Umoja
"Umoja
principle instructs that each member of the family and by extension the
community is constituted by a web of interpersonal relationships. The health
and possibilities of the family and community, therefore, is dependent upon the
quality of relationship within the family and community."
Storm's Reflection:
I love that
this is the first principle. It sets the tone for the general theme of togetherness and this was my primary
attraction to the holiday. I love unity as a building block of which the many
things I plan to teach to my children shall stand. I spent this day among few
family members in New York City. A solemn reminder of how much my large
biological family has dwindled down to a few members that I care enough to
miss. That my children even familiar enough with to know to miss. The beauty in
it though is that I've got scissors and a sowing thread. So I delighted in the
fact that there have been additions made that render the subtractions obsolete.
I know enough now to acknowledge that I can only be responsible for my end of a
relationship. In terms of health and
possibilities I will set the tone for a healthy relationship in hopes my loved
ones will follow. Most (what I like to call the chosen ones) are already there.
Others I have decided are worthy enough to give time an opportunity to both heal
and move us forward. As unity is dependent on the quality of these
relationships, time will reveal however it won't be a deciding factor. I won't
risk the strength of my community over a weak link. Unity calls for that type
of sacrifice and it's a call I'm ready to answer. I lit a black candle.
Kujichagulia
"Kujichagulia
principle says African Americans, like all people, need shared cultural values,
symbols, rituals, and practices in order to give their families and children
meaning and value, and identity and community."
Storm's Reflection:
This one means self determination. A principle speaking on a need to name and define ourselves. To speak for and represent ourselves. I searched deep within myself for meaning to a principle that I believe I knew most intimately. You make mistakes when you think that you know so much. Comfort does that. After examining areas I felt needed the most attention, I fell on the upbringing of the Trio. By the time they arrived on the planet we've already been through so much. This makes me protective. Aggressively protective. Mother bear. Lioness. Cut your throat protective. It's as if they're back in the womb and I feel like I have to shield them from peril until they can stand on their own. Well, they're standing on their own now. At ages 2 and 5, The Trio stand on feeble legs however they are standing on their own. I've noticed that because my son has a language delay whenever people talk to him I speak for him. Only thing is he has his own unique personality and there are times that my interpretation is incorrect. He'll tell me "Mommy no, what I meant was...". *smile* He struggles to find the words and really I shouldn't rush him. He can speak for himself. My daughters reap the benefits of such learned lessons. I find myself actively teaching them how to speak for themselves. We spent this day driving 276 miles from New York back to our humble abode. Oh the patience needed to get them to talk to each other instead of screaming and crying. Mama wasn't pulling over every time there was a fight. *smile* When we got home we lit a red candle.
Ujima
"Ujima
principle teaches each family member to recognize that their own well-being is
derived from their family and community’ well being and that they must be
concern with the overall health of their family and community; and that the
lives of each family member and that of the community are bound together."
Storm's Reflection:
Collective work and responsibility. This is a principle that is severely lacking in the biological family I grew up in. A lot of ants. A lot more grasshoppers. This is the present situation of course. The grasshopper population was at a minimum until some ants misinterpreted the grasshopper's lifestyle as representation of an ideal life. And so they turned themselves into an artificial resemblance. Some of them I shared a bed with as a child yet today I no longer recognize and I find this so terrifying I make it my responsibility to teach the Trio that as a people we are bound together. Family first and family is everything. This is why sacrifices for Umoja are of utmost importance. You have to let the grasshoppers go before they infect the entire community. Some ideas are like viruses...contagious and difficult to kill. Even weak ones. Without a sense of responsibility to each other progression is futile. Our ancestors had to work together to free themselves. There is no way they would have made it out of slavery with the every man out for themselves mentality. And really as a community in this day and age, we're not making it now. How can I not take heed to this principle? Man, I light that green candle.
Ujamaa
"Ujamaa
principle empowers families and communities to come together around their
collective economic interest and to see their economic strength in co-opt owing
and buying as in employee owned credit unions."
Storm's Reflection:
Cooperative economics. If I could bag this idea and force feed it to our community by the millions, I would do so. This idea of American individualism has ballooned into this belief that collective economic interest is a unfeasible. It's to the despondent point where our children are being raised without the slightest knowledge of how to combine family interest with their own to pave a path to financial success. Too often I see families that are struggling financially because they are blind to the jewels that lay before their very eyes. Three siblings could be an at home parent, a nurse and a teacher and never make the connection that between the 3 of them (not to mention influential contacts and resources between the 3) lies the ability to open up their own school or daycare center. No, for even if you pointed the obvious out to them they would tell you that they feel much more comfortable struggling on their own. Imagine that. Being more comfortable with giving god given talents to strangers for a fraction of the cost than to raise your entire family into a higher socioeconomic class. What salary in the world is worth more than that? So here, I'll start with my own tribe. The concept of sharing and economics is difficult for 5 and 2 year old children yet I plant the seeds anyway. If my little Papi gets a dollar he asks his sisters what are "we" going to do. And the only thing they know how to do with physical money right now it put it in their piggy bank. That's right. One piggy bank. Pass a lighter for that red candle please.
Nia
"Nia
principle instructs each family member to see him or herself as linked to the
larger project of nation building. “An individual has not started to live until
he or she can rise above the narrow confines of his or her individualistic
concerns to the broader concerns of humanity”, Martin Luther King, Jr.
instructs."
Storm's Reflection:
Purpose. This is huge. This principle causes much grief because for many it's ever changing and for many more it's never realized. A talent is a gift. Understand that when God grants you a gift it is your duty to share it with the world. This society has a habit of placing limitations on people and so we must encourage purpose in one another. The biggest part of purpose is to serve. How can you serve your community, family and friends? Are you doing so to the best of your ability? Let your heart guide you. I am a firm believer of the notion that we are born with everything we know. Yup. Just like animals and plants and everything else that exists in this world. Sometimes we stray so far from our innate calling that we don't know where to start. I been there. Travelling that road of uncertainty still. The best advice I've ever read is to be whatever it is you feel that you are. Don't let tittles determine who you are. If you're a doctor yet you feel like you're a dancer, no one says that you can't take dance lessons on your days off. If you're a janitor however you feel as though you are a mentor, enroll in a big brother or sister program. You see where I'm going. Just vibrate and let that energy bless others. You never know who you inspire. Trust me. I was an awkward little tomboy Caribbean girl who loved books and was in love with Albert Einstein yet I run into old classmates who share some type of fondness for a time in history I can barely recall. And I have the same experience for other people who will never know how much their presence meant to me. I vow to myself to always allow the Trio to be themselves. When they show an inclination towards a particular skill we explore that. I have grand ideas of career options I would love them to chose in their adulthood. However I know better. They can't serve their community or each other if they aren't true to themselves. I bought them into this world however the transcript written in their hearts is all theirs. My youngest (with help) lit a green candle.
Storm's Reflection:
Purpose. This is huge. This principle causes much grief because for many it's ever changing and for many more it's never realized. A talent is a gift. Understand that when God grants you a gift it is your duty to share it with the world. This society has a habit of placing limitations on people and so we must encourage purpose in one another. The biggest part of purpose is to serve. How can you serve your community, family and friends? Are you doing so to the best of your ability? Let your heart guide you. I am a firm believer of the notion that we are born with everything we know. Yup. Just like animals and plants and everything else that exists in this world. Sometimes we stray so far from our innate calling that we don't know where to start. I been there. Travelling that road of uncertainty still. The best advice I've ever read is to be whatever it is you feel that you are. Don't let tittles determine who you are. If you're a doctor yet you feel like you're a dancer, no one says that you can't take dance lessons on your days off. If you're a janitor however you feel as though you are a mentor, enroll in a big brother or sister program. You see where I'm going. Just vibrate and let that energy bless others. You never know who you inspire. Trust me. I was an awkward little tomboy Caribbean girl who loved books and was in love with Albert Einstein yet I run into old classmates who share some type of fondness for a time in history I can barely recall. And I have the same experience for other people who will never know how much their presence meant to me. I vow to myself to always allow the Trio to be themselves. When they show an inclination towards a particular skill we explore that. I have grand ideas of career options I would love them to chose in their adulthood. However I know better. They can't serve their community or each other if they aren't true to themselves. I bought them into this world however the transcript written in their hearts is all theirs. My youngest (with help) lit a green candle.
Kuumba
"Kuumba
principle demands continuous improvement in personal and family and social
matters. George Washington Carver teaches us all that “No one has a right to
come in to the world without leaving behind a distinct and legitimate reason
for having passed though it”."
Storm's Reflection:
Creativity. Everyone has creative potential. Especially when it comes to improving ourselves. In fact we are ever evolving creatures so that we can improve ourselves on a consistent basis. Variety is more than the spice of life. It is the basis for evolution and gives way for survivors or the ability to survive. If you can't think of a way to improve yourself (you know...because you're just that perfect...it happens)then I encourage you to seek out inspiration. A poem. A painting. Dance. A building structure. The sunrise. Etc. Reflect on the mission to leave this world a better place than it was gifted to us. This is a principle in which I bow down to the Trio because they have taught me so much in this arena. The flexibility of a child's mind seems to hold the essence of creativity. The Trio inspires me to reach out to them in different ways on a daily. Every situation is unique. Even the same set of circumstances on a new day can yield disparate results. And I'm not much different than the next overworked and underpaid parent in this society. I am naturally creative yet I have a tendency to get stuck in my ways. To see things one way. To let frustration cloud my judgement and rush a moment I have no right to. The Trio push me to expand my horizon and sometimes I'm right at my breaking point when I discover something new. Something beautiful. And this provides a trickle down effect as I incorporate my new found view (and patience....lol) to outside relationships with family, friends and even employers/co-workers. I dedicated this day to the Trio. We played with trains and wooden train tracks as "Songs Kids Really Love To Sing" CD played in the background. My eldest daughter lit a red candle.
Imani
"Imani
principle teaches personal and collective efficacy. Mary McLeod Bethune says:
“Without faith nothing is possible; with faith nothing is impossible. Faith in
god is the greatest power, but great to is faith in oneself”. Howard Thurman
teaches that faith is the “promise of tomorrow at the close of everyday, the
triumph of life in the defiance of death.”
Storm's Reflection:
Hope and confidence. This final day is a day of great joy for me. It's in the thick of my favorite season and not only was my fast over but the first of the year is my favorite holiday of all. This day holds special meaning in my heart because it is the Haitian Independence Day and if there ever is a time to reflect on hope and confidence this is the day! This day is for me because I struggle with this set of principles. I don't like taking steps without the entire staircase in my visual. I like my moves calculated and precise. And we all know that life just doesn't flow that way. Sometime you just have to walk out on faith and faith alone. And you need confidence to do so. The universe has a plan for you. Specifically designed for you. Combine that knowledge with the law of attraction and the world is yours. Even before I thought of celebrating Kwanzaa I always praised my ancestors on this day. They have always proved to be a source of inspiration and guidance for me. Especially now on my journey through motherhood. Ancestor spirits are in tune with that transcript written on your heart. When deep in meditation I can feel them speak through me. To me. They have never led me astray. Never. It's not just my ancestors either. The love from my beloved grandmothers and Tanya can be divinely felt. The mere memory of them provides guidance for I know that I can never let them down. I attempt to a live a life that seeks to honor them in every decision that I make. And really, when I come to the realization that I survived another year on this planet and that I navigated 3 souls to safety thus far as well...I think there is no better way than to begin the new year with refreshed and renowned faith. The final green candle is lit. The final libation is poured. And the Trio get to blow out all 7 candles again. That's their favorite part. Now....what do I do with the leftover candles stubs? And how do I clean all this candle wax off of my wooden Kinara? Somebody help me.. . lol.
Storm's Reflection:
Hope and confidence. This final day is a day of great joy for me. It's in the thick of my favorite season and not only was my fast over but the first of the year is my favorite holiday of all. This day holds special meaning in my heart because it is the Haitian Independence Day and if there ever is a time to reflect on hope and confidence this is the day! This day is for me because I struggle with this set of principles. I don't like taking steps without the entire staircase in my visual. I like my moves calculated and precise. And we all know that life just doesn't flow that way. Sometime you just have to walk out on faith and faith alone. And you need confidence to do so. The universe has a plan for you. Specifically designed for you. Combine that knowledge with the law of attraction and the world is yours. Even before I thought of celebrating Kwanzaa I always praised my ancestors on this day. They have always proved to be a source of inspiration and guidance for me. Especially now on my journey through motherhood. Ancestor spirits are in tune with that transcript written on your heart. When deep in meditation I can feel them speak through me. To me. They have never led me astray. Never. It's not just my ancestors either. The love from my beloved grandmothers and Tanya can be divinely felt. The mere memory of them provides guidance for I know that I can never let them down. I attempt to a live a life that seeks to honor them in every decision that I make. And really, when I come to the realization that I survived another year on this planet and that I navigated 3 souls to safety thus far as well...I think there is no better way than to begin the new year with refreshed and renowned faith. The final green candle is lit. The final libation is poured. And the Trio get to blow out all 7 candles again. That's their favorite part. Now....what do I do with the leftover candles stubs? And how do I clean all this candle wax off of my wooden Kinara? Somebody help me.. . lol.
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