Happy Friday, Y’all!
“Life is beautiful …” for me and I welcome more simple beauty … natural beauty … perhaps imperfect beauty, as well! So, I’m going to have to “T.G.I.F.” right about now! Are you with me?! I hope so, my friends! ” Do it for the TEAM!” Humanity at it’s best!
Out here in the Caribbean … Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica … things are mellow again. Sun shining, tropical breeze … birds chirping! Shucks, I have gotten used to having electricity and water interrupted from time to time nowadays. As I lay back in bed at night, I can see the “geckos” on the ceiling looking for insects … which they often find quickly and gobble up. You have to see their mouths moving as they consume their catch of the day!! They even watch me as they dance (sometimes make love!) on the balcony and the walls! It’s part of “jungle life” or rainforest, whichever you choose to describe it. But, it is au naturale … and I love it! No problems out here from the latest tropical storm turned hurricane – Dorian. I hope it doesn’t hit South Florida … or any part of the States for that matter!
I remember being asked to read a part for a play when I was a teen living in White Plains, NY in the Winbrook Projects. The play was called “Stagga Lee” … or something like that. The part I was asked to read was like this … I still remember it: “I ain’t afraid of nothing, especially the likes of you! And anytime you are ready, I’ll beat you at ANYTHING you can do!” Cool, right!? I was going through my “throes” of a budding teenager … skinny, glasses, no muscles, tall and lanky … and got bullied occasionally. So, I was “feeling” this part of Stagga Lee. The character was a fictitious “city dude” who kept getting “rolled on” (bothered) by bullies. “Stack” was cool … he didn’t want to fight! I was the same … for a while … until I realized that you can’t make it in “The Projects” without being able to stand up for yourself. Now I had a brother – “Big Hank” – all 6 feet 7 inches of him. He had come to my aid once or twice when the “big kids” had taken my basketball from me while I practiced on the courts in “The Big Playground”. But, “Hank” wasn’t a bully. He was big as a house and had the heart of a lamb … RIP, Big Bruh. So, then it was my time to step up! I got the part in the play!
Out here in “Puerto”, as I like to say, there is a small population in a small town … and everybody kind of knows each other. Whatever someone does not know, they “make it up”! That’s what I said, y’all! And there are some creative “mofos” out here, too! Half of the people have “nicknames” that are NOT on their birth certificates while others have these “tall tales” of why they are here, what they used to do as well as what they plan to do. I listen with CAUTION to detect the obvious lies, “one-upping”, plain old bullying and being nosey and straight out embellishment of “fake facts”! I tell the same story of who I am every day. I don’t need to embellish a damn thing … and my Dad didn’t like a liar, so … I’ll tell “you” the truth, if you want … about me and about YOU! So don’t come my way unless you are “ready for the truth”. I don’t have anything to hide. In fact, I suggest to most people, that if they were me, “one” would probably be dead already. I count my blessings EVERY DAY, you dig?!?
I’m planning a quick business trip to Ft. Lauderdale soon and I plan to get in … and get out! I’ve noticed that whenever people see how “cool my attitude” is, they come with a “dump truck of dumb sh@t”! I mean, they couldn’t ruffle my feathers much with their initial stupidity or whatever, so they “download” the dumbest crap they can find … and then “try” to give it to me!!! How hilarious. By that time, if I haven’t decided to start walking away after a choice word or two, I take note of the ignorant creature and how “it” has NO IDEA who they are dealing with (still non-violent) and I decide NOT to deal with “it” as a human ever again! Whatever it takes for me to stay cool is what I do. I’ve done all the other stuff, so, I choose the enlightened path nowadays. Imagine, even that “bothers” the less enlightened creatures looking for drama and conflict. “Go find some windmills!”
While I am not interested in living Stateside at this time ’cause I’d be broke, I am glad to see some people … yep, white people … waking up! That creature that got into the White House is testing each of us to see how much he can lie to us, cheat us (making money while president) and freaking bully the people that he is supposed to serve! When I see folks justifying and embellishing his lies, it is truly “reality tv”! Can you say “programming”? They are lying to the people and could care less … The American Experiment has gone awry! Make those desperately needed changes at the ballot box, stay cool … and remember … “We are ONE!”
Peace,
John I. Cook, Director
Educational Excellence 