And when there are storms...

You know, with all that is going on, and as we in society make our way, stumble, fall and whirl around, it is SO good to have friends. After my rant yesterday, I picked up the phone and called a best friend. She hung right in there, did not necessarily agree, challenged me in areas I had not thought through, and then we laughed and talked about everything else under the sun.

It made me feel warm and alive.

When I came home, the CNN junky that I am, (I tried to give up television but only lasted 4 days last week...has to watch the NBA finals and Yanks and SOX...you get the idea) I turned on the television and saw a wounded man.

I know what Senator Obama had to do yesterday, denouncing his former pastor Reverend Wright was painful. It was ALL over his face and my heart bleeds for him. Relationships are tough, no matter the level or the years. I can only imagine how passion, power, greed, envy and probably a multitude of other concepts are playing here.

I became very thankful, that as a common citizen, I can cherish my friends. We have weathered many storms together and come through to see the sun shine.

It is something I am very grateful for ~

Enjoy the Day!

Wright on...

Here we go again. Those who are a part of the black community know exactly what I mean. We implode upon ourselves. We instigate and then we falter and fall. We can stand tall and try to facilitate a healing and support Reverend Jeremiah Wright, as we did with O.J. Simpson, Rodney King, Michael Jackson ~ the list is long, after all, they are our brethren. A result of hundreds of years of all kinds of precipitant inflections. We are a massive race of many destructive patterns. BUT now that our dirty laundry is ALL laid out, what will we do with it???

If you read "Healthier, Happier, You" frequently, then you know I have struggled. I have really had to soul search and file my emotions and belief systems appropriately. I am an avid and strong supporter of community. I believe in my people and LOVE them. But a huge part of my problem with Senator Barack Obama was because he attended Trinity United Church of Christ.

Ten years ago, I sat in amazement. Center left in a huge edifice of other black folk. Many dressed in traditional African garb. I consider myself somewhat of a "militant", and a sense of pride surged forth. Light skinned, dark skinned, thick Afros, perms, braids, straight and waves. The choir and the church sang and they danced. My best friend invited me as his guest. Being a gay male, he felt at home there, often citing that the hypocrisy in the black church had left him numb, but there he felt at home, so I went.

Having said all of that, let me state that as a creole, my family was raised Roman Catholic ( as was his ) and are very traditional and non-screamin and a hollerin!

As a young adult, I sought the experience of the other side (as did my best friend) and let me tell ya, I LOVED IT. As I matured, my church home nurtured me, taught me the bible page for page, and gave my little one a place to be safe on Halloween, safe on Wednesday nights, and safe in spirit. FOR ME, that is what a church home should do. My pastor counseled me when I was sick. Fed me when I was low on funds. It supplemented me and also the community it was in. FOR ME, that is what a church home should do.

When I wanted to become involved in my community, here in Chicago, you can do that just about anywhere. Operation Push is headquartered here. We have Father Phleger at St. Sabina and the programming he supports. We have a host of options. The SOUTH SIDE is HUGE! But when I want to be in church, I want to praise.

So, getting back to Trinity... the singing stopped and Rev. Wright appeared in full out African garb. He appeared a white man from so far away in the pulpit. Then he opened his mouth. He may have mentioned Jesus once. After the pomp and circumstance, I was exhausted and had learned nothing, was uninspired and frankly had a headache.I had to return a few times over the years for funerals, dedications etcettera, but I distanced myself from associating there, simply because that atmosphere did not represent me. I hope that because of his ill advised choice to come out and take the stage, he does not forge a representation that black folk overall can never shake. We are a multitude and can not be so easily defined.

He is not me. He is a part of me. But he is the me I have shaken off and stored in the proper place. Mocking others is not cool. His latest antics are not a true reflection of what the black community is ALL about. His showmanship lacks the polished demeanor that we are fully capable of. No, we are not all the same, as the collective whole was just beginning to see, black people don't have to scream and shout and dance all the time. Say "yessum" and "No sa" and can project the awesome quality we have to be bilingual ( yes I believe Ebonics is a language ) and assimilate caucasia while being ourselves at home, in church, or at play.

Church is church. Community activism is community activism. Church and state are separate for a reason.

I have wanted to support a Black person for President since the day I was born. I worked diligently on Senator Obama's senate campaign. But I desire one who supports the promise he speaks on and lives it, if he is truly going to represent me, or I will continue to support the status quo and continue to hope they will take care and provide for me.

I resist being an African American. I am a TRUE American conceived through the strife of my ancestry. A multi-ethnic person who is the result of rape and pillaging. I identify as BLACK, despite the NEGRO on my birth certificate. I know nothing about Africa because my country did not want me to and everything about Mississippi and Louisiana. Senator Obama is a TRUE African American, whose only connection to the black community previously was through Michelle, who I went to high school with. Senator Obama can not represent me either. I would not hesitate to support a brotha who was not afraid of the average black person, and who was not a part of the bourgeois, elite, militancy that Trinity supports. Folk going to church just to be seen. Folk not paying attention to their Shepherd's words. I always sit through Wright's sermons going what about Christ? How he lived? I must say, all of these questions have haunted me the last 20 years and has caused me to fall away from the church; any church. I just desire to be good. Fair. Obedient. Decent. Concerned about the planet and my fellow man. I want to give. I want to love. I want to be safe!

SO! Since all of our laundry is out, let's organize it. Separate it. Fold it and then put it ALL away. This is one country. Many loads. Now we've got to keep it clean.

Celebrate GREEN with Shaklee GET CLEAN!

CELEBRATE EARTH MONTH WITH THE BEST GREEN CLEANERS
SHARE SHAKLEE WITH FRIENDS FOR A HEALTHIER HOME AND PLANET





SHAKLEE is here for you and the environment!

Incestuous Democratic Party

It is all just SO incestuous! I woke up this morning watched Wolf Blitzer on CNN and was SO impressed with Dr. Susan E. Rice and James Rubin that I Googled them. She was Assistant Secretary of State under the Clinton Administration ~ advising him on the issues of Rwanda and other crucial foreign policy. Rice and Rubin worked together under the Clintons as he was the State Department spokesman! They also worked together on the John Kerry Presidential Campaign. Rubin is married to the wondrously informative and dare devilish CNN correspondant Christine Amnapour.

All of this in-fighting is REALLY about jobs! Who will be back in the White House with a nice job! They are all close associates. They are all privy as to what is REALLY going on. It is a little crazy and I really wish that there wasn't SO much money involved. Literally money being just poured toward these campaigns. It is money thrown under a bus while the world hunger crisis grows.

I am really a little bit pissed about this all. What about you??

Wonderful Wishes and Whimsical Dreams

I sincerely hope that everyone had a wonderful, informative, and productive Earth Day!! Thank You to all of our fellow bloggers for their incredible input. Los Angelista and her giveaway ~ Elaine Vigneault ~ and everyone! I enjoyed myself!!

It was also a big sports day for me. Yesterday the New Orleans Hornets (GO TYSON) were successful, and my annual heavenly matchup with the Yankees vs The White Sox continues!

Diet wise, my family has succumbed quite happily into contentment without meat and dairy! We have overcome some very huge obstacles, and while I am sure we may falter here and there, I am excited to report we are well on our way to a vegan lifestyle.

I continue to also prefer consuming items that are kosher or halal ~ and am also still Shaklee-fying my home!

SO, with all of that said, I hope you too are enjoying some Spring changes that are ushering health and happiness into your lives, whatever those things may be and bring! We'd love to hear about them so tell us here or email me if you are too shy!

Have a great day!!!

Hip-Hip Hooray! Its Earth,YankeesvsSox Day!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE MY YANKS N SOX!! I'm in heaven. There are clouds. Matsui and Cano have wings. A.J. is singing!

Life IS good~

Just six degrees

National Geographics "SIX DEGREES could change the world" ~ Part 2







***

the video in its entirety is available through Amazon.com

K.R.C ~ To you with GLEE!!

Click here for a poetic moment from the Border's Open Door Poetry Contest and its winners and finalists!!


Our very first "Friends On Friday" poet, writer, digital imagist, K.R.Copeland was one of 5 finalists from 2000+ submissions! Her poem GUILT INDUCED RIFF WITH EYEBALLS AND FISH was judged and selected as a finalist by Mark Strand Pulitzer Prize Winning poet, essayist and translator.

You can CLICK HERE to read them all! ENJOY!

***EARTH DAY 2008***

Tomorrow Tuesday April 22, 2008 is EARTH DAY!

I was hoping to post this a day early just to see what everyone out there suggests we contribute to our planet on its special day!

My suggestion has many tiers. My first suggestion is that if you have not seen "SIX DEGREES could change the world", you must! There is a particular segment that details the impact of cheeseburgers on our carbon footprints. IT is astounding. The thousands of cheeseburgers consumed each year is equivalent to all of the SUV's on the road in America. I do not eat meat, but after the rendering of that information, I really can't see why anyone would eat meat. I KNOW they really taste good!! But we really need to think here ~ It is not just the mistreatment of the cows that we must take into account, but the miles and resources used for just one restaurant to serve them is incredible.

The other tid-bit I found to be so crucial for everyday knowledge is the fact that the warming in the Greenlands has brought suffering to the famous Greenland sled dogs. Climate change has forced the way of living there to a halt. Many have abandoned their lifestyles and their dogs. While researching I did uncover a response to inquiries regarding the dogs, but you just can not be sure. The response is here.







As concerned citizens of the world, we need to maintain these inquiries and help where we can. Here is the Greenland Home Rule Government website.

So on Earth Day 2008 what will you do? Eliminate using plastic bags? Planting trees? Eliminating water bottle usage? Turning off appliances not in use? Walking? Leaving out meat and dairy from your menu? You could just pick one thing and impact the world!

Well, whatever you do, I know it will be great ~ Enjoy the Day and tomorrow too!!





***
the video in its entirety is available through Amazon.com

**RED REISHI RULES!!**

This image above is about the most attractive image I could find for the reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum). Let us ALL get it out ~ it is REALLY ugly! BUT, I have been consuming this product via coffee loaded with pharmaceutical grade reishi for over three years now ~ SO I am officially ready to rave about this treasure without any hesitation.

While I am no medical expert, nurse, medical student, or even nutritionist, I am a great proponent of health and encompassing healthy living so that all may benefit from the best living there is.

I was introduced to this product by a health nut(sorry P.R.)...this person is SO health conscious I was initially hesitant to even listen, because they are always into something and raving some far out claims(again sorry, P.R.). But the reishi I researched. And researched. And researched for two years before I actually gave in! TWO YEARS WASTED when I could have been feeling this great. REALLY. I looked at every item available on every search engine and each site revealed study after testimony after study with nothing but good things. This mushroom is gentle enough to take every day with no toxicity.

It is a miracle that I am here to finally share with you because it's value, I have recently noticed, is catching on. Red reishi is now available at your local stores!

It is now available in forms of tea, capsules, creams, coffees, and even toothpaste!

It is simply an energizer. It is an immune booster. It is a respiratory wonder and wards off cancer and fatigue.

I had no common cold, flu or ailment this long wet winter, and am off allergy medication.

Check it out until you have absorbed every known fact. RED REISHI is just that good.

There are hundreds of ways to consume it. There are hundreds of benefits.

"And that's all I have to say about that!" ~ Forrest Gump

EARTHQUAKE!

I am sure that there may be some of you who live in areas that are earthquake zones and have experienced some real harrowing ordeals, so what I am about to relate to you is no BIG deal! However, our last registered seismic activity here in Illinois was in June of 2004. It was the sort of event I remember but only recollecting it to have been a "whoa, what was that??"

This morning's activity was more of a "Hey, what just hit the bed?...AM I DREAMING??? Did you feel that? WHOA, that was weird!"

Honestly, at 4:37 in the wee dawn hours, you are quite deranged. Hazily, I fell back into a sleep, but as I dozed my mind was thinking, "did a car hit the house? If it had, everyone else would jump up right?" AND my last coherent piece of rationalization was, "well, guess it wasn't anything...hope the Sears Tower didn't fall." Then I was gone. Back into the dark abyss, and the crevices of my dank mind.

Two hours later NPR was blaring about a 5.4 earthquake! HOW cool is that???










Everyone has been joking all day. "Yeh, right, you bumped your head during the earthquake, hehe, didn't cha?"

"That is a stupid thing to say, but it's okay, you're still traumatized from the earthquake, huh, right?"

So, this Freaky Friday has been quite fun with earthquake talk, interrupted dreams and a few flat tires on the Edens expressway. (allegedly from some upchucking of steel that erupted in a lane that "they" are blaming on the "earthquake", while I am for sure it is just another pot-hole!)




So in a few days, Mid-Westerners will go back to their lives and the jokes I am sure will soon fade...that is until the Big One hits! Chicago is in line with Mount Carmel, Milwaukee and a few locations along the border shared with Indiana for damage from the New Madrid fault. Whoa, what will we be saying then???







******
For more information visit U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program
and
GreatDreams.com
All map images courtesy of
U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program and
www.greatdreams.com/madrid

Thanks Dee and Joe!

Rest In Peace Cougar.

I don't know why I cried, but I cried. Yesterday, in Chicago a cougar was gunned down in an inner city neighborhood not far from where I work. Chicago Police shot him 6 times as if he was a common crack-head...I cried.

I know he was a danger to the public. He was said to have been leaping effortlessly over the 6 foot fences in folks backyards, therefore he could have easily hopped into a yard of kids and had a buffet ~ but I can't help but feel as if it is our fault. I am sure his home was developed and he was pushed out, or we somehow eliminated his food sources and he was hungry, or lonely!

For years now there have been cougar sightings around Chicagoland but not in the city. I really do not know why we don't have an Animal Police Unit like in Detroit, Miami and New York. We have plenty of wolves, rabbits and deer running around the city, so a cougar is not THAT unusual. Had we had the proper unit, they could have sedated him properly. Instead, he lay on the concrete slab, in an alley, put down like a criminal. I feel my tax dollars were misspent.

Rest in peace ~ a prayer and a nod to a precious life. A beautiful creature who deserved better from this city of Big Shoulders.

#42

American Lives 2 ~ PBS

I know Black History was in February, but today, as we honor #42, Jackie Robinson, and his historic contribution to MLB and these United States, let's look, listen and learn...our varied ancestry and the loads our family trees carry are beautuful, and remarkable. We are ALL important, no matter our color or creed...and we all have value and should appreciate one another ~ SO ENJOY!

The entire series that began in 2006 has been phenomenal. Reading Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Professor, writer, historian, is similar to having coffee with a dear friend. Watching the heart-felt journeys, of those we love is amazing and introspective.


For more information you may visit PBS.

Sox and T-shirts ~ The Finale

postscript...

THEY REMOVED THE SHIRT (winkwink)

Mission Of Hope

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

***Love and Pastor Jonah***

I am so full of love that often I feel as if I will just burst at the seems. Seriously, my mind flitters at all times on who I can help, what I can do, am I loving my son too much, my dog, my passions! LOVE can be detrimental to your health, let me tell ya!

Love can also keep this twisted world turning. With every act of visciousness there can be a turnbine of love that can spew that evilness away and touch someone's life and change the tone of a day.

I am a floater. I fluctuate across the internet, picking up information, meeting people and having my life touched in ways I could never fathom. On one of my excursions I met this man.

This man is Pastor Jonah of Kericho,Kenya.




As America has been suffering quite a bit lately, been consumed with our debt, tragedies and morose helplessness ~ just imagine the rest of the world. We must pick up our boot straps and hustle again so we can help each other and help ourselves!


Pastor Jonah has graciously taken time out from his mission to share with us something that is far greater than ourselves ~ LOVE!

In our exchange, I have learned the true testiment of our lives ~ Keep Loving and do all you can to make a difference.
*****

Thank you Pastor Jonah!How did this come about for you?
How i came to do this:
I grew up in a very poor background. i was educated thru' help from other people,
and even sometimes strangers, this somehow made me to think of a small way i can help the less fortunate in the society as well.

Tell us about the people of Kericho. What do you see in their future? What are their needs and desires? Of Ogembo? What is the population there? With all of the unrest, how many orphans are in dire need at this moment?
The people in Kericho, kenya
The place of my focus now is in kericho, the town has a rich soil and very good for agriculture. It's potential is still yet to be seen, since Loans that were once advance to farmers has dwidle, we are optistimic though that farmers can be help in someway to start out with their farm work through somekind of soft loans.
The people are optimistic and they have a rich work ethic in themselves, they want to make it in life.
The best hope is to cultivate a culture of Education, Farming and the rest will be put to a rest...and poverty will become a gone issue.

Post election violence
With the results of the flawed election, violence erupted, and this made so many people loose their jobs...., houses, and even land.
over 20,000 people were left homeless in my city ....we are still takin care of them as for now. The population of kericho is about 400,000. No census has been taken more recently..


With the elections going on here in America, the focus has been turned away from what we need to be concentrating on , such as the crisis of our neighbors. If you had one prayer for our world, for Kenya, and for children, what would it be?
My greatest prayer is
Let's love one another....in this world so we can live together. with my travels in russia, asia and other parts of africa, we seem to cry for one thing, LOVE, and acceptances. Let's lift our neighbours hand, and let them work again.
about american politics, they are in the papers often here too, since one of the runners for the presidency....we are told, his father was from here ......actually about 60 miles from kericho.

On one of your posts, dated March 11, 2008, you spoke of "Simba" the dog who had been brutally injured defending his family. How is Simba? How many other animals are being victimized along with their families?




Simba,
simba is a great dog,
he is now getting better, and we do hope that with the help of medics, he will be ok. the cut is slowly getting better and better. We are happy for this development.
we have heard of displaced cats, dogs, and even cows who were not milked for days.
it is still a hard experience.

How is the school drive going? What will the children be learning?
school drive,
the kids will be learning how to draw and color etc, it is kind of making the kids busy at the same time discover their talents.


Please expound a bit about the religious make-up and how Christianity's significance is parlayed. Are children encouraged to be Christian or is it freedom to worship as you desire? What is the designated religion of the area, if any?
Religion
Religious parity is biased towards christianity. Missionaries from the Christian side were among the first one to come over to this part of the world. about 80% profess to be christian, though alittle below 40% practice, Muslims and Budhism and others are also here.

Tell us about Ms. Penny. She seems so wise and spirited. What are her desires for the mission?
Ms penny,
she has been instrumental in setting up the site, and visited africa as well, though shortly.

How do you see the United States helping Africa? Is it better to work from within accomplishing groundwork through missions or urging our legislators and government to act in a specific way or both!
About the USA,
it seems that country has helped the world so much. we forever remain greatful to their great help. Am not an expert in anyway to give directions on how to help, we just pray that all will be well with the politicians and they continue to help us in the best way they can see fit.
thanks a lot.
thanks for the questions,
i tried to answer them ...as far as i can english is my third language,
Jonah




This has made my month! Now go out there and love someone!
I would love to hear about it too, so let me know!!!!


Jonahsmissions

You may contact Pastor Jonah in Kenya by email missions120{at}gmail{dot}com for more information about urgent or ongoing needs of the missions. Pastor Jonah would also love to hear your comments and suggestions for the blog, receive your prayer requests or hear your ideas as to how you might partner with the Missions of Hope.




ENJOY THE DAY!

Sox and T-shirts ~

FOX Sports just printed this story.

Tonight my wonderful Yankees are playing the Red Sox (yuk) and I am all on fire!You see, curses are BIG in baseball. And a Red Sox fan has just tried to curse the Yankees! These curses are serious business. If you doubt this, just take a look at those Chicago Cubbies. I mean, haven't these guys learned anything??? They go and bury a Red Sox t-shirt exactly where the new visiting player's locker will be in the NEW Yankee Stadium! YES, buried, right into the cement slab! What is this world coming to!

Well, whomever did this, BEWARE! You will have the fate of the Cubs! Yes, the Cubbies are off to a great start this season. BUT you soon will see, the spirit of the Billy Goat will awaken and bring them right to where they belong -- down. This year especially, for at the end of the year last season those dern Cubs fans hung a skinned goat from Harry Carry's statute, as if THAT was gonna break the curse, HA!They acquired nothing, again.

So the same shall go for the Red Sox. GO, go, so far, far - down below.

Yes, the same will be for the RED Sox and the construction guy and the rest of his cohorts. Johnny Damon will be batting up tonight, a Yankee! A-Rod! Matsui! Wang! Posada! Guys go! You may not win tonight, they may even rule the season, but for that little prank -- that curse will not stick...they'll get to the playoffs and choke! How do I know? I little bird from NOLA told me ;0)

Okay, okay -- but all of this is so much fun! Baseball rivalries run deep. I commented on another blog about the run-in I had with Red Sox player Manny Ramirez two years ago at White Sox Park. I was totally razing him and he threw a ball at me!

So, have fun, be spirited and by all means curse and enjoy! It's all in the spirit of the game. (No, I did not keep that ball for fear of it being a curse~ Someone sitting next to me threw it right back!)

Ahhh, tis the season!

Chiwetel Ejiofor!!!

I really don't have too much to say about this wonderful actor except I just LOVE saying his name!

He has not received accolades YET for his tremendous acting abilities, but that's okay ~ his break-out role is just on the horizon.

BUT look out for him. He is a rising star. His most recent performance in London as Othello was highly regarded.

His last movies here is the U.S. have been equally well-received.

Chiwetel Ejiofor! (pronounced chew-ee-tal edge-ee-o-for)Watch out for him and Enjoy the day!!!!

NOLA SUNDAYS ~ Suzanne Malveux!

As a black woman, or woman of color, which really usually means a person of mixed American heritage, we are often seeking, searching, on the look-out for success stories. Validations if you will, or upliftings; essentially strong tales of bona fide successes to confront what is essentially a type of low self esteem that has somehow been steeped in us. Mainstream America, in my generational era, were brought up always viewing people of color in negative lights: "Black-out" "we're in the black", "black-balled" and I can not count the many times folks, after meeting me and invariably questioning my heritage exclaim, "What? You're black? You can't be" like it is the worse thing in the world.

I am saying all of this to say that over the many months I have struggled with this election, strangled myself and my dog, I have wrestled with the ethnicity of Suzanne Malveaux! Yes perpetuating the sickness, though if I ever met her I would never ask!

I am a faithful CNN watcher, as you know. I know the political implications of watching network news, its biases, censorship, and that its ultimate content is in the sole interest of whomever's corporation and their whimsical soap box, but I like CNN and watched Soledad O'Brien every morning and was devastated when they stripped her of her morning desk duties. I knew her fascinating background (Australian, Irish and Afro-Cuban)and she continues to serve as an inspiration and a motivator as I go about my way in this life. Having people of color commenting on the goings on in our multi-ethinic world offers some semblance that our perspectives are not being left out.

Historically, women of color have always had positions of power and authority ( mundae as it were), even dating back to slave days~but it continues to move me, and support me when I SEE them and follow them, and admire them. It may sound crazy, but it is a truth for me.

Back to Malveuax! Finally today, after watching her last night as she did a tremendous job filling in for Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room", I Googled her. She shares my New Orleanian background! SO, I am giving her a "shout-out" today!

Born in 1966, Suzanne Malveaux is the twin of Suzette Malveaux. Suzanne is cum laud from Harvard (Soledad O'Brien also went to Harvard) and has a masters from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism! She has lived in her native New Orleans, though she was born in Lansing, Michigan.

So, this NOLA SUNDAY belongs to Suzanne. A great and promising force in today's journalistic driven world, who can inspire and promote that women of color are smart, talented, intelligent and gumbo is REALLY good for the brain!

C'est tout!!

Bubba and the Shoe Laces

Today was one of those days. I woke up a bit late. My son and I were scurrying about, grabbing this, downing that, kissing the dog, when I had one of those moments.

Time stood still. My breath shallowed, and my eyes teared. My son was just bending down to tie his $75 gym shoes. He is now a size 10 1/2. A man. A boy. But he was still using the "Bunny Rabbit Method". Remember? I remember. He must have been 3 or 4years old...pretty young for tying, but he had an older brother by 18 months, my step-son, who I have raised. My precious, sweet, boy wanted to do it all, so one day while big brother was at school, I proceeded to teach him, the simplest way, just as I had taught his big brother a few months before. I sat him down. Big eyed and attentive. He watched as I "Loop de Loop"..."See?" "...then cross here and bring the Bunny's ear here right through his mouth!Now pull!" He would launch backwards giggling, and a squeal! "Do it again Mommy! Do it again!!"

After a few times, he began to try it for himself. We'd break and then he'd go back again. By the time brother came home, he was a pro. SO eager to share his accomplishment and poke his chest out, cuz now he was a big boy too!

Flash forward, he is now 12, but he still ties his shoes with the Bunny Rabbit ears! It was all I could do to not cry. My boy, my man...it's all so bittersweet!
I can only hang my head and be so thankful for every moment I remember to treasure and to love ~