Happy summer! I can’t believe I am a few weeks shy of not posted for one year. I’ve been enjoying my summer with friends and family. I look forward to summer because the school year doesn’t lend itself to much social time. Each year I vow to change that. It’s improving but there is still room for growth. It gives me room to dream of possibilities for saying yes and creating the vision (in my mind) for the short summer reprieve. All that aside, those thoughts inspired this poem. It was further confirmed after having lunch with a friend today. Enjoy!

Dreaming 

by Yvette R. Toko

August 2, 2022

The beauty of dreaming holds endless possibilities. 

The danger in dreaming is you never know how the story ends. 

Dreaming is an opportunity. In it, there is wonder, hope, surprise and uncertainty. 

Even so, never stop dreaming. It’s yours and belongs only to you and your God. 

When you wake up, life is still happening and is ready for your full participation. 

Dream. Keep dreaming. It’s destined.

I laid awake on a late summer night in August last week. The breeze through my window was refreshing and cool. Suddenly I heard a cricket. I hadn’t recalled hearing a cricket all summer and enjoyed its night time symphony. Here is a poem that I wrote the next morning inspired by this tiny musician.

Cricket song by Yvette R. Toko

Screech, screech, screech

nocturnal being

announcing its song to the neighborhood

and other night critters

screech, screech, screech

I’m here, yeah, over here

come closer

I’ll play the silent game with you now…

Ha! Gotcha, I’m still here

screech, screech, screech

After some reflection on the variety of gifts a person can receive, I wrote this poem to express that the best ones are intangible.This poem is dedicated to those who notice and treasure the beloved and divine at work in their life.

Your gifts are…

fire

rain

sand

strength

power

passion

love

prayers answered

destined

refuge

water

sun

friendship

protective

joy

poetic

peace

perfect

I give praise! I give thanks! And most of all, I give love!

I saw a quote today that read “everyday is a new story”. This struck me in a bold way. Each day holds a new opportunity to create a new/different narratives for our lives. The Bible notes in Phillipians 4:8,
“Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]”.

At times, life can be challenging and cause us to ruminate on the less than beautiful parts of life. I’ve had good and bad days and have had my share of ruminating so I am always on the lookout for opportunities to share words that will uplift, inspire and encourage. Today was no different. I was visiting with a long time friend, L.W., and had a good time listening to the collective beauty of many stories out in the community. I listened to the young, middle aged and elders. One common thread that ran through the all is that every story contained hope and love. These two loaded words of hope and love are bottomless wells of wisdom to correct, challenge, humor, provoke and reignite many beautiful things within a person and on the canvas of community. I was blessed immensely that this day found a way to create a new story.

What will your new story be?

Peace,

Yvette

Image: Commons Wikimedia

Last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota, another Black man died.  An officer kept his knee on the neck of George Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, which resulted in Floyd’s death.  Many people want this officer and the accompanying officers to face heavier charges which would result in convictions.  Black Lives Matter, period!  

Image: bmartinseattle on Pixabay

The history of America rendered Black people 3/5ths human.  Our humanity started on the continent of Africa before being scattered across the world in chains on slave ships. It still perplexes me why Black people are vilified and slain.  But history will reflect that this is no longer tolerable.  Darnella Frazier, the young lady who recorded the senseless act of violence inflicted upon George Floyd, perhaps had no idea that she was a world changer at that very moment.  Sometimes we may think that taking a step to make a change won’t be effective because it’s just one person.  However, everything starts with a thought or idea and then put into action.  

This power of one, I look at spiritually as The Butterfly Effect. It is the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system, the flap of a butterfly’s wings might cause a tornado.  Well, the recording of Floyd’s murder, caused a ripple across the world.  This time, the brutality on display, caused an effect across the globe where many felt the impact and rose up, united together to protests the injustice for Floyd and every Black person that has lost their life at the hands of the police.  

How will you use your power today? Where do you want to create change in your life and the lives of others? Everyone will not be an activist on the front lines.  Whatever you decide to do, do it with passion and commitment.  The time is now.  The revolution has been televised.

Power to the people!

Image: Ace Spencer on Pixabay

My cousins are bangin’ out new content on their YouTube Channel with the above name.  Their channel centers around family.  They love playing games, making smoothies and getting healthy.  Adrienne bought a Nurtribullet blender for her birthday and wanted to get healthier.  She thought about ways to stay healthy during COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in upping their fruit and veggie game.  Her vision is to help others think about their health with the support of her children and the creation of their family YouTube channel.

Get to know them through their SMOOTHIE WARS  (which is hilarious) or their introductory video and then Like and Subscribe.

Blessings,

Yvette

I attended an authors fair a few weeks ago hosted by Bukola Oriola for the ten year commemoration of Imprisoned, a book detailing the story of Bukola, as a trafficking victim and now survivor. Other authors and I were featured.  The fair took place at Northtown Mall located in Blaine, Minnesota.  The next one will be taking place in July.  To learn more about Bukola and the authors fair, click here .

On the last day of the fair, there was a woman who visited the kiosk by the name of Maria Tran.  She gave me a copy of a her essay titled, “Prejudice in a small town” which details the life of her son enduring prejudice in school while living in Elk River, Minnesota.

The story takes the reader through the segregated and isolated days of Maria’s son Taiyo, during his elementary school days attending school in Elk River. Taiyo was bullied and harmed by children at school for being Asian. He had to seek therapy to cope with the trauma and suicidal thoughts that came from not being accepted but all the while continued to be an A student.  Maria and her son could not understand how America, a pluralistic culture, different from the monoculture of Japan, could be so harsh and contradicting. Maria’s essay was submitted to the Brooklyn Park Police Department for a project they had on bullying.  The essay and a video are now used to educate students about bullying.

This story does have a happy ending. As Maria quotes at the beginning of her essay, “A human’s first need is to love and to be loved”.  With Maria’s love, steadfastness and determination to protect her son from further trauma of bullying and prejudice, they moved from that town to a more diverse city and Taiyo graduated with a BA in Aerospace Engineering in 2018 from the University of Minnesota.

I just viewed Avengers Endgame and the 3 hour run time seemed shorter.  It started off slow and if you are not a Marvel fan, the wait would have lulled you to sleep.  However, for Marvel fans, it’s part of the anticipation.  For me, this as well as most stories are written with the quest or journey of man into him or herself.

I saw Thanos [evil nature] as one of our biggest and deepest fears that could wipe us out if allowed.  The army of Thanos were all the other mini fears that feed on the commands of the big fear and seem unstoppable.  The giant Thanos and his army up against the Avengers and all of their friends (support of every kind) was a battle of grand proportion.  The women of all nations (feminine power, Holy Spirit) worked to take down Thanos and keep him from destroying the entire world [you/us].   The fear of the unknown after defeat, trying again, not crumbling to pressure, wandering in the wilderness (Thor) the future, pressure to get it right this time, who will be sacrificed, who will choose to be sacrificed and overall failure were such high stakes but worth it.  If self is to put back together, the fragments of being taking out by your giant [Thanos], is worth the risk, worth the fight.  I liken this to a biblical story of David, Goliath and the 5 stones. There are many  other examples and stories of the Hero’s Journey all around us and the most familiar one is in our own lives.

What is your Thanos?  What/who represents Thanos’ army in your life?  Who/what is your King Tchalla that walks in gracefully and unassuming to support you?  Who/what represents the Holy Spirit (the women) that came to take off the head of Thanos?  What are you 5 stones that when combined can destroy or save your mission?  Who/what holds you up on the journey to take back yourself?  What will you go through to save your family? For love?

This was more than a movie for me.  It was a learning experience.  I hope you enjoyed my spiritual perspective on the film.  Go see it for yourself and perhaps you will have a different takeaway.

Til next time,

Yvette

Recently I saw two movies that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s been a long while to have some R & R at the movies.  I was over the moon with excitement! I love a good flick because I get the chance to chill, become engrossed in the literary art form, connect with a character or two, come away with some cool one liners and simply appreciate being amazed at what can be done with a story, actors and a camera.

The first movie I want to give a review on is Creed II.  OMG, Michael B. Jordan fine!  I love his acting too.  He really embraces the role of the characters he plays.  Wood Harris (he has so much swag), Phylicia Rashad (vegetarian and timeless beauty) and Sylvester Stallone (the best east coast accent every) to name a few were excellent actors to see on the big screen as well.  It’s been a minute since I’ve seen any of them starring in film.  It it my age or what?  Whatever the case, I’m lovin’ it!

The next movie review goes to Green Book.  Black history is endless.  Wow!  I was blown away at how well I connected with the main character, Dr. Don Shirley, who had some challenges with identity as a man, a black man, a musician, a scholar and generally as a person.  Oh, side bar, Mahershala Ali starred in the role of Dr. Shirley. Che! This man is fine too!  I digress. Back to the identity issue.  He was highly educated and gifted in classical piano but lonely.  His musical gifting attracted the attention of many White audiences worldwide.  However, he chose to only play music in the southern states as a means to shine light on the racism that was prevalent.  This spiraled him deeper into depression. Using alcohol to numb the pains of loneliness and residual effects of being good enough to play music but not good enough to frequent the same establishments was appalling to say the least.  This was reminiscent to a segment of my youth, growing up in a small town and surrounding towns, which were segregated by ethnic/racial lines, although we could shop, eat, live in any of them, but it was not common or preferred.

The next movie on my viewing list in the coming weeks is, If Beale Street Could Talk.  Stay tuned for the update.

Til soon,

Yvette