dream big

I am not at the half of my life, but I tonight I am feeling the need to Dream Big. It is the title of Oprah's book and also the title of a book a minister I admired has written. Her name is Patricia King, and surprisingly she shares the same birthday as me June 26.  In her book she talks about reaching 40 and experiencing a crisis. She felt like she did it all. She was in essence asking "What is left for me to do? She soon discovered that 40 and above could be the best part of life, and there is so much more to discover and do that she has not achieved yet.  She went on to mention that Abraham got married in his 90s. Daniel had amazing encounters with God in his 70s and Joshua led the Israelites in his 70s.  How awesome ey? (trying to say like the Canadians ey?)

I am not 40 nor of that age range, but I am asking myself about dreams lately. Maqqeudah (Jewish form of my name, which means the place of sheppards)"What is the dream for your life?" I have been asking about purpose. I know my purpose in part and I want to know my dreams fully. 

I recalled during my high school years, I had the opportunity to intern at several law firms in New York. In addition to the early knowledge of law, I usually observed and admired the gray hairs of the older white lawyers, who were men. I told my friend I have a fetish for gray hair. It was their glory, as the proverb says gray hair is the glory of the old (a mark of the wisdom of the old)(if I recall that right).  For African Americans, there is a woman at my school, who has the most beautiful flourishing gray hair ever.  I haven't seen an elder African American women with a fro full of glory.  Our elders of the African American community and of diverse ethnicities have a plurality to offer my generation. I am still waiting to watch you, our elders, dream big!

I wish for my elders, a flourishing and satisfying life filled with richness. Your richness and flourishing satisfaction will spill over to my generation when elders take their right position in the nation.  Elder men should offer our generation wisdom and not desire to "get to know them or take the young ladies on dinners". I have witnessed elder men standing on the corner checking out young girls behinds. I met an elder gentleman during my final year of high school, he name was Henson. He was 80 years old and walking speedily on his care. He did more with his cain that we of the younger generation who have full strength in our knees. I offered to help him carry his goods; I was walking home, bt he kindly informed me that he had it under control.  Instead he talked with me, and I walked with him to his home. On our way, we passed his grandson's school, Henson said "You have to be patient with them." He said smiling "faith give us the victory to overcome the world," and told me his story of love briefly, "When I saw my wife, my spirit said she is the one."  I prayed for him as we departed in front of his home that even at age 80 he would dream dreams as God promised in Joel to pour out his spirit upon all flesh, the young men will have visions and the old men would dream dreams and your sons and daughters will prophesy. 

Another time, I went downtown brooklyn with my nephew and I met an old lady she was missing some teeth in the front, but she was nothing short of gorgeous and beautiful, a rare aesthetic wonder.  She told me to hug my nephew saying "10 hugs a day makes them healthy".  I want to hug em not out of necessity but giving them truly what they need, we are working on it (me and God).

I think wrinkles are beautiful, it does not mean you are not aging well. Botox, will never compare to the beauty of your natural form. (When it really gets cold, everything stiffens on my face and then I feel like nature is giving me a shot and it takes a while for my eye to un-stiffen) When we use botox, does something inside us stiffen and are we not uncomfortable? Mothers of the younger generation the cycle stops with you, and let younger women know, we do not need such but can age well and naturally. 

I wonder about wigs, weave, hair dye and make up, not to say that I want to launch the anti-wig, weave, hair dye, and make up campaign, do these said a message to our elders that it is not ok to age well? Sarah dressed up her inward parts with a gentile and quiet spirit even will she was up in age.