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- I wonder what he was reading.
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- This is cute and funny and interesting to me
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- I didn’t envy him having to work. 🙂
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- I like sitting on the ground and chatting
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- This couple is so cute to me for some reason.
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- There’s a ribbon in the sky for our love!
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- This little boy had so much energy!
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- Looks like a great story she’s telling. 🙂
Spring is coming! Spring is coming! It’s a great time to LIKE my fanpage.
The Pictures: I was out recently in McPherson Square in DC happy to see the sun shining. I took a few random shots of others celebrating the ‘almost spring’ time. It made me happy. Hope you enjoy.
It’s almost the season of spring and I’m excited! And it’s not just because I’m ready to start running outside again while showing my arms off and because dating is cheaper (try walking in the park in 32 degree weather – so not romantic). While those are great reasons, to me, spring also represents a season of growth.
Growth is tricky because it can be both painful and beautiful; separately as well as simultaneously.
The PAINFUL: I remember in my pre-teen years sometimes I would feel achy and not really know what was causing it nor what areas were hurting specifically. Many times, my mother called these “growing pains.” Further, I think about how eggs must be cracked for birds to enter the world and how our mothers endure pain to birth us. So too, I think that when we are birthing greatness, I know that we will experience varying levels of discomfort.
In a different sense, I use spring to assess my personal progress in certain areas. Sometimes I’m doing well, but MANY times, I see that I still have room to grow and need to mature from certain behaviors and thoughts. It’s that latter process that’s most hurtful and challenging for me. It’s scary but necessary because it’s true that our success is a measure of our accomplishments and failures.
The BEAUTIFUL: One common factor that I hear often from those I look up to is that no matter how challenging, their painful failures were worth it. They say that those experiences helped to shape them, mature them, and give them both understanding and patience. That’s what I call beauty.
I use their words to help me when I’m not feeling my great or not in the mood to be ‘the best I can be.’ It’s not a perfect approach, but it’s not supposed to be. We are all different and the way we respond to life will vary also. Remembering that my later will be greater, that I can’t have purpose without a process, and simply, that summer is coming… helps me focus and see my growth as the beautiful progression that it is.
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I wrote a poem last week while thinking of passion in human form. Spring is full of passion and I’d also like to dedicate this piece to this upcoming Spring season; both painful and beautiful.
Dear Spring… surprise me on cool mornings after late nights when sleep hovers and hugs tight in your arms i’d just rather lay right there bare engulfed til eye lids catch stage fright and retreat ur head on my chest me underneath as I stumble + creep to slumber sleep and crumble deep like pieces of falling stars the gentle rain upon the plain yes, surprise me with kisses of charm that reign and love beauty and pain that spells my name
How many of us want to give birth to greatness – helping others reach for their purpose and fully walking in our own, yet are scared of the pain in that process? I know I am on many days. How do you deal with it?
And in general, What does spring represent to you?
Today, I’m thankful for the purpose in my process and thankful for yours also! God Bless.
Capitol Media USA 
I was just thinking that this morning… about the pain in the process. It’s often an indication we’re on to something. Also, NICE poem!
Posted by Sheryl's Pearls | March 4, 2013, 10:42 amThanks! I love YOUR poetry! So, that means a lot.
Yep, @ being on to something,.. I just wish the pain would go away sometimes. But it’s sort of a painful pleasure, if that makes sense.
Thanks for your comment!
Posted by gjames432 | March 4, 2013, 3:07 pmI just had this conversation this weekend. My best friend and I were picking cards and asking questions from “table topics” and one of the questions was, what life experiece had taught you the most. Both of us seem to reply with something painful. She said, “College, it was the best time of my life and the worst time of my life.” And I picked the part of my life I like to pretend that never happend; marriage and divorce. Yes, I learned and yes it hurt/hurts, but I grew. My cousin said to me, “Well, at least you can see how much you have grown as a person and how far you have come. I can understand not liking the reminders but I know that a lot of the lessons you learned through the process have benefited me and I’m sure other people would say the same. You have a different perspective on love that many people our age don’t have and you understand compromise in a way that many of us are still learning (including me).”
It was worth it. 🙂
Posted by Dee | March 4, 2013, 2:15 pmThank you for your comment and thanks for sharing some of your story. It not only helps to share, but we are all helped from seeing how you handled things. And yes, operating knowing that the preparation will be worth it is a great way to function. If I can just keep my mind there, I’d be A-OK. 🙂
Thanks again.
Posted by gjames432 | March 4, 2013, 3:08 pmLove the poem (and post, lol). May we repost your poetry to inkandinstrumentals.com?
Posted by ThinkBrownINK | March 4, 2013, 9:10 pmHey! Thank you for stopping by and we’re glad you enjoyed it! Of course you can share it. I look forward to seeing it!
Thanks again!
Posted by gjames432 | March 4, 2013, 9:38 pmOK awesome!! Will let you know when it’s up.
Posted by ThinkBrownINK | March 4, 2013, 9:39 pmSpring is my favorite time of the year! I love putting on a pair of new running shoes and logging in some miles on the pavement. Being outdoors in the newness of nature and the fresh air gives me a sense of release that running on a treadmill doesn’t provide. I especially like spring because it’s half-marathon season. During races, I think about everything- my dreams, my goals, people in my life, situations I may not feel good about, etc. Every step brings me clarity, and I always feel renewed whenever I finish a run. It’s a type of catharsis. When it hurts physically, as long races usually do, there’s always the temptation to stop. One more step feels like torture! From my experience, the best thing to do is keep moving. It’s ok to slow down, JUST KEEP MOVING! And then there comes a point where I no longer feel the pain. All that matters is finishing. All I see and feel is completion. Once my focus shifts back to the purpose of being in the race (setting a PR, getting another medal) it seems a lot easier to push myself to FINISH. I approach many of the goals I set for myself like a race. I know that there may be some painful moments along the way to completing my purpose, but I just keep moving, keep working, and focus on the purpose. It’s ok to acknowledge that I may be hurting, I may not be going as fast as I intended, and I may not be getting all the help I need when I need it. It is NOT ok to FOCUS on those things, however. I try to find a way to keep it moving. Focusing on the purpose somehow quiets the “setbacks”, whatever they may be, and fulfilling a purpose definitely makes any pain I experience worth it. It’s one way I find out how dedicated I am.
To me, spring represents catharsis, renewal, and the opportunity to refocus on purpose. Nature provides a good example of this. Animals come out of hibernation to mate, plants leave their dormant stages to bloom and release seeds. Things come back to life in the spring with the purpose of creating more life! I love it!
And really like the pics of the couples 🙂
Posted by Angie B | March 4, 2013, 11:21 pmI absolutely love this post! It is amazing to me because my pastor spoke on this very topic a few weeks ago. After reading your post, as well as the poem, this whole lesson on “birthing greatness” was confirmation for me to let go of inhibitions. Past failures, shame, and fear have no memory in the present unless we give it power to appear.
Posted by Christie | March 4, 2013, 11:23 pmNice poem and post. Spring has represented renewing and control. Majority of the time, I will have completed my fast and gain a new prospective with new ideas and goals.
I actually enjoy the pain through the process because pain is a necessity for growth and strength. I have noticed that my greatest accomplishments were accompanied by my biggest pains. When I am going through that process, I always refer to that famous line “the darkest hour is just before dawn”. That line always reassures me that whatever I am going through at the time is just temporary and apart of the process to get to a better place.
Posted by enigmaticgemini | March 5, 2013, 10:06 amReads like a testimony. I love the candor, the vulnerability …Glad I took the time to read.
Posted by Erin A. Martin | March 5, 2013, 11:01 pm