I'm choosing happiness, no matter what.
Happiness over... self-doubt
over worry
over ego
over judgement
over the past
over wounds
over what looks good on paper
over holding things in
over being right
over circumstances
over fear
over insecurities
over masking flaws
I'm choosing happiness, and that's made all the difference.
God,
Thank you. I heard Oprah say the first thing she does in the morning is point her eyes to the sky and say this, and that’s made all the difference for her. It’s been many months since I started this practice for myself and I’ve felt the life-changing magic, too.
Thank you for being here with us. Thank you for speaking through each of us in the times we need it most. Every smile, kind word, and deed is an injection of your unconditional love. Every challenge is an opportunity to see ourselves more honestly and grow more than we ever could before. Every dark night meets a bright new morning.
Thank you for loving us. Thank you for guiding us. Thank you for leading us to joy and steering us closer to you. I ask you to help us. Help us operate from a place of love even when it’s difficult. Help us show forgiveness to all, as it is the greatest gift we can ever offer ourselves. Help us show compassion and understanding. Help us put ourselves in the shoes of others, as we are all in different phases of the journey. Help us remember that we’re all connected, and that a win for one is a win for all.
There’s an abundance of love, health, wealth, joy, friendship, understanding, peace, strength, and wisdom in the universe. All of the positive things God has to offer are unlimited and amplified when we all participate. In times of great difficulty and change, we have to remember hope. We have to remember that God has yet to let us down, or we wouldn’t be here reading these words. Faith is the promise that “this too shall pass,” and we are already healed. We are already victorious, successful, joyful, and whole. Let’s celebrate the goodness of life now while we’re still living it.
God, I thank you always, and I love you. There is no limit to what you can do, and I place my trust forever in you.
-Malcolm
Hello again. Hope this article finds you well.
I mentally went back and forth about the right time to write this. It’s 1:00am on a Sunday night (technically Monday but I haven’t gone to sleep yet so I said what I said) and my initial plan was to write during the day. Yet I found myself searching for the right writing music and cover art for inspiration, and before I knew it I was in my favorite writing app letting my thoughts flow. I have always enjoyed writing at night most, past midnight when all the hours favor each other and the world is silently still.
Reconnecting with my family has been a healing, rewarding practice that never fails to change my perspective for the better. There’s something magical about speaking to the people that have watched you change and grow since your very beginning. There’s an even deeper magic when you can help facilitate their growth, as we can all learn from one another at every stage. I’m suddenly reminded that I am a son, brother, nephew, uncle, friend, cheerleader, occasional teacher, and eager ear for my loved ones. I will never be able to repay my family for the lessons and love they’ve instilled in me, but I can certainly love them as freely and often as possible. 2020 has repeatedly shown me that every single person’s presence is a gift, not a guarantee from God.
I want the people closest to me to have their flowers while they’re still living.
On another note from my writing partner (music), I’m a strong believer in hip hop. There’s something amazing about its vibrations that go beyond words or conscious understanding. It’s music that makes you feel something so visceral, so out of this world and yet so in tune with it simultaneously. Not all hip hop is equal in my book, but there are certain songs like “Location” by Playboi Carti that are transformative, ethereal, unbelievable, creative and remarkably simple. That’s one thing I remember learning in my time with Graham 2 and the Graham technique - simplicity is never simple. Simplicity is the pure essence of an idea, movement, feeling, or intention. Simplicity is truth, and delivering an unfiltered truth in any context is a revolutionary act, one often too radical or inflammatory for those that can’t handle it.
I celebrate simple truths… they’ll always set us free.
-M
