Hello friends and family,
It’s already the middle of January. Are you keeping those New Year’s resolutions? I can’t say I am, but that’s because I didn’t make any this year/last year/in 2021. I do have several goals I want to achieve though, throughout this 2022. I’ll share a few. I want to progress in my writing by finishing my fictional piece and publishing that piece and one other piece. I want to keep myself healthy by shaking off about 20 more pounds. I do exercise and walk often, so I want to continue that. I would like to buy myself a car and possibly move into my own place, though where we are now is still suitable for me.
Another goal I want to accomplish is to start “putting myself out there”, by carefully, intentionally and/ or strategically dating. The whole concept has been confusing so I had left it alone for many years. I’ve had many a crush, but those didn’t work out, and at times, I felt more rejection than was worth it, and really only “went out” with one guy way back in high school. Because of that, I haven’t let myself get close to very many people, both in friendship or in a romantic way. But since I’ve gotten a few of my ducks in a row, in terms of choosing my major, almost completing it, driving again, and working, I figured, this is the time. God has done a lot of work in me over these three or four years and I’m much healthier emotionally and mentally. So after speaking to God about it often, He’s given me the go ahead, so now I’m giving myself permission too.
I have an idea of what I want in a relationship; friendship and personality matter to me more than what color” container” they come in, as long as the man loves the Lord, goes to and serves in His (the Lord’s) house often and that he honors those around him. (If you’ve read any of my other works, you’ll understand why I called it a container).
That being said, I want to apologize for having biases, because of my past experiences, It is not fair to lump and categorize a person in with a whole group of people simply because of where they come from, and I had previously done this to my own countrymen, on more than one occasion, In the future, I will keep in mind a person’s personality and faith before, and if, I judge them,
I haven’t really worked out exactly what this dating life or season will look like, but I plan to follow God and listen to how He would have me move, because my relationship with Him comes before and will be the center of any other relationship I have, Additionally, though this relationship is important, it should not make me lose sight of my great friends and friendships. I will still find or make time for my sister, my sistahs and bros, “brothers,-cousins”, other cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandpeople, because that’s important to me too ( and if you’re reading or listening to this, then you’re one of them, and that’s why i’m sharing this with you; I trust you all and know we can celebrate with each other, cry with each other, (well, at least you all can cry, I’ll fight with or fight back my tears), give advice to each other, and hold each other accountable).
Now you’re probably wondering how I will possibly put an art spin on this talk, since most of my P.A.C.T talks are art-related. Well, first, let me tell you about my winter holiday...Last year, 2021 that is, I settled into our 2 year rental, meaning, I decorated my room and put my paintings on my walls. (Notice the pronoun “my”).
If you’ve never read “The Happiness Project”, it’s a recommended one for motivating oneself & it’s why I decided to make these changes. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who we celebrate in January, said it this way,
“If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but by all means, keep moving”. (King Jr, 1960,).
(Though I don’t think he had meant to foreshadow the several times we moved around).
In August or September, I decided it was time to replace our Christmas tree,we went without one for some years, in the course of those uprootings, and we (my family and I) were all worn out, However, after spending a year in our current place, I made all those changes to my room, as a way to settle in. Then, in the middle of December, I learned how to draw bows. (Like baking and painting, bows were a recent obsession) Not long after my first batch, I made cutout bows, Ladies and gentlemen, Decoupage!
Here are 4 more examples
3
A poster I made out of some get well cards from my “brother-cousins” and my aunt.
And #4 is my decoupage bow, on top of a candle:
In both Habbakuk and Proverbs, the Word says to make a plan and submit it to the Lord, what plans will you make this year? Whatever they are, I hope they are fulfilling and able to help many.
Thank you
References
Holy Bible,
King, “Cleveland Speech, King Jr. Cleveland, , Ohio. Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/if-you-cant-fly-then-run/ on 12 January 2022.
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