"If you drop a pebble in a pond, you get ripples and soon that ripple fills the whole pond"
Bruce Lee
Content
Live life!!
Hiyee, wasn’t today glorious here in the
Anyhoo, I’ve been really struggling to think of a topic and how I could philosophise it and turn it into a decent blog. It just wasn’t happening for me. I was really struggling! Then it dawned on me that all I really want to do is encourage you to do good things, to reach and maximise your potential, strive for excellence and, most of all be happy within yourself.
Life can be so short as has been highlighted to us in previous blogs. We really don’t know when it’s our time to go or the time of a loved one. So I encourage you (and myself) to make the most of your life and be kind to those around you.
Don’t wait on other people to fulfil your dreams! Set the wheels in motion yourself. Do what makes YOU happy, without seriously upsetting or offending the people around you.
Already at my young age of 30 (yes 30 is still young) I am tempted to say “I should’ve done it this way” or “I wish I’d had done that instead of this” or even “I really should’ve gone on that date” heehee ok I know there’s plenty more fish in the sea but you get my drift.
Someone told me a story the other day which made me realise that if you really want something and you work towards it you can have it. ..
The teacher asked her pupils what career they would like in the future. The usual answers came flying back: lawyer, doctor, entrepreneur, footballer etc etc. However, when it came to Nicole she answered “I won’t need a career Miss, as I’m going to marry X” (X was a famous popstar at the time)
The teacher obviously annoyed sent Nicole to the headmaster’s office, where she was given an after school detention for her ridiculous answer.
Well you never guess what – she only went and got married to him years later. Through a course of events X got married to his number one fan! True story!
Now I’m NOT saying that you should start preparing your wedding with Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore or Trey Songz, but what I AM saying is sometimes when you believe in something so much that you dedicate your life to it, it can become a reality!! No matter how airy fairy that story is, it actually spurred me on to complete a job application form. God really will use anything to get your attention and speak to you... Heehee!!
Enjoy the rest of your week (and of course the sunshine) and I encourage you to live as the Gifted and Highly Favoured woman/man that you are!!
Nics xx
"There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave,
There are souls that are pure and true;
Then give the world the best you have,
And the best will come back to you."
- Madeline Bridges
Home is where the heart is...
Hey guys,
I'm in the sunny island of Jamaica to see my family but more importantly say thank you farewell to my Grandma Cicy.
Being on this trip has not only made realise how much I love my family and close ones, but also how fundamental it is to try and have a happy home. This thought has revisited my mind because no matter what reason, time or distance it takes me to visit home, I am always relieved and at ease when I'm home.
Home is where the heart and I intent to absorb all the JA love and sunshine ;) here is some food for thought:
If Home is where the heart is
Then may your Home be blessed
A shelter from the storms of Life
A place of rest,
And when each day is over
And toil put in its place
Your Home’s dear warmth
Will bring its smile
To light the saddest face!
Written by: John McLeod
Did you enjoy the inspirational post above? If so you can find more by the author at Amazon.com:
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Quotes and Sayings about Home:
“You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it’s all right.” Maya Angelou
“Home is not where you live but where they understand you.” Christian Morgenstern
“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke,
or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” Charles Dickens
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in.” Robert Frost, The Death of the Hired Man
“The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there.” Ellie Rodriguez
“Where thou art – that – is Home.” Emily Dickinson
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” Jane Austen
“Home is a shelter from storms – all sorts of storms.” William J. Bennett
“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.” Robert Montgomery
Till next time stay blessed,
S xxx
I'm in the sunny island of Jamaica to see my family but more importantly say thank you farewell to my Grandma Cicy.
Being on this trip has not only made realise how much I love my family and close ones, but also how fundamental it is to try and have a happy home. This thought has revisited my mind because no matter what reason, time or distance it takes me to visit home, I am always relieved and at ease when I'm home.
Home is where the heart and I intent to absorb all the JA love and sunshine ;) here is some food for thought:
If Home is where the heart is
Then may your Home be blessed
A shelter from the storms of Life
A place of rest,
And when each day is over
And toil put in its place
Your Home’s dear warmth
Will bring its smile
To light the saddest face!
Written by: John McLeod
Did you enjoy the inspirational post above? If so you can find more by the author at Amazon.com:
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Quotes and Sayings about Home:
“You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it’s all right.” Maya Angelou
“Home is not where you live but where they understand you.” Christian Morgenstern
“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke,
or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” Charles Dickens
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in.” Robert Frost, The Death of the Hired Man
“The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there.” Ellie Rodriguez
“Where thou art – that – is Home.” Emily Dickinson
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” Jane Austen
“Home is a shelter from storms – all sorts of storms.” William J. Bennett
“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.” Robert Montgomery
Till next time stay blessed,
S xxx
All in the Family
Sunday, 3 April 2011
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Labels:
ayesha harruna attah,
distinguished tongue series,
national ghana parade council,
nectar wine bar,
play cousins
The National Ghana Parade Council's Distinguished Tongue Series launch and book signing at Nectar Wine Bar was fantastic. After nearly a year promoting Powder Necklace (the book turns 1 on April 6th!!), I never know who will show up to an event. My family and friends all have the book and have more than showed their support, trooping to different venues across the city, buying multiple copies, and spreading the word to their friends. It ended up being a mega-reunion for me.
A great friend from college that I haven't seen in years Facebooked to let me know he would be coming, so I was psyched to see him, but I was not expecting to see my play cousins from back in the day! When my parents came to this country, they formed a tight community of fellow Ghanaians that became our extended family and three of the kids I grew up playing with in upstairs bedrooms while our parents talked politics in Ga downstairs were in the house. It was so crazy to see my one cousin in particular whom I had not seen since she was like 12! I almost wanted to snatch the glass of wine from her hand, but alas, she's a woman now.
After I hugged fellow author Ayesha Harruna Attah and started to set my books up on the table, another ghost from my past strode into the room from behind the Employees Only area. Now one of Nectar's directors, she used to be my boss at one of my first jobs out of college!
Then a gentleman approached to let me know he had come to find out if I was related to Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond (the same Uncle Abeeku I thank in the last sentence of my acknowledgments at the back of the book). My dad's little brother teaches in the College of Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and this young man was one of his students. But what was so cool about meeting him was that he had designed an energy-efficient car model under the encouragement of my uncle, and I remember Uncle Abeeku emailing us about this student's good work, complete with a jpeg of the car.
As I bounced around the room catching up with fam and friends from the past, and the contingent of friends who graciously listened as I repeated the spiel they've heard many times over, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that moment.
The Council did an amazing job creating an easygoing yet purposeful networking vibe. Business cards were swapped, funds were raised for a scholarship fund, and in keeping with the spirit of the series--a celebration of the many diverse languages spoken in Ghana and across Africa, with a mind toward encouraging dialogue and unity--a multitude of tongues were represented. Even though I got to the venue after a full day of work, I stayed long after the signing, chilling with old and new friends.
Anyway, I promise to post pics once I get them. My computer's flash died several months ago so I haven't been on top of taking pics at events as I should.
A great friend from college that I haven't seen in years Facebooked to let me know he would be coming, so I was psyched to see him, but I was not expecting to see my play cousins from back in the day! When my parents came to this country, they formed a tight community of fellow Ghanaians that became our extended family and three of the kids I grew up playing with in upstairs bedrooms while our parents talked politics in Ga downstairs were in the house. It was so crazy to see my one cousin in particular whom I had not seen since she was like 12! I almost wanted to snatch the glass of wine from her hand, but alas, she's a woman now.
After I hugged fellow author Ayesha Harruna Attah and started to set my books up on the table, another ghost from my past strode into the room from behind the Employees Only area. Now one of Nectar's directors, she used to be my boss at one of my first jobs out of college!
Then a gentleman approached to let me know he had come to find out if I was related to Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond (the same Uncle Abeeku I thank in the last sentence of my acknowledgments at the back of the book). My dad's little brother teaches in the College of Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and this young man was one of his students. But what was so cool about meeting him was that he had designed an energy-efficient car model under the encouragement of my uncle, and I remember Uncle Abeeku emailing us about this student's good work, complete with a jpeg of the car.
As I bounced around the room catching up with fam and friends from the past, and the contingent of friends who graciously listened as I repeated the spiel they've heard many times over, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that moment.
The Council did an amazing job creating an easygoing yet purposeful networking vibe. Business cards were swapped, funds were raised for a scholarship fund, and in keeping with the spirit of the series--a celebration of the many diverse languages spoken in Ghana and across Africa, with a mind toward encouraging dialogue and unity--a multitude of tongues were represented. Even though I got to the venue after a full day of work, I stayed long after the signing, chilling with old and new friends.
Anyway, I promise to post pics once I get them. My computer's flash died several months ago so I haven't been on top of taking pics at events as I should.
Back to Basics
Back to Basics
This week has been great! I have had some well deserved ‘time out’ or more like a ‘kit kat style....take a break’
I have spent the week in North Yorkshire with my home girl Naomi, literally in a forest, in the middle of the PITCH BLACK countryside, staying in a luscious wooden cabin which features a hot tub, contemporary decor, snazzy kitchen, living room with all the other rooms to follow suit.
It has been BLISS. We have literally done NOTHING all week....but have girly chats (about the usual, must you ask!!), eat, sleep, watch daytime TV and take scary short late night wonders with nothing but a weak torch...and oh yes, daily doses of the hot tub
When we arrived and realised that our phones had no signal and there wasn’t any such thing as internet – it was a shock to the system. Now I can say, it’s the best thing that could have happened, coz it took us right back to basics – enjoying the wonderful art of conversation! I didn’t realise how technically orientated I had become....email/FB/Skype/Linked in/Twitter, they are all fantastic, but at times, they have just gots to go (by choice or not) simply to go back to basics and enjoy the company of others in the flesh (and spirit I must add!).
Think I will make this an annual thing, it’s been great!
When is the last time you took a 'kit kat' break??
Melissa xx
This week has been great! I have had some well deserved ‘time out’ or more like a ‘kit kat style....take a break’
I have spent the week in North Yorkshire with my home girl Naomi, literally in a forest, in the middle of the PITCH BLACK countryside, staying in a luscious wooden cabin which features a hot tub, contemporary decor, snazzy kitchen, living room with all the other rooms to follow suit.
It has been BLISS. We have literally done NOTHING all week....but have girly chats (about the usual, must you ask!!), eat, sleep, watch daytime TV and take scary short late night wonders with nothing but a weak torch...and oh yes, daily doses of the hot tub
When we arrived and realised that our phones had no signal and there wasn’t any such thing as internet – it was a shock to the system. Now I can say, it’s the best thing that could have happened, coz it took us right back to basics – enjoying the wonderful art of conversation! I didn’t realise how technically orientated I had become....email/FB/Skype/Linked in/Twitter, they are all fantastic, but at times, they have just gots to go (by choice or not) simply to go back to basics and enjoy the company of others in the flesh (and spirit I must add!).
Think I will make this an annual thing, it’s been great!
When is the last time you took a 'kit kat' break??
Melissa xx
Mother's Day
Being a mum is an amazing job, and without sounding patronizing, you really don’t know/ and can’t imagine what it’s like till you are one. Words are often passed around of ‘unconditional love’ and ‘sacrifice’. In songs such as ‘dear mama’ by Tupac and ‘thank you mama’ by Sizzla, just to mention a few, remind us that with the joy that comes with being a mum, there are often struggles.... I’ve never seen myself as a ‘single’ mum, (as the ‘forms’ always force me to put down!) because of my support network.
So through my ramblings, I’d just like to remind everyone, not just because of the commercialised ‘mothering Sunday’, but everyday!: honour your mother, they are not superwomen, not always perfect, but if you have one (or a similar person) who has been there for you, show them the respect and honour they deserve, as it is too easy to take them for granted.
I would like to copy a poem I found on the Internet, and whether you are a parent; single or otherwise or not a parent of yet. I hope you will be reminded of how special the role of a mother is; and Honour that special woman, with your words, your gratitude and your achievements!
So anyway, I won’t dwell on the negatives of being a sole parent, as the BLESSINGS far outweigh them!!
“No one knows what it's like to be a single mum
Unless you are one
No one can quite understand
The job that needs to be done
The years of struggling
Just to pay the bills
Trying to keep going
Even when you're ill
No one knows what it's like
To put all your wants and desires last
There isn't time for those
With your child growing up so fast
But God hears your prayers
As you try to do things right
And God sees the tears
That you cry in the night
He knows how much you love your child
For that's how He loves you
And how you want the best for her
For that's what He wants too
All that you have done for her
Has not been done in vain
For a child is meant to walk the path
You spent the years to train
In this life there's many changes
And we often face the unknown
But through the times of difficulty
Are the times that we have grown
So anytime you feel alone
Lift your eyes to the one who cares
He will never leave you to do it yourself
He's the Father that's always there.”
-Anon
So through my ramblings, I’d just like to remind everyone, not just because of the commercialised ‘mothering Sunday’, but everyday!: honour your mother, they are not superwomen, not always perfect, but if you have one (or a similar person) who has been there for you, show them the respect and honour they deserve, as it is too easy to take them for granted.
I would like to copy a poem I found on the Internet, and whether you are a parent; single or otherwise or not a parent of yet. I hope you will be reminded of how special the role of a mother is; and Honour that special woman, with your words, your gratitude and your achievements!
So anyway, I won’t dwell on the negatives of being a sole parent, as the BLESSINGS far outweigh them!!
“No one knows what it's like to be a single mum
Unless you are one
No one can quite understand
The job that needs to be done
The years of struggling
Just to pay the bills
Trying to keep going
Even when you're ill
No one knows what it's like
To put all your wants and desires last
There isn't time for those
With your child growing up so fast
But God hears your prayers
As you try to do things right
And God sees the tears
That you cry in the night
He knows how much you love your child
For that's how He loves you
And how you want the best for her
For that's what He wants too
All that you have done for her
Has not been done in vain
For a child is meant to walk the path
You spent the years to train
In this life there's many changes
And we often face the unknown
But through the times of difficulty
Are the times that we have grown
So anytime you feel alone
Lift your eyes to the one who cares
He will never leave you to do it yourself
He's the Father that's always there.”
-Anon
