Let’s practice being optimistic

Happy grateful New Year Monitor readers,
I started writing this month’s column full of hope and gratefulness for surviving 2020. However, I can’t recall ever wanting a year to end and feeling good riddence to the gift of a year of living; I hope I never-ever feel so unsettled about the gift of being alive on our beautiful blue, green, and colorful planet. Unlike, many holiday gifts, we can’t return or exchange the Gift of Time or the Precious Gift of Lives we loss in 2020 and still are losing today due to foolishness, arrogance, bad leadership, and personal everyday selfishness. With that said, I am shaking off 2020 with humbleness, deep sadness, and hope with the loving and gentle energy of my family, friends, and community soulmates and champions of social, racial, and economic justice; with their help I will cultivate, meditate, and appreciate the synergy of being Optimistic throughout 2021!
I invite and encourage you to also join me and many others who are thinking and believing in the power of being optimistic! To start 2021, I’ve been playing/listening to the local Sounds of Blackness soundtracks, in particularly, Be Optimistic, Hold On (A Change is Coming), Your Spirit ft., and I Believe and Kirk Franklin’s Smile. I would love to finally venture into the stock market world and buy stocks or invest in YouTube since it has become my portal for my music therapy.
Also, as a member of the Urban Farm & Garden Alliance (UFGA), I participated in creating and reframing songs that can be use for COVID-19 prevention. We created a spring, summer, and a fall song/video; however, the song we wanted to reframe in 2020 was ‘A Few of My Favorite Things,’ which we didn’t do, yet. Fortunately, I caught a wonderful Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit of the song reframed in simple and creative ways. It was simple because the lyrics were expressing the singers’ desires and the joyful realities of being present. I loved it and look forward to UFGA and/or maybe you creating a musical video of ‘A Few of My Favorite Things’ reframed for a COVID-19 prevention message.
I also want to share words of wisdom or food for thought as we practice being optimistic for 2021. These pearls of truth come by way of the Rev. Dr. Ronald Bell, who was officiating and blessing a December 2020 Zoom wedding. He motivated and empowered the happy couple with ingredients for facing personal and life-long challenges. He told them “1. Stop (Be Still), 2. Breathe (Take-in the Life Force), and 3. Relax (Be guided by the Higher Loving Spirit). Rev. Bell shared a deeper message for each step that is too long for me to share and that I’m still trying to absorb into my heart and mind. However, I immediately knew he was delivering a divine message and a gift for a life-long partnership and companionship for this couple who was making the ultimate commitment and bond between two individuals who wereJumping the Broom of Togetherness of Foreverness-Unconditional-Love! Rev. Bell’s inspiring words, particularly in the face of uncertainty, upheaval, darkness, and the unknown, is a bright message and light for all of us.
Yes, I am optimistic for 2021! I will also keep the message of my father, the Rev. Robert B. Giles, Sr., close to my heart: to “let patience have her perfect way” and as a flashlight as we continue to move out of our local and global COVID-19 and injustice (George Floyd killing) pandemic darkness into a brighter and optimistic 2021. Be well.
May Peace Be In the Rondo, Frogtown, Hamline/Midway, & Surrounding Communities..
May Peace Be In Our Homes & Communities…
May Peace Prevail On Earth MPPOE)!!!!
BE SMART! DO YOUR PART! WEAR MASKS & STAY 6-8 FT. APART!!!