Is 2020 really over?

Is 2020 really over? I know it's not December 31st yet, but it's the last month of the year. 2020 has been the year of loss and gain, the year our faith has been shaken and strengthened, the year most of us will remember not because we bought cars, houses, got married, or had children, but because of Covid-19. We shall remember that we were able to buy cars in the midst of the pandemic and financial hardship, or we were able to have kids in the midst of this health scare, or the year we had to have a wedding ceremony with just the priest and a few loved ones, or the year we had to work from home as we've always prayed for and loved it, or the year we have saved so much money because restaurants were closed and we didn't waste money on gas for unnecessary trips. 

2020 has been a year that God has given us like any other. 2020 has been a blessing to many and not a blessing to many. But above all, we have seen God's goodness in 2020, we have seen His love, protection, mercy, grace, and above all GOD's FAVOR!

I can testify to walking in God's Favor for this year, in the midst of tears and headache, my God has favored me and I am thankful for the year 2020. It may have started great, got crazy and made me shed some tears along the way, but it has gotten better than I expected and I am grateful for that, and I call that Favor.

As we end this year, what are you thankful for? What has 2020 taught you? What do you wish you would have done differently and what will you do differently moving forward?

My advise to you the reader of this post, don't be too quick to pray this year to end. Take the time to look back and pin-point areas that God or the universe wanted  you to learn from and carry that with you but not with pain and anger or bitterness, but carry that so that you can do things differently and better moving forward. 

Be blessed and Happy 2021.

PS - I have seen quite a few jokes that 2021 may just be part 2 of 2020, or the month will extend to December 32nd 2020, I pray that wont be the case 🤣

You are Home

 Home is Where The Heart is

Often times I have heard it said home is where you make it. As much as this statement is true, I would also like to believe that sometimes Home is where the heart is, where your loved ones are, where you feel a sense of belonging. You may live in a town or city for years and never feel like you are home. And there are those who move to a new place and feel at home from day one. 

There are those who've never felt a sense of belonging in their homes of origin, be in a house, town, city or country, this group of people may likely feel at home  elsewhere. But for those whose home roots are deeply ingrained in their hearts, they may find it somewhat or extremely difficult to make a new place their home. 

I heard someone say that she is very adaptive and hence she was able to make a new country her home and she loves it. That too can be a reason for belonging to a new place and feeling like you are home. 

Adaptive or not, find out what works for you early-on in life. If you have never experienced living in different places, try it out and then decide what works for you. Just because you feel at home where you are at now, it doesn't mean you won't feel the same somewhere else. Give yourself a chance to explore.

When I was a teenager, I lived in two cities and they both became my home. When I was in my twenties, I lived in two countries and they both equally became my home. And now in my thirties I have found myself living in two countries and have called both my home but with slight favoritism to one over the other which sometimes make me homesick. That's because, so much about me, my circumstances and my mindset has changed since my twenties and somehow the idea of being home is more than what I used to believe or think.

Love,

MamaTembo Safari

Who Are You?

Image from Google

Dear reader, 

I hope you have been well. I have a question for you this week; Who are you? 

Have you ever really asked yourself who you are? Do you know all the things that make up YOU? Do you say who you are based on what people say you are? or what your family say you are, or what your community say you are? Do you ever sit back and wonder if you are the same person throughout the day, or whether you change based on where you are or who you are with? Are you person A when you are with your co-workers? Are you person B when you are at church? Are you person C when you are with your family? And are you LOST when you are all alone?

How often do we take our own lives for granted? Get to know you. Get to accept you, get to change you, and get to LOVE you. 

You are AMAZING.

With Love,

Mamatembo Safari

Things Only God Can Do

Gratitude And Obedience

I have had a few weeks of marveling at God's goodness, faithfulness, and above all, hearing and seeing Him acts. You may be wondering how does that happen, well here it goes. My friends and I started our "Friday Prayer Requests" whereby, we would each talk about the areas in our lives that we want to see God work. My first prayer request was for me to be grateful and boy did I go through hell. My second prayer request was for me to forgive and not hold offence, that too didn't go so well. 

What I realized is that, when I asked God to give me something for example, a spirit of gratitude or a spirit of forgiveness, that was when I faced issues that required me to act in those spirits when everything is telling me otherwise. But in the midst of it all, I did take time at night as I prayed before ending my day, and I told God how grateful I am for walking me through whatever I had been facing. 

As I continued praying for other areas of my life, and just thanking God for what I have and asking God to help me surrender in areas where I clearly felt that He was asking me to surrender, I saw His greatness even more. Long story short, I have seen God align things for me so strategically that there is no way on earth I could give credit to anyone but God. Everything is so vivid that it's His hand at work. 

Then I decided to analyse everything that has happened in the past few weeks, and I realize that God does answer prayers, God is faithful, God does make a way where there seems to be no way. Everything God promises does come to pass, but there is catch, God does want us to also do something, it can be to have faith that He will do what we ask of Him, it can be for us to surrender to Him, it can be for us to be obedient to what He is telling us to do. It's a two-way relationship. 

I remember reading something a while back that said, God's answers in various ways, He can say NO -that's not good for you, or NOT YET- it's not time for this yet, or YES - you can have it right now. We like the YES response best because it always happens so quickly. No one likes listening to the "Not yet" and "No" answers. Not yet can mean, continue to have faith, what you are praying for will come in due season. It can also mean, I am waiting for the other person to be obedient so that you will receive what you have been praying for. NO is very clear, no always means DANGER. No is perhaps the best response you can receive from God no matter how painful it can be. Be okay with all the responses God decides to give you. Above all, be obedient in all responses. 

Love,

MamaTembo Safari.

You Need to Fail to Succeed

How to Heal

Image from google.com

Growing up in Tanzania, I never heard of any family member, neighbor or a close friend that went for counseling. I don't know if that was because there were not as many counselors around or it was just not part of "our" culture. This however, does not mean people did not find healthy outlets when faced with challenges in life. I do remember hearing my mother talk about people going to Priests and Pastors (spiritual leaders) for advice in matters related to marriage, or if a family member acts abnormal due to being demon possessed (as it's widely believed in our culture). 

Little did I know counseling is not a foreign concept in Tanzania, I was just among the unfortunate few who were not exposed to it. I would have never thought of this topic if I were in Tanzania, beacuse needing a professional help to heal from certain issues never crossed my mind. I have enough people around while in Tanzania, people that I can approach when I need someone to talk to or when seeking advice. And it has worked very well all these years, until I was struck by grief for losing my dad. 

The first time knowing what counseling is all about, was in a movie. But I still related counseling to something that people with "crazy" issues do. Not once did I think someone can go to a counselor because they need grief counseling after losing a loved one or for going through a divorce / separation. Not once did I think someone can need to see a counselor because their habits cause them to self sabotage. I always thought those who need counseling are broken. I later realized that seeking help means you are in need of advice from someone with textbook knowledge on what you are going through, and might help you through your journey of figuring things out, for your betterment. 

I have heard and read articles about people looking down on those who seek help from counselors. But my truth is this, this stigma will not go away if movies keep portraying characters with extreme or severe conditions as the only group of people that go for counselling/therapy. We have to normalize counselling in order to save lives. We need to support those going through issues that don't fall under the "crazy" issues category, because mental health struggles are real no matter the cause or intensity.

In a world where we are so easily misunderstood and judged, we don't stand a chance of survival if we can't express our issues whether big or small. We have to have a place where we can share our frustrations, concerns, worries, doubts, etc, without the fear of our 'issues' being gossiped about. We need counselling.

Love,

MamaTembo

Pain

Discovering Your Identity - Part 2

Defeat by Proxy

Have you ever been in a situation where you constantly pray for someone over specific situations and you don’t get the results that you or they wanted? How do you feel when that happens?

I have realized that sometimes we question God’s power based on someone else’s unanswered situations, and if we are not careful, we feel defeated and get surrounded by a dark cloud filled with memories of past and present unanswered prayers from our own lives. When there is unanswered prayer in the person you constantly pray for, you start inhaling that smell of defeat in your life as well, even though God has faithfully answered many of your prayers before.  

This got me thinking; Is God trying to say something? Is this situation something that God doesn’t want to take care of for reasons only known to Him? Is this something that if answered might cause this person harm in the future? Is God choosing to delay the answer because He is waiting on us to do or say something? Is God allowing this person to go through these trials because He is about to bring a major transformation or reward in this person’s life (double for his/her trouble)? This type of thinking helped me to stay grounded in God’s promise over my life. First and foremost I had to tell myself - I am not them, I am me.  I should not compare my situation with others because our paths are totally different and hence their trials and tests in life will be different too. I may not go through their journey and trials because I have a different destiny and ministry and will hence face different kinds of trials. I had to remember how God answers prayers differently in every situation. Seeing unanswered prayer in someone else’s life does not take away God’s presence on earth, neither does it make God a liar or deaf to our prayers. My job is to say ‘in everything and for everything I give thanks’. 

Trials and tribulations are merely tests that we face in different levels of our faith and relationship with God. And God will not give us more than we can handle. If we trust in Him then we won’t be defeated when our prayers are not answered the way we want them to. 

How did I overcome this feeling of defeat by proxy? I had to remind myself of the many miracles and answered prayers. I looked at the mountains that were once before me, and how God made them flat before my own eyes and made a way for me, then I remember that God is able. As much as we are called to pray with consistency, we are also called to listen. Is God telling you something about that unanswered prayer or situation? Is God telling the other person something over the unanswered prayer? Are they sharing that information with you to the effect of helping you know how to change your prayers or accept things the way they are and give God the glory for the situation?

Don’t be overcome by defeat from your own or from other people’s unanswered prayers. God is able, He communicates, and when He doesn’t answer your prayer the way you want Him to answer you, then know He will communicate something to you about it. 

Xoxo 

Mamatembo

It’s Never Too Late

Have you ever made a decision that has somehow cost you something precious in life? Did you take a job because it paid you more than your previous job only to regret it everyday because it has taken away your peace of mind? Did you leave a partner because they did not change this one habit that pissed you off, only to date or marry someone else whose mere existence causes you to question your own existence? 

Life gives us multiple choices to the many questions we have. There is no one answer to your question, however, few out of the many answers may be close to what you need. Unfortunately, some of us may not be aware of the question which means we are not qualified to pick an answer. What I am saying here is that if you do not know yourself well enough, then you won’t know what you need. Take relationships for example, if you don’t know who you are, what you need, and what you don’t need in a person, then you are less likely to make the right decision while choosing a partner. Anyone with a beautiful smile might look like a perfect match for you, only to find out they have a habit or habits  that drive you crazy and even lead to abuse.

You can’t get the best if you don’t know yourself. The good thing is, it’s never too late. Observe yourself as you interact with others, listen to what people say about you, observe yourself at the many jobs you’ve had, the work culture and environment that worked for you. Why or what did you like about job A compared to job B? Read about personality types and traits, attachment styles, your love language and so on and so forth. Get to know yourself so that you can allow yourself to make the right decision when the right time and opportunity presents itself. Don’t rush in making a decision, nor should you make a decision out of fear. 

Xoxo

Mamatembo

How to Discover Your Identity - Part I

Part III - God Will Warn You

Let's talk about Racial Injustice

There are certain topics that are very sensitive to talk about but it doesn't mean they don't exist. Racism, racial injustice or racial discrimination are among those topics. Once voices are raised, when protests take place, when Black Lives Matter pops up, some people feel like Black people are playing the victim card. But remember, if you don't live in someone's life, their day to day experience, then you have no right to judge them. You may be of the same race, but as long as you don't battle someone else's battles, then you have no right to judge. I am not for the violence that took place during the protest, but neither am I pro the injustice that causes these protest in the first place.

Can we NOW have the talk???

How Do We Perish For Lack of Knowledge?

Hey Fam,

The words we perish for lack of knowledge came to mind yesterday after something happened. I realized that we sometimes spiritualize the Bible and it’s text to the point where we don’t relate some messages to our daily life and only look at the Bible as a book only related to our salvation and the after-life but not in our day to day / daily life. 

I wanted to buy a product key for a software yesterday and my heart just kept getting heavy. I went as far as putting in my PayPal payment info and right before I clicked on making the payment, I felt like I should do one more search, so I went on google and kept searching for free software options (I found none). Then suddenly I came across a software that I already have and had paid for, and I found out that it does exactly what I wanted, hence no need to buy a new software. So you see, I may not have perished spiritually or physically but I would have suffered financially by paying for a product that does the exact same thing as another product that I already have. 

Knowledge is key. Sometimes we seek spiritual enlightenment from far and beyond when we can go to a book store, buy a Bible and get the answers we need. Answers that will save us in many areas of our lives can be found in God through prayer, and having a personal relationship with Him. Search in God what you need to know about your life, as you search on google.com what you need to know about other things. 

Broken Identity with Stephanie Bowie

Do You Know Your Personality Type?

I was reading about understanding the 4 Personality Types: A, B, C, and D and I was very intrigued. Read the article when you get the time and find out which personality type you are. It might help you understand why you do the things you do, why you react they way you do, and why you like the things you like. It's okay to be different, embrace that about yourself. But make sure you read up so that you know yourself a bit better.

cheers,
Mamatembo.

The Psychology Of Compatibility | The Mel Robbins Show

Part II - God Will Warn You

Part I God Will Warn You

There's Hope

What Have You Learned from Coronavirus Lockdown?

Hey y'all,

Covid-19 has caused so much confusion, uncertainty, and frustration to many. But little did we know that this level of isolation can cause not just financial stress, but also heightened anxiety and / or depression to the point of causing people to make unnecessary and hurtful decisions. Little did we know that some people's happiness depends on being able to go places whenever they wanted to. No, this is not a joke. Since the lockdown started, going grocery shopping has been our go-to outing. We go shopping whether we like it or not. We just want to go out, be anywhere but home. 

Some go out for reasons of boredom because they've watched all the movies on Netflix and Hulu, they've talked to all their family members on Zoom and WhatsApp and they now have nothing else or nothing new to say. But for some, they are so used to being by themselves (not that it's a problem), but when being with family week in and week out is a must, they crumble and want to abandon the family altogether (who knew going to work was a marriage saver)! 

If anything, this virus has taught us so much about ourselves. About our weaknesses and our strengths. About our selflessness and our selfishness. We have become monsters locked in our negative thoughts wanting to be by ourselves, while others have embraced having quality time with their loved ones. 

As we come to an end of this lockdown, I hope we can reflect on who we truly are when all we have is ourselves and nothing else to depend on. During this time, some have appreciated schools and the amount of work teachers put in making sure our kids are safe while at school because to be honest - these kids have too much energy and staying at home is not their cup of tea, and we as parents or guardians have to adapt and be creative and find ways to entertain the little ones so that we don't end up killing ourselves out of frustration. 

If you didn't come up with a creative idea for social media platforms or any platform whether online or offline, I hope you are able to come up with a book on survival skills for when life forces us to stay at home with family or by ourselves without having to end our lives because of depression, anxiety or boredom.

XoXo
Mamatembo

Jeannie Opens Up About Her Engagement to Jeezy

Hey y'all, 

Happy month April!

I have been wanting to blog but some things have been keeping me busy. So, I came across these videos on YouTube and fell in love with Jeannie Mai's statements. One of them being taking time to find yourself after a breakup. I do not encourage people to date right after a break up, because no good will come from dating someone with a wound. It's good to heal. Healing is powerful. 

How God Perceives Your Trust

I started reading a new Bible plan on my Bible App and I feel that this message is so timely. I am encouraged as I continue to read, and I hope you’ll b encouraged too. You can access the plan on your Bible App, use the info on the image above to navigate searching for the plan. Disclaimer: I am not the author of the message below.

It’s not only important to understand why trust is important as a whole, but also why, specifically, is trust important to God. Psalm 20:7 identifies that many will trust in the world and the things it has to offer, but few will trust in God. Perhaps it’s for this very reason trust is so important to God--because few do. 

Trust is an indicator of our heart’s condition, reflecting where our loyalty and commitment lies. Trusting God in the midst of our trials and storms shows Him that we count on Him, not the world. When the choice comes, to choose to make things work by the means this world offers or rely on God, we will choose to rely on God.

I can’t help but wonder if part of the difficulties in our lives are for this very reason; so that we learn to trust God? When I faced my own fork in the road last year, coming out of it I couldn’t help but think I went through all of it just so I could learn to trust God to a greater degree. Even today a battle arose from the enemy to attack me as a writer; someone threatening to tarnish my character because they didn’t like what I wrote. This morning I battled, wondering if I should give into their words. 

Thankfully I had godly counsel around me to encourage me to trust what God has called me to do. If God has called me to share my testimony through writing, I must hold firm to what He has called me to. Otherwise, I would be bending to the world instead of remaining steady to the course He has marked out before me.

Are you facing a battle that calls for your trust? Perhaps someone is coming against you as well? Or there is a situation at work that confronts you to operate out of fear or trust? Whatever it is, may your heart reflect your commitment to God.

Choose today to be someone committed to the calling, purpose, and God-ordained direction on your life. Few will choose this path but to those who do, watch God paint your story with vibrant colors only reserved for those who are faithful, loyal, and fully committed to Him.

CoronaVirus

Image source

We all know about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lockdown of schools, events, some businesses and even towns, that's been taking place for some time now. I hope you are all staying safe. I hope you are taking precautions and keeping yourself and your loved ones safe. I know most of us are on social media and there is so much fake news going around about the virus. My suggestion to you all is to read about the COVID-19 from a reliable source for instance, the CDC website and ignore rumors that say black people are less likely to get the virus. Above all, pray so that the things happening on the outside, don't affect your peace of mind. Also, pray for those whose livelihoods have been affected by the lockdown because of the virus. 

Master KG - Jerusalema [Feat. Nomcebo] (Official Music Video)

International Women's Day 2020

If anything at all, I have learned in life that I don't know as much as I try to convince myself that I do....moreover, every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. 

As a child, I never understood why the world celebrate women. At 33 years of age, I have no doubt that women are the most sacrificial, humble, intelligent and daring human beings, and hence deserve all the celebration they can get, all day, everyday!

God did not make a mistake when He created women. I am proud to be a woman. The amount of things I have had to go through in life thus far, and the more that I will go through in life so that God can use me to be a place of hope for those around me, I must say, it's not easy being a woman.

Happy International Women's Day

#LIVE: UZINDUZI WA KAMPENI YA SUPER WOMAN - MARCH 02. 2020.

Tanzanian Women All Stars - Superwoman (Official Video)

The Power of Positive Focus

Google.com

How often do we wake up with the saying "it's a good day to be alive" regardless of the troubles we are going through? How often do we sit back and count our blessings? I know this sounds like a cliche, but based on what I have been experiencing lately, I must say that it works. 

I was listening to Joel Osteen and we all know he is all about positive affirmation of the word of God in our lives and situations. But that's not what I am focusing on today. My focus today is about the power of distracting the negative pattern of mindset. Going through a tough time can easily cause us to forget the blessings God has given us. It's easy to see a coin and unsee the sun when we hold a coin close to our eye and block the sun. I hate being sad, and feel sorry for myself. I hate feeling hopeless. And this time around, I am experiencing something that I experienced over 10 years ago. 

The fact that I went through this before doesn't make things any better, it just made me realize that I went through hell and somehow God gave me rest, somehow God turned things around. So, in this too I shall have rest. I tell myself "this too shall pass". I tell myself, this is a phase and I shall not let it take away my happiness. I tell myself, worrying won't change or solve anything but drain my energy, make me unhappy and put a dark cloud around me that will change my speech and cause those around me to be sad as well. And so, I choose to affirm "it's a good day to be alive" and I tune my mind to all the wonderful things that can happen to me today. I allow my mind to wonder in all the right places while I affirm God's promises to me. For the months of February and March my Bible verse has been Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Have a wonderful First week of March.

Uprooting the Spirit of Rejection: The Solution to All of Mans Problems

I can watch this video 1000 times.

The Power of Influence

Hello,

Today I want to talk about the power of influence. We can set children up for success through influencing them, or allowing them to have access to people who will influence them. I have read a few articles about this the day this thought came to me and I must say, I very much agree with them. Others use the term role model to explain this point. But whichever way you look at it, role model or influencer, I strongly believe that, we are capable of achieving a lot in life because of the examples we see which one way or the other work as a living testimony to us. 

From my personal experience, I used to think getting the first division in A levels is impossible for me because I always thought "they" the super smart, very serious genius people, are the only ones who can get division one. I used to think that getting selected to go to a government school for High School is for the genius folks, until one day, a friend who was a few years older than me passed her form four exams and was selected to a government school. You see, before that, it felt like it was a blessing for the genius, and usually, if you don't hang around the group of people who get straight A's in school, then you don't think you are capable of being an A student. Seeing that a person who was so close to me, did so well in school and was able to go to a government school for her High School, it gave me hope. She influenced me. And by God's grace I did well in my form four exams and was selected to got a government school for my A Level. I wasn't able to go to that school because of health issues that I had at the time, but the minute that dream became a reality, my mind was unstoppable. 

To make things even better, the same girl passed her A levels with division one, and she said it wasn't so hard, and that I could do it too. And so I did. I became "the people" I used to look at and think their minds were wired differently, but truth be told, it all took seeing someone do it, someone close enough that it took away that "they" mentality and transformed it into a "we" mentality. I was encouraged and I believed anything was possible. Then one fine day, a neighbor whom I call aunt told my mother about a fully funded scholarship program for undergraduate programs. Boy oh boy, no one close to me had a scholarship, that sounded like a "they" opportunity. Now mind you, even with a division one in my pocket, it still didn't seem possible, not because I wasn't "smart" enough for the scholarship, but I had never seen anyone close to me get a scholarship so I didn't believe I would be selected, until I did. 

Ever since that scholarship opportunity, I told myself that I'll get a scholarship to do my Master's degree as well. Now you see, me being able to get the scholarship for a bachelor's degree, influenced me and gave me the confidence to apply for a scholarship for a Master's degree. 

One day at one of my former jobs, I came across these ladies who were my age, and some younger, who had positions in the Parliament of our Country. Before meeting them face to face, I always thought "they" were different from me. But the day I came face to face with them, interacted with them and got to know some of them, then the light bulb went on again, the "we" mentality kicked in. We are not so different after all, if they did it, so can I. I am not in the Parliament nor holding any government position but I realized that, before meeting those Members of the Parliament, they were not my role model per se, but after meeting them, I was influenced and encouraged to believe that even I stand a chance to be like them. Before my friend got selected to a government school, or before she got a division one, I didn't think it was anywhere close to my lane, until she did it then I was influenced and encouraged to study hard and achieve what she achieved. Before getting my first scholarship, I thought it was a privilege for certain group of people, until I got a scholarship and was influenced and encouraged to apply for yet another scholarship. 

I am writing this to encourage those who were on "they" mentality, to look out for role models or influencers around them. Sometimes, you might just be your own influencer. That feeling of knowing you once got straight As, what's holding you back from getting them next semester, and the one after that? What's holding you from getting a job that pays you $70k+ yearly if you've once been able to get that much? We are mostly limited by our own mind because we don't know its possible until we do it, or until we see someone close to us do it. It's good to have far and distant role models like famous celebrities and other public figures, but there is power in having a role model or influencer who is close to you, someone you can have access to, someone you can speak to, someone you can have interaction with. Our minds can't make excuses for people we are close to, but it can make excuses for people who are far away. Be exposed, be influenced.

Starting over may or may not be a good thing

I used to be traumatized by the idea of starting over in life but I am now becoming accustomed to it and sadly, it comes with fear of owning things and loving people.

To me starting over is nothing but a waste of time, resources, energy and can make one lose hope. From a business perspective, starting over may not be so bad, or perhaps it is even applauded and encouraged, but on a personal level, it stings! An article I read talks about how starting over can be a good thing, I agree and yet disagree for various reasons.

Imagine furnishing your home, only for you to move and having to sell things at a loss. This makes me wonder, is it worth it? Is it worth it spending your hard earned money to buy things that you wont be keeping long enough because someday you might have to start all over again? Should you buy a car only to sell it at a loss after a year or two of using it only because you have to move? Now imagine doing this multiple times in less than 5 years, and along the way you feel like you are fighting a battle that you just can’t seem to win. 

Starting over breaks my heart because it slowly takes away the joy of doing certain things in life. It makes me question the importance and the necessity of things, creative ideas and relationships, in this world full of uncertainty. It makes me question the idea of stability. Is life stable enough for me to have a family and for them to have a place they can call home for a good chunk of years, like how I grew up? 

Sometimes, I am reminded of the “Groundhog Day” movie where the main actor had to relive the same day over and over until he figured out what it is he needed to fix or change about himself for him to continue living the rest of his days. I wonder, am I doing something wrong? Should I be learning something through this starting over lifestyle? 

If anything at all, I am learning not to value things because they come and go - which is a good thing, but this fear creeps in with the fear of having relationships because those too might be lost in the process. If I were to put a price tag on every item, relationship and opportunity I have had to let go of because of this “starting over” lifestyle, then I may wonder if I will ever desire to have anything in life because comfort and long-lasting is not guaranteed (at least not yet). 

The one thing I can embrace from starting over, is my new found decision to save money and travel as well as buy experiences rather than things, because those memories are more likely to last. 

I am inspired

Hey y'all,

Have you ever watched a movie and felt some type of emotion, and watch it again in a few years and still feel the same way? That happened to me today, I remember watching the famous "La Bamba" movie back in the 90's as a kid and I cried my eyes out at the end. It was a very emotional and heart felt movie. I got to know the La Bamba song because of that movie, and I have never sang any other version of that song except for Ritchie Valens' version. I came across the movie on Netflix and decided to watch it again, except this time, I cried from the beginning to the end. I cried because I already know what was going to happen, but I also cried when I heard all those songs again, I didn't think I would still remember them, and the fact that it was based on a true story of a young boy, who at 17 changed the face of music and the lives of many.

This movie has reminded me of what we need to do in life - live a legacy. Do something that will cause generations to come not only remember you, but also inspire to be the best they can be, because you showed them it's possible. 

After watching the movie, I went on google and did a little research on Ritchie Valens. According to Wikipedia, he enjoyed his recording career for 8 months before he died at the age of 17 years old. I am yet reminded that you don't have to live 50 years to make an impact, that is what I learned from this film. 

Know what you want and work on it from a very young age. According to Wikipedia, Ritchie Valens worked on his music from the age of 5 years old. By the time he became famous for his music, he was already perfect in his craft. This movie as well as the lives of many talented legends (dead or alive) reminds me that preparation is key. Perfect your craft at every chance you get because one day preparation will meet opportunity and success will be yours. 

Have a blessed and inspired week my lovies.

5 things I liked about New York City

Hey y'all,

My few days in New York city were filled with awe and joy. I was reminded of the Dar es Salaam life, but better. Here are 5 things that I liked about my little NYC break.

1. Lively

NYC is very lively and I liked that. People were putting on shows on the streets, the subways, at Times Square. I really enjoyed that life.The fact that I was in no hurry, it allowed me the time to stand or sit and observe my surroundings and see the joy in people's faces. 

2. Public transportation

The public transportation in NYC was my favorite. Having multiple forms of transportation makes life so easy for New Yorkers and I see why it's continuing to be the 'it' city of this nation. When I complained about the public transportation in Jacksonville, to some, I did not make any sense, but to those who've lived in other major cities always agree with me and said how transportation is better in metropolitan cities like New York. I believe having a good public transportation system is one of the causes for a city to develop, for more people to move to a city, and for businesses to increase.

3. Old building

I met someone for a short planned meeting and she asked me what I liked about New York city. I thought she would think I am crazy when I told her I loved looking at the old buildings, but much to my surprise, that's what a lot of people like too, including her. The old buildings reminded me of Zanzibar. I felt as though I lived in the 1880's yet in 2020. I was impressed at how most of those building are well maintained. New York city has a vintage yet modern feel to it, that's something to fall madly in love with. Unfortunately, not all the old buildings had Zanzibar doors styles, which means Zanzibar will forever remain the most beautiful island in Africa..

4. The United Nations

I found out about the UN visitor tour on Friday and I told myself, I would feel so bad if I left the city without visiting the famous UN head quarters. I paid for the tour online and off I went. Being inside that building made me want to apply for a job at the spot. Everything about United Nations is amazing. The staff, what UN is about, the goals, just everything. The tour was for about an hour, we got to visit the 4 branches of the United Nations, and hear a brief history of the UN and it's ongoing projects across the world.

5. People

The amount of people moving around in New York city is beyond what I had imaged before I went there. While sitting in a metro I asked myself how many people I had seen in a matter of few hours? I wanted to count those in the metro with me but I gave up. Sad to say, just because there are plenty of people around, it did not mean people didn't sit by themselves, or look lonely. I expected NYC to be a busy city with a culture where people talk to each other - strangers or not, but it wasn't the case. However, I met wonderful people who helped me out when I had questions about the metro and the stops I needed to make. 

Road trip to New York City

Hey y'all, 

Finally!!! It felt good taking a break from my day to day life. I took a road trip to New York with Greyhound bus. I enjoyed the bus ride very much, I enjoyed the different cities we stopped in. I decided to check the weather at every stop, just to see how different they are from Jacksonville. I looked lost when I stepped into the Greyhound station in Jacksonville, but the staff were very helpful and patient with me. It took 23 hours to travel, my legs were swollen when I got to NYC.

NYC was a lot of fun, unfortunately I walked more than I expected which messed up my feet and legs because I didn't carry the right shoes for walking. Taking the metro was easy yet challenging at times, especially when I paid for a metro card and it didn't work -what a waste of money! Linda joined me on Friday and the walking got crazier but fun. I enjoyed everything about NYC, most importantly the tour of United Nations HQ. I am glad I flew back to Jacksonville because my legs gave up!

Back to a sunny Florida