Day 2/130 - Judd Amongst Us Girls

Naomi and Wynonna Judd were today's guests. As always, it was fascinating to watch them. We spend so much time labeling others. We talk about dysfunctional families but what is dysfunction. Sometimes I think dysfunction and family may be synonymous. I don't know any perfect families. The Cosbys, Ozzie and Harriet, and the Bradys don't exist in real life. Love is not about perfection, it's about accepting and loving each other through our imperfections.

I love my family and think I have been extraordinarily blessed. We have bumps, blemishes, scars and secrets just like every body else. But through it all there is an unconditional love that prevails and supercedes the hurt, anger, disappointment, worry, and mistakes that we are prone to experience. There is an unspeakable bond between single parents (male or female) that can only be understood by another who's walked in our shoes. I identify with Naomi because it's hard to find a balance between strong and overbearing, firm and unyielding, tough and defensive.

I know I've made mistakes but all I can do is pray that my children can understand that I did the best I could with what I knew. I tell them that as parents sometimes our best lessons are what not to do with their own children. I pray they don't repeat my mistakes, rather, I hope they learn from them and strive to be not only better parents but better people.

Now that I'm older and wiser I would do many things differently, unfortunately, I would also be less energetic, tolerant and patient. It's good I had them young.  Children and menopause are not a good mix.

I pray each generation in my family gets stronger, smarter, and more secure. They have to find and define their own traditions and learn to nurture their own relationships. I have tried to be an inspiration to my children by working hard, setting goals, and loving life. As I said yesterday, I believe we owe God rent for the space we occupy and my kids are no different. I only pray they will live up to the gifts, wisdom and talents the Lord has blessed them with so they can realize their greatness and give back. However, I'm still a mom, so I will continue to fuss and push to keep them moving in the right direction while loving them through it. I feel very blessed at this moment because there is a very special man who has impacted my life and is keeping me grounded while letting me fly at the same time. Why is it so much easier to give love when we feel loved?  Anyway, I'm very thankful.
Well that's it for tonight, see you tomorrow!

Day 1 - The Final Road Trip

Who knew that what started on September 8, 1986 would change the very fabric of America. The first time I saw Oprah I was amazed that the network would promote a talk show hosted by a Black woman with nerve and curves. She looked like me. I was so proud because she was the epitome of the majority of Black women in my life rather than the stereotypical loud, brash and angry black women often portrayed in the media. She was to me an extenuation of the Cosby show, proving to America that we were intelligent, articulate, witty, enterprising and talented.

Today was the first show of the new season. I was truly inspired by the woman who built the home for the orphans in Africa after hearing the toast by John Travolta who told Oprah that she had made the world better. I believe we need to pay rent on the space that we occupy on this planet. I feel I owe it to God to somehow leave this world better than I found it. Our purpose in being born is to make a difference. It doesn't matter if that difference is for one or a million, do something big or something small, but do something.

Over the past 24 years, the Oprah show has opened doors for people of color, disabilities, academic and economic challenges. More importantly, she opened the eyes of America and touched the hearts of Americans. No longer can we ignore poverty, abuse, intolerance, hatred, or bigotry. We have been forced to look at ourselves and examine our beliefs regarding "isms" like racism, sexism, and size- ism. In its wake, Oprah has helped up reach a higher conscience and replaced the negative with positive "isms": romanticism, idealism, and optimism. As a woman, my sense of sisterhood is much more profound thanks to her.

During this final season I want to discover my potential and hope my readers will discover their greater powers along with me. I truly believe Oprah's show was just the vessel America needed to move forward toward inclusion and acceptance. I hate it when people say, "I don't see color". Unless you have a visual impairment, we all see color. What we need to do is to aspire to see past color. We need to love more and judge less. Each day I plan to journal my way through Oprah's Final Road Trip. I don't really know what I'll write or where I'll go but I hope I can inspire some folks to come with me. Let's see where we end up!