Quote:
Originally posted by AKA2D '91
The Bridge:
The Black Top 10: Being Black
By Darryl James
People of all races love many things about being Black, and they take those things, trying to make them their own, while too many of us look at ourselves with disdain. I believe that Black people need to change our minds about us and begin to embrace the things that are uniquely Black. We have to love those things, while loving ourselves.
Black people in America are a special and wonderful blend of horrible oppression, faith, hope, creativity, spirituality and unresolved issues. No matter how bad things are, we still have what it takes to make it better.
Havenıt we always?
Yes, and I love that about us.
For all the problems, the ups and downs of being part of the most challenged race on the planet, there is nothing more beautiful than walking, talking and dancing in the sun as Black people. We are the party and everyone wants to attend. Itıs time for us to celebrate.
In another Black Top Ten List, Iıd like to celebrate the things that are to be loved about being Black.
Top Ten Things To Love About Being Black:
1 Melanin. The sun loves us. Melanin protects us from the harmful UV rays and when we absorb them, we are in tune and in time with the earthıs rotation and the rhythm of the universe. Plus, God gave us our own rainbow in the shades of Africans, from light-bright and damn-near white to Blue-Black and every shade in between. God is an artist and we are the canvas.
7 Resourcefulness. We took the waste products that were tossed to us and made them taste like the food of the Gods. Chitterlings are now a delicacy in France and you canıt keep white folks out of Soul Food restaurants where grits and greens are done just right. And, many of us have stories of a Black mother who stretched nothing out to make it seem like something that a house full of kids could enjoy and have fond memories about for years.
8 Black mothers. Stretching food is nothing compared to the feat of stretching love and making Christmas or a birthday special without one store-bought gift. The original mother of the universe stretched her arms and provided love and comfort for an entire race, even when we donıt feel deserving of love. Why do you think Black kids are the most protective of their mothers?
Now, there are at least ten reasons to celebrate being you. Add to the list on your own. Keep them near and dear to your heart whenever anyone tries to say we are anything but a beautiful people. We may not wear the t-shirts anymore, but I still love being Black!
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Soror, I LOVE this!
My co-worker (who is a white male, age 28) were just talking about #1 this morning, as it relates to aging. I told him that I forgot to put on moisturizer, and he says "yeah, that's supposed to be the secret for staying young-looking" and I told him that I was already young-looking!
Then he agrees and says that Black women age well; he acknowledged that white women don't age as gracefully as we do.
#'s 7 & 8: My grandma could ALWAYS take scraps and make them taste like some more (my grandma's words: when something is especially good and she wants seconds, she says "Um! That tastes like some mo'!") and there's nothing I wouldn't do for this woman that nurtured me. Although she and my grandfather had no more than a 6th grade education, she taught me that everything I learned wouldn't come from books - that hard work, respect for myself and others, and my attitude would take me a long, long way! Man! Cain't wait 'til Christmas when I can go home and get a good home-cooked meal, and tell her how much I love her. . .