Not Only Was the Time Well Spent, It Was Splendid

Let me start by saying that human interaction is everything. Things have been so random lately, but entirely enjoyable. The last few "major" gatherings I've been a part of were a beach trip I went on this weekend and a "Sister Girl Sleepover" during the last week of June. Not counting the many times I've been out with an assorted number of people.

See?

Did I mention that all my company were Nubians in their own right?

Anywho, I've realized how much I adore good, genuine company. Like. Really. It's priceless. It's one thing to be bored while in the presence of other people... just for the sake of being bored together. It's a completely different thing to not be doing much at all, but be around people with a positive energy, and just enjoying the time you have for whatever it's worth.

A friend of mine was telling me how I take for granted the fact that people really do admire me and my work, more so she was telling me to be cognizant of the fact. I guess I do play things a bit casually. It's not even an issue of modesty, I just never believe the hype is what others make it out to be. However, a small reminder of the fact came in the mail today.

A friend of mine was going to perform poetry for an all boy's poetry/hip-hop class, and asked me and one other friend to come along with her to perform. I was down from the very beginning since I love kids, but I didn't know how inspired I'd be once I got there. While waiting on the boys to arrive, I felt so horrible upon realizing that I didn't have a piece specifically for male empowerment (*don't trip, I'm working on one now*).

So the boys basically inspired me to write before they even made it into the room. Once they get there, we're playing different games and doing different ice breakers just to boost group moral, since we were basically strangers to them. Then we just performed. Went nuts, no holds barred. Mind you, the content of the poems ranged from everything like wearing your crown, child molestation, good/bad fathers, and so forth. Every poem got such a reaction out of the kids. It was so moving.

I should mention that the group was full of 8th grade boys and 12th grade boys. The point of the camp is to help the 8th graders transition into high school via the 12th graders involved in the program. True to their boyish nature, a lot of them spent a good amount of time cracking jokes on one another. However, it was obvious that there was some type of camaraderie amongst them. When asking the group to share their talents versus sitting there listening to us the whole time, people were quick to point out who could sing, rap, etc. Though they were all kidding around in a serious capacity, but they didn't know that they were "secretly" supportive of each other.

Either way, they decided to share some of their poetry with us towards the end of class. You (probably wouldn't) be surprised at the things some of them had written about... being looked at as statistics, money, death, swag, etc. It's like... you really don't know what's going on in a person's mind until they tell you, and I had no idea. I mean, I could imagine (hence, the poem I started working on in effort to motivate them), but I'm not really there, and could never really know, because in the end- I'm not them.

Still, at the end we all went around and said the way the day made us feel. Two words the boys chose had an affect on me. Inspired and hopeful. I can't say which word worked on me more than the other, I can only say that they both stirred up something within me.

Ok. Wait. I was going somewhere with this, right? The day just reminded me of the power of words. Not to mention, it reminded me not to take my own presence/talent for granted. More so, I got a check in the mail for that today. Yeah... that's what I was saying. I got a reminder in the mail. I didn't even anticipate getting paid when I went to the class. I had the understanding that it was strictly volunteer work, but to receive a check for it just kind of reminded me... weeks later, that my time was appreciated by those who weren't even in the room. Yeah. Exactly.

Good Times & Good People,
B

p.s. Oh yeah, look at the picture from the beach. I dyed the blonde part of my hair purple. Hmph. Change is good.