TEATIME TUESDAYS

Unlike most folks, I get excited when I see the caption 'long post' alert. You get to learn so much about the person doing the posting. Chances are they are about to be transparent, and somehow, reading it acknowledges that you are not alone. As bad as it sounds, it kinda gives you solace. As I reflected on this month of August, my mind wandered to two posts I had seen that broke my heart. Each in a slightly different way. In one piece, I read of a college student's journey. One so rough that...

Building—whether a house, an empire, a sand castle, a brand or even a bear, takes a concerted, almost deliberate effort to see it through. I suppose those are just a few aspects of conceptualizing what it means to build up. We can also look at the concept of build-up from a different perspective. For instance, when it comes to germs and gunk. We might also consider the uplifting of one's esteem—whether by flattery, compliments or affirmations. By the same token, it can mean reinforcing the st...

Evangelist Myley Cyrus, can describe many moments in our lives. I suppose when we read Solomon's synopsis of times and seasons, one tends to identify more with the negative aspects of each comparison. Psychologists refer to this as negativity bias because adverse events significantly impact our brains more than positive ones. #heavenhelpus As I zeroed in on those last two words, break down. I realize that it can be a compound word as well. Immediately I knew this would give the phrase a diffe...

Yes, it a true that it takes time to heal but know that 'time is NOT the healer! "Healing" should not be a bandaid that we use to mask our wounds in the hopes that no one can see the imperfections. Having gone through both physical and emotional hurts, I believe that healing promotes overall health. For clarity, healing isn't achieved by the wave of a magic wand, and it's not some weekend retreat that requires you to sit around a bond fire and sing kumbaya. But it is messy, painful, and requi...

To hear the word 'kill' is off-putting. Actually, no, it's downright scary. Yet we've been so inundated with this word that we've become somewhat desensitized. I feel I should say, 'kill is not to be confused with murder—technically, they're not the same! But that's another story for another day. I'll admit this is a heavy topic. One that made me wonder if tackling this list of seasons was a good idea, as I felt I was in over my head, and I began wondering if I was qualified to speak to...

The word harvest immediately takes me back to primary school when we had to bring canned goods and produce from home to give to the less fortunate. You knew it was a big deal because we'd have a special assembly that took weeks of preparation. Students brought their chairs from classrooms to the quadrangle, and special guests were treated like royalty. My favourite was when the choir would sing: "It's harvest, it's harvest, it's harvest time again. So bring ya pumpkin and watermelon, cassava,...

There are things you do in your free time, and then there are things you free your time to do. I believe that planting is a hobby people "do" with the hope that it works rather than expecting it to succeed. This opinion may be skewed as it's based on observing a person's reaction to witnessing their planted seed growing. It's as if seeing what they've planted actually flourishing—is a shock. As for me, when I think of planting, I think of an activity that requires me to get my hands d...

You can go ahead and release the tension in your chest, as this is not a piece where I'm focused on last wills and testaments. Well, I suppose it'll depend on which lens you view the information through. Honestly, before we can even get to whether one hears, "Well done or depart from me, I never knew you," we'll have experienced several other instances that might feel worse than death. But like death, these situations may be sudden, or at other times you may battle the proverbial deat...

I could be off base here, but I think most people who've not had the benefit of being born into wealth, if given a chance, would not choose the family they now have. Like most, what I may have opted for, would be based on affluence, privilege and geography. When I hear the phrase 'A time to be born,' I can't help but reflect on that moment in most funerals when you're recapping the details of the deceased's life. You begin to compare it to Solomon's fourteen contrasting seasons and times—ea...

So I used to work in a call center back in the day and ended up quitting weeks shy of my fifth anniversary. Let me tell you, though, saying that it was an eye-opening experience has to be the understatement of a lifetime. I learned in real-time during those many months that communication has nothing to do with what we say but what we hear. And while as an individual, I thought I had an excellent command of the English language, many days, I went home feeling like my elevator didn't go to the ...

The other day, I was in a coffee shop drinking my water, minding my business. And by the other day, I mean pre-pandemic, and by water, I mean coffee. In came an elderly lady who sat next to me. We exchanged pleasantries, and by pleasantries, I mean a nod and a smile. She, too, was drinking her water. Although, I'm not sure she was minding her business because, from my peripheral vision, I could see her staring at me—rather intently. After what felt like an eternity, and by e...

I saw a homeless man sitting on the side of the road the other day. Next to him was perhaps everything he owned, covered by a tarp, in a supermarket trolley. ⁣My heart sank, and I began wondering what could have possibly happened in this man's life that landed him in this position? ⁣Far be it from my pointless curiosity, something very profound got my attention. I was no longer fixated on his condition but instead that he sat there, in his state, reading a book. You'd think he'd be there la...

It feels like yesterday that I wrote about 'new year, new me season' that seems to descend upon us like the plagues of Egypt every 12 months. Ah yes, another round of cut-offs, clearing social media friend feeds and contact lists. And lest we forget the 300,000 vision board party flyers. I mean, nothing against it but seventy-five bucks for me to use my own glue stick, glitter, and scissors to create a homemade poster while someone stands in their cute-fit to the front of the room—hmm, no tha...

Suddenly, my thoughts of Christmases past were met with the harsh present-day reality that all things I'd hoped for to this end seemed out of reach with no end in sight. (Sigh) Bah Humbug! The longer I pondered, the more I got irritated. The mere thought of my Christmas lather, rinse, repeat cycle was steady, giving me the heebie-jeebies. "So, pretty girl like you een married yet?" was about to be the question I now consider more irritating than the near interrogations about my we...

Disclaimer: Today's piece has nothing to do with Tyler and dem. Honestly, I've never even watched the show. Now that that's out of the way let's get to it. I remember hearing a phrase not long ago, though I can't recall where—it was said. 'People don't want purpose; they want prizes.' As I pondered that thought, I couldn't help but look over my life and think of the motivation behind many of my so-called goals. There was no surprise there; it was more about me reaping benefits rather than p...