GAMES WE STILL PLAY



I never figured out what
"Yellow Light" meant.



Do you remember playing "Red Light, Green Light" when you were little? I do. As a little rambunctious girl, I played that game a lot on E.151st and Harvard. A group of us would line up some feet away from the kid who shouted "Red Light!Green Light!" When he shouted "Green Light!", we would run as fast as we could to reach him, but as soon as he shouted "Red Light!", we would stop in our tracks. This would go on until one of us tagged the shouting kid first. Who made this game up? And what was this game all about? Why did we think that playing this game was actual fun? I am not sure. I guess we liked the idea of following somebody's commands until we reached our destination. We were some funny kids back in the day.

And we are some funny adults because now we play this game against ourselves. As soon as somebody shouts, "Red Light!", we put the brakes on with the quickness. Finally, when we hear "Green Light!"  we stand still, look around, and question if we even heard "Green Light!" at all. We forget about the destination and settle in right where we are.


I haven't been standing still lately, but I realize that getting the green light doesn't mean that my journey will be easy, things will fall into place, and the ride will be smooth. It also might mean that I won't reach my destination so quickly. Easy, smooth, and quick have not been the case so far. I tweeted  earlier this week, "I had no clue how hard it would be giving birth to an idea until the labor pains started. Now I'm pushing forward really hard." As I am pushing forward with my theme song playing in the background, "I'm ready to go right now..." I have to:

• Unlearn old habits like engaging in negative self talk, procrastinating, downplaying my strengths, and focusing on my weaknesses
• Stick to my vision for this movement and filter out well intended messages that may not line up with my vision
• Pace myself and avoid the tendency to want to move too fast (Note to Self: I have to remember that the movement is not gonegirlrun. I have to go, but not at a rapid pace. Pushing forward is movement and maybe momentum, but not speed.)

This past Sunday, I spent my evening with a group of strong, intelligent, and motivated women who are making things happen in their lives and in the lives of others. That sacred space lasted for a short time, but what it did for me was helped me to rethink the green light I was given (more on building relationship and community in another post). Thanks ladies - Sharron, Niyia, Rhonda, Terre, and Dawn. I am thinking, praying, planning, and pushing. Thanks Mommy for your love and support. I need it. And the rest of you who are down for this movement, I am grateful to you as well.


I'm pounding the pavement in my really high heels with my theme song playing in the background, "I'm ready to go right now..."

Peace

Prayers and warm thoughts are extended to Whitney Houston's family and loved ones. They've got to miss her, but they have her legacy. Actually we all do. And what a legacy it is!