First let me start out with this:
Hi, Mr. Tony Gadson!
My dear cousin called me and asked why I hadn't mentioned him or put up a picture of him. I mean, hello dude! This is not the Oprah show. This is the internet, and ain't but 4 or 5 people gonna see this. But I love my cuz, so whatever makes him happy. Plus, yesterday, I called him at work, and he took the time to give me some great business advice on my new idea.
I should also thank my brother, Paul, LuCiana & Crystal for helping me with my idea.
Now, that's done!
Anywho! Today is Sunday, but by the time you guys get this it'll be Monday. It's a new work week and a new opportunity for a fresh start. Isom and I attended church today (Thanks Tunisia for holding him the entire service, for the first time since he was born, I was able to fully participate in church). The preacher's sermon was entitled "Change or Die." She explained that statistics show that if given 30 days to make a change or die, most people would not be able to change. It is found that people need true stories not just rules, laws, or health scares to make changes.
Scenario: You go to the doctor, he tells you that you have 30 days to live, but if you stop eating pork, beef, sweets, and fried foods you'll survive.
Days 1-3: You're excited cause ya' want to friggin' live. Plain and simple.
Days 4-7: Dang, you sho' is missin' that after dinner dessert. And what you wouldn't give for some sweet potato pie.
Day 8: Man, some pigs feet and hamhocks would be nice.
Day 8 1/2: Shoot, a nice steak would be better than this salad.
Day 8 3/4: My goodness, baked fish! What I wouldn't give for some Cajun Fried Catfish.
Day 9: On your ride home from work, you're starving. You're tired of it all. That turkey sandwich, baked chips, and fruit salad you had for lunch didn't quite hit the spot. You pull into your nearest fastfood joint and order up a fried fish sandwich (Hey, it may be fried, but at least it's fish).
Day 10: Folks at the office are having yet ANOTHER birthday party with cake. Humph,, you missed out on homegirl's cake 2 days ago, and ain't no way you missin' out again. So you have a slice.
Days 11-22: You feel like such a failure. You know you don't have the willpower to go through with it, and you turn back to your regular eating habits.
Day 23: You receive a phonecall that your bestfriend has had a heart attack. When you speak to her, she tells you that her doctor had warned her that she needed to change her eating habits and lifestyle. She'd felt the restrictions were too overwhelming and never even attempted any of his suggestions.
You go home and evaluate things. All of sudden things makes sense. It's day 23, and you realize that you want to live at any cost. You don't understand how you couldn't see it before. You just know that there was something about your friend's story that made it more real for you. More immediate. And so, you make the necessary changes.
That's kinda what the preacher was saying. Humanbeings tend to need stories to make things "click" in our minds.
Thus, I hope that's what I can give back to the world with my talents. Stories--whether they are fact or written fiction--that will help others, and me, to be able to make the necessary changes that will move us closer to our dreams.
By coming to my page, you've helped to give me a voice, and I thank you for that.
God and I have some big plans brewing. And if you just hold on while we (God & I) work somethings out, you'll be along for the beginnings of a ride that will touch many people--including me.
And continue to pass the word around.
If you'd like to be added to my mailing list, click "email me," and send me your name and email address.
Miss Nikki Ann
