporting black-owned businesses into its culture, and any time it holds an event, it first looks at options that can benefit black businesses. But you don’t have to start an organization in order to support black-owned business; you can follow TalkBLACK’s lead as a member of any professional group you belong to, or wity your family. Whether you need flowers, tablecloths, or printed invitations, Thomas says, “Organizations should sit down and think about what they need on a regular basis and make a sincere effort to get an African American vendor or business owner to supply it. That should be your first course of action.” Some TalkBLACK members have selected Saturday as the day they patronize only black-owned businesses.

3. Share information with family and friends.

Adult night session (Thursdays and Sundays)

Once you identify black-owned businesses in your community, encourage others to support them too. A few years ago, Thomas sent out an e-mail telling friends to support a black-owned beauty supply store and an emissions center she’d found in her neighborhood. “We need to be an example to others, and we need to spread the word,” she says. “If black-owned businesses go down, it hurts the community.”

4. Don’t be put off by a bad experience.

“Someone can go to a place and have a bad experience and make a sweeping statement like, ‘That’s why I don’t support black businesses.’ I think that’s the wrong attitude,” says Thomas. Instead, she suggests responding to poor service by cordially asking to speak with the management and making a decision based on the outcome.

If I could, would you?

One word - WONDERFUL

Love that 'feel good feeling' of my heart and mind

being captivated by God's gift to man,

the one woman who can put the blinders on and all 

you can see is her.

-----------------------------------------------------

Matters of the Heart

------------------------------------------------------

If I could, would you...?

On my mind by Toni Taylor

 If I could

Steal a moment of your time

With the intentions

Of wooing your mind

To make you mine,

Would you embrace the thought

With open arms

And a warm heart,

Or would you deny me access

And chase me away

Like a thief in the night?

If I could

Take you by the hand

And lead you on a boundless journey

In blissful thought,

Would you hold on tight

And allow your thoughts

To take flight

With me into a night

Filled with endless passion

Or would you deny me access

And pull your hand back

Refusing to let our minds

Intertwine?

If I could

Overcome my fear of heights

I'll take a hike

And climb the highest mountain

To serenade you,

In a last gasp effort

To fill your heart and mind

With an undying love

For a lifetime

Would you lend me your ear

So you could hear

Me roar,

As the words I sing

Soar…

Like an eagle in flight…

Would you give the sweet melodic

Sounds of 'love and romance'

A chance

To provoke you to dance

With me

Or would you deny me access

To your heart

And change the tune

To a rhythm less beat,

From the highest peak

My heart and mind will come

Tumblin’ down

To the valley below,

I shall dance no more.

 If I could, would you...?

Heavenly Arch - Jason Delancey

 Terry Reese Jr.

© 2004