Journals

I recently picked up a book called "Black Pearls Journal" By: Eric V. Copage. It is a collage of writings from many different people around the world. Several writings have left me speechless, but if I had to share one, which I am; then I'm sharing this one and reflecting what I gained from it.

"By going and coming, a bird weaves its nest" ~Ashanti proverb, West Africa

Wow, how deep! How many times have you gone back and forth? This phase is a true eye opener if you read into it deeper. And can bring about caution if you realize it's a daily reality. Back and forth, to build the nest.

We go back and forth in so many areas of life. Do we realize every time we go forth we are taking in and every time we return back we are manifesting. With that said, stop for a moment and think what you go back and forth from, what type of nest is manifesting. You may think I'm just referring to the bad relationship, but it goes deeper then that. You go back and forth to your job, your friends, your family, your mailbox, your school, your telephone, your computer, your food, your books, the list goes on and on. So again I ask, what are you manifesting, everything you receive from these places is branching onto you and manifesting your nest.

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

Word of The Day

~Deface - Mar or spoil the appearance of

"His scar of 'ruff life', a knife wound to his face, a bullet wound to his back... where had he lay bare... faced with the sharp reality of hate from society... what did he turn his back on to bare trust and have it shot down; literally"

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

The Reader, The Writer And The Clock

In my early ages of reading books I seemed to always skip over the Introduction. Was it necessary, I would think? Why do I need to be introduced? I had already read the back cover and so I knew what to expect. As I got older I found myself not only skipping the Introduction but also skimming through pages, picking out what I felt to be boring verses interesting. I must admit, I felt so ashamed the day I became an Author. How could I have treated so many books and their writers with such disrespect. What if I missed something so important and even more shocking, now what if someone misses something from me. I tried my best to keep my published work short and sweet but when you have things you want to express it isn't always short and in my first book it wasn't quiet sweet either. I delivered untold truth and I accepted painful acknowledgements. As I continue to focus on the world of writing I try my best to deliver the same respect I hope to receive from my readers. The skip of a page gives me this uneasy feeling as I peak over my shoulder as if the writer him/herself is watching me read. Two weeks ago I came across a book titled "On Writing Well" By: William Zinsser. He expressed that a writer only has 30 seconds to grasp the readers attention and even from there it is still hard to keep that attention. Now I'm sure you can imagine the smile I had on my face, feeling relieved of all the "page skipping" guilt. Finally I had found the 30 second logic and it spoke truth. I must say I'm glad William Zinsser held my attention past 30 seconds. (c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

Hebrews 3:7

"Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts"

~As the heart crumbled into pieces, the hands realized it was easier to throw God the pieces, rather than a heart that had hardened... the blessings of a broken heart.

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

Idle Moments

"There is a difference between walking away and turning away... the walk will lose you, the turn will just idle you for a moment and it is better to be idle in unsure then to be lost in the wrong direction"

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

A Poets Random Thoughts

"I thought what I was thinking was out of the ordinary but I'm not entitled nor eager to change the pattern, focused on things out of the norm and where I found myself was in common with no one, but the random thoughts gave me a high off words, I repeated some, challenged others, I borrowed none, only relation with few, dictation in each, oh and a bit of writer's block, spell checked, abbreviated to eliminate the painful endurance of the word itself, scripted with a favorite pen, typed with keys broken on the board... just a few random thoughts that take a poet from mind to paper"

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

The Release, In Raw Form

www.youtube.com/Msvividvoice

Writer's Block

"An over flow, to much for the mind to keep in, with pen in hand everything spills as if the flood has ran in; so why is the paper empty, why is the weight uneasy... letters mixed into dictionary order, unable to place correctly on lines, blocked by everything that needs to be released, cluttered, a thesaurus of pages; can't find the order"

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

The Workbook; Integrity

I have been reading "Igniting the Moral Courage of America" By: Dean Kilmer. What an intriguing book. A few years ago I was told that integrity is very hard to come by, but if you can obtain it, you have mastered something rare, yet great.

I wanted to share the workbook portion of this book because I found the questions mind opening. You may not agree with my answers and you have the right to agree to disagree. I just wanted to share them with you. If you would like to comment and answer a few questions yourself or discuss my answers, feel free.

I. Discuss the following passages:
   A. Proverbs 22:1: "A good name is more desirable then great riches; to be esteemed is better then silver or gold"
      1. If given the choice between a good reputation and one million dollars, which do you think most people would take? Why?
      2. Now that you have given the "church answer" which would you take?

My answers:
1. With the society we live in today I wouldn't think for one moment about this question. I know people would choose a million dollars. Why, well because we live in a world of greed and fame. We feel that as long as we walk into a room with a 500.00 bag on our arm or 200.00 shoes on our feet then we are already accepted. Or better yet, we have this pride of being better then the next. No one is concerned about their reputation, why would they be when cars, purses, clothing, jewelry, etc speaks for them. Wow, that's a sentence worth reading again. Some of us are that self conscious that we allow material things to replace our own self.

2. What would I take. Well this I did pause for a moment before answering, because as that million dollars does look life changing, I still choose to think smart. Common sense would tell me that being a person of good reputation will eventually take you to where you desire and give you what you deserve. I'm bound to think that you might not deserve a million dollars, but something else on that level will be given to you as your good reputation pays for itself. It's one of those "it will come back to you in folds".

B. Psalm 15:1-5
    1. What does it mean to have a blameless walk?
    2. How does a person speak truth from the heart?
    3. Do you think it is strange that a righteous person despises a vile man?

My answers:
1. A blameless walk is humble, nothing attaches itself to you. Not the good, nor the bad. When you do good there isn't a need to brag; however understand the difference between bragging and sharing. When you do bad there isn't a worry about what others have to say, you don't claim perfection and your mistakes don't hinder you.

2. The heart has the ability to be broken, but I don't believe it has the ability to lie. When a heart has been bruised it speaks raw truth. If it hasn't been bruised it speaks innocent truth. Either way you get the truth.

3. No, I don't think its rare. To despise someone does not indicate that you hate them, what it does say is that you have no interest in being like them. We all know the best thing we can do for ourselves is surround ourselves with like minded people and/or people that will take us higher then we already are.

Thank you for taking the time to read my answers. I have 8 more workbook sessions to complete as I read through this book. If they move me to share them with you I will.

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

The Maya Way

Guy Lambert, WPGC

I was honored on May 3, 2012 to accompany Guy Lambert, from WPGC to The National Theatre, to Celebrate the Maya Way with Dr. Maya Angelou. As I entered the building on the red carpet I accepted the energy of grace as it carried me into a slow walk, with a smile of course. Come on now, many of us have dreamed of that red carpet walk, I would have been dimmed by my own self had I not enjoyed the moment. My heels felt so good at that moment, however; in the back of my mind I knew how they would feel by the time my night was over.

Here I was entering the building being greeted by smiling faces and beautiful people. I was escorted to the top floor where I entered the VIP reception area. It was a delight meeting Free, from WPGC, Michele Wright, from WHUR and many other famous faces. The love and joy in the room was an intense feeling and a welcomed one for the woman whom we were in celebration for.

I made my way towards the front of the room as Guy Lambert began to speak. Sharing details of the Maya Way Foundation and what this 15th year meant to a lot of people, especially the children who attend the Maya Angelou schools. Many speakers followed behind Guy Lambert; Patti Austin, Dr. Johnnetta Cole, Jack Davies and Dr. Lucretia Murphy just to name a few.

Guest Speaker: Johnnetta Cole

As the doors opened the room came to a serene, I was captivated and I don't use that word lightly. To have Dr. Maya Angelou enter into a room and seated within arms reach is truly a feeling of captivity. I didn't mind having something so humble control me at that moment.
I watched her chest rise up and down, my first thought was, is she nervous? I continued to watch her, suddenly remembering that this is a woman with elegance in her voice, history in her words, knowledge in her mind and triumph in her soul. Nervous, not at all, by no means was she nervous. Preparing to feed our souls with a nourishing meal, why yes. Breathing with ease inhaling what was in the room, discovering what level of articulation she shall feed to her audience.

I went from worried about her being nervous to understanding what wisdom she carried. I found myself studying her with great interest. As her breaths inhaled, her face was towards the ground, not in shyness but in meditation with nothing around her disturbing. She released the inhale and her head raised high, no eye contact; still in meditation with nothing around her disturbing.

Dr. Maya Angelou

Finally she made contact, "Dr. Maya Angelou we are thankful for you" the speaker said and with just those few words she opened her mouth and began to speak. Her voice was soothing and her smile was joy. I remember being off balance a bit, it was so much to take in. I apologized to the camera man as I hit the stand of his camera. I slid a bit to the side as she continued to speak. It was in the raise of her fist as if to define 'if nothing else sticks with you remember this'. "You've already been paid for, if you understand that then it livens you, it strengthens you and it prepares you to do the work which is yet to come".

A evening with Dr. Maya Angelou and a memorable night with several other performers.

Special Guest: Common

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

Writing Exercise

We were challenged to place one question on our blog from the writing exercise. Here was my choice, might I add I didn't find it challenging at all...

What is your focus?
My focus is on the past me, the me that was lost, the me that was dangerous. As a result, if I find her in you at this moment, I know she will not be a present mirror reflection. However; she will be vivid enough for me to remember the pain.

Graciously I will be clear enough to allow her (the old me); which in this moment is you, to dive into me like the ocean shore. I will push you to the bottom, for that is where the current does not exist and that is where you may be guided by the calm.


(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani

It started with the alphabet.... A,B,C

"I could go all the way back to middle school with A,B,C, yes I know this isn't the 1,2,3's,

but let's talk about the experience these letters gave me

 It started when I wanted to simply tell a short story, "Once upon a time"

I reflected with things I had seen on TV, nothing was for reality

Then it moved into High School years, I couldn't pass math class, but who cares

I wrote about myself, but hid the script for years

Few friends came over and I began to pull them out, next I knew I had them framed on my wall everyone told me "Girl this is your call"

I paid no attention cause I was just getting pain off my chest, writing about everything I wish I hadn't done, you know right after you thought it would be fun

Now as an I adult I know my alphabets for sure, but something kept me from writing them anymore

I was tired of the same ole poem about every heart break, about missed dates

 battered relationships, fatherless dinner plates

Yes that was me back then, so I might throw in a tear dropper every now and then

but I'm expanding my mind it flows with my soul, I write about so much more

mostly the things you feel should remain behind a closed door"

~Ebony Larijani

(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani