Troy Davis...a lesson on Empowerment & Hope

Credit: AP Photo/Savannah Morning News

Troy Anthony Davis  in the Chatham County Superior Court during his trial

As I entered my home on the night of September 21, I was approached by an upset daughter. My 15 year old asked to be taken to the Supreme Court to stand in protest against Troy Anthony Davis' execution. My husband and I were tired but ready and willing to support our little girl in her quest for justice and her fight to abolish the death penalty.

Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. The case was plagued with many inconsistencies. Over the years witnesses have recanted their statements, the weapon was never found. Doubt shrouded this case. Yet, Georgia was determined to keep him on death row. Troy Davis was due to be executed at 7:00pm EST. At 7:20 he was still alive while the Supreme Court reviewed documents. My daughter felt hopeful.

While standing with her in front the Supreme Court, I couldn't help but think that we are all Troy Davis. This could have been anyone's story. My daughter does not support the death penalty. Furthermore, she expressed that this is America, the country that's the beacon of hope for the world. At 11:08pm, Troy Davis was executed and my little girl's hope was shattered and she broke down. All I could do was hold her and allow her to express her hurt.

We can't always protect our children from all the pain this world has to offer. However, we can empower them to make a difference. We can encourage them to speak out where there is injustice. We can encourage them to stand firm for their beliefs. Moreover, we have to show them that we have the power to impact change. Help your teenagers connect and get involved there are many organizations like DoSomething.org that they can join and make a difference.

I advised my daughter to remain hopeful. There are many injustices in our world...hunger, prejudice, abuse, genocide, lack of healthcare, to name a few. In spite of this, there is also good, so in the face of adversity we should always be hopeful. Alexander Pope said it best in "An Essay on Man"...'hope springs eternal'.  Romans 8:24 states...'For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.  It is my hope that she remembers Troy Davis' story and speak up wherever injustice 'rears its ugly head'. Be encouraging, be prayerful, be hopeful and embrace your journey.

Resources
Amnesty International
DoSomething.org

Remembering 9/11/01: Ten Years Later

Reflecting~Remembering~Rebuilding

Today we reflect upon the tragedy of Tuesday September 11, 2001. A day of horror, a day of tragedy, a day of unimaginable loss. I remember feeling a sense of emptiness as I kept my eyes fixed on the events that unfolded on the various networks. I felt paralyzed and numb.  I was overwhelmed by mixed emotions even though I was not directly impacted. I did not know any of the victims nor their families and yet sadness, fear, uncertainty and anger all rushed in at once. We all shared in the pain with our fellow citizens.

It's been a decade and we are triumphant. The terrorists broke our buildings but not our spirit. They took lives but not the memories. They were menacing but not strong enough to take our freedom. That's the power of the United States of America. When faced with adversity we band together and become one in prayer and resilience and we fight back!

• To the First Responders: We are forever grateful.
• To the men and women of our Armed Forces who protect our freedom and those who paid the ultimate price: We sincerely appreciate you.
• To the families of the victims: We pray for your continued healing and comfort.
• To the survivors: We pray for your continued strength and faith.

It is my hope that we remain vigilant as we rebuild our lives. We must maintain the spirit of oneness and not take our freedom for granted. We must appreciate our life and the lives of others. I pray for the safe return of our troops who are still fighting to protect our freedom. May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America. Be thankful, be healed, be comforted, be prayerful and embrace your journey.

S is for schedule and sanity!



School has begun and while the kiddies are all bursting with excitement, moms are writhing with anxiety. It's back to the juggle of work and family life. Moms know that disorganization can be very overwhelming and cost us our sanity. My list includes, PTA meetings, tennis matches, soccer games, cross country meets, birthday parties, grocery shopping, dinner to prepare, homework and backpack check, laundry(loads of it), lunches to pack, dental appointments, permission slips to complete, field trips, cleaning, school fundraisers and events, hair appointments. If I included the complete list there would be no room for the rest of my post. This list does not include my day job and the travel that comes with it, my philanthropic work, exercise, nor time with my husband and friends. Also, since this is my son's senior year, college visits and applications must be included! Reading this list makes me want to scream!!!

I'm certain that most moms are screaming at their list and wondering when on earth do they get to sleep!  Some friends tell me that I do it so effortlessly. I've got news for them all....it takes a lot of effort and it is difficult! Any mom that says it's easy, isn't being honest (unless she has a personal assistant).  With the national unemployment rate at 9%, work has been made a priority for most families. Some moms work a fixed time schedule (approx 8.5 hours per day) and have very little time to squeeze in items on their list. Other moms are self employed and may have a flexible work schedule but that doesn't mean they have more time. In some instances, they have to work even more hours than those who 'clock in'. So no matter which side of the spectrum you fall into, balancing work and home is very difficult and leave most moms feeling guilty.

Getting organized is essential. Everything must be scheduled, even sleep. That's something I'm working on.  Mothers must realize that they cannot do EVERYTHING. We must prioritize and accept that some events will be missed. For example, my 3 children may have events on the same day around the same time. Even if my husband and I split up between 2, one child's event will be missed. I'm adopting the 'take turns' concept. A week per child. This week I'll attend my son's meet. Next week I'll attend my daughter's tennis match. Our youngest is seven and he must be accompanied by an adult. So dad and I will have to take turns with him as well. I won't make every PTA meeting, so I plan to attend every other month. When you take a break at work, schedule all your appointments for a month.  Place everything (work and home) on one calendar Always plan a month ahead. For example, At the beginning of August, I scheduled my little guy's dental appointment for September 12.  If you schedule your sleep, you can schedule your workout for early morning so that you can get a healthy start to a busy day. I'm in the process of re-training my body to go to sleep early so that I can workout in the morning before heading to work.

I don't always have time to bake cupcakes to send to school, but the Safeway store around the corner do a fabulous job with theirs....so I go with store bought and not feel an ounce of guilt. I can't do it all and I'm okay with that. Some moms equate 'doing it' all with being a good mother. You're a good mother when you accept that you can't do it all. Planning and scheduling is at the core of a mom's sanity. Whether you have 1 in school or 3, like I do, schedule, schedule, schedule. It'll keep you sane. Plan dinner and lunches on the weekend and shop accordingly. This not only keeps you on task, but also, saves money. You'll shop from the list and not purchase unnecessary items.

Planning and scheduling will help you get through this school year with your sanity intact. Don't be hard on yourself and don't strive for perfection. Do the best you can with what you have. Make adjustments when necessary.  It won't always be flawless, it won't be without hiccups, but you'll have your plan to steer you back on schedule.  Be organized, be guiltless, be sane and embrace your journey.

'A Stone of Hope'



We were planning to head north to the beach to celebrate the official end of summer. However, we decided to slow it down and relax at home with the family. As the day progressed, one teen had tennis practice and the other made plans to attend his school's football game. That was my cue to follow through with plan B and head out with my sis and our little guys to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

After circling the memorial a couple times we finally found a parking space. It was amazing and quite crowded. As I approached the memorial I looked up and was greeted with the phrase; 'OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DESPAIR, A STONE OF HOPE'. A calm came over me as I read this phrase. My sister and I perused the area, took a few pictures and explained to our sons the significance of Dr. King. My 7 year old son recited a portion of the 'I Have a Dream' speech while my 5 year old nephew became sad that Dr. King was killed. We walked a bit more reading the various quotes that lined the walls of the memorial. It was both a proud and overwhelming experience.

Dr. King's memorial sits on the Potomac river between the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. Toward the end of our visit, we sat on the river. Though the memorial was crowded and at times you could barely hear yourself think, you felt at peace. There was a calm that was evident. Dr. King's image looks out toward the Jefferson monument echoing hope.  A hope that the promises made in our Constitution would be promises kept.

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Despite the critisms that were rightfully expressed about the memorial and errors made; you will be filled with hope and pride when you visit this historic memorial.
Take your family to witness history, American history and feel the peace that embodies it. You will not regret your visit to the ' Stone of Hope' that evolved from a 'Mountain of Despair'. Be curious, be proud, be hopeful and embrace your journey.