Raising The Bar
My grandpa died May 23, 2007. He was 94 years old. I still get a large lump in my throat when I think of him. He lived a very good life and he ran a good race. My sadness however, is selfish. I am sad for me. My grandpa was a very strong, proud man; he was a giant to me. He was the first and only man to ever really love me. He was my hero, my biggest cheerleader, my standard by which I judge other men. He always sounded happy to hear my voice on the phone (even if he wasn't). He's gone now, which means the love I felt from him is gone as well. There is a profound emptiness when a love you've always known is no longer available to you. I am still waiting to know that love again. Maybe I will find it in Heaven when I get to see him again.
My grandmother, however is probably feeling an emptiness that spans the distance from here to eternity. They were married more than 60 years. They were together longer than they were not together and she sat by his bedside everyday watching him slip away. How many of us will ever know love like that. My prayer is that our black men will strive to be like my grandfather. A protector, a nurturer - A GIANT among men!!!! How many of you will have lived a life that will be celebrated upon your death. Will you love with such an open heart that others will see past their own pain to comfort you in your last days.
Through the pain of losing such a wonderful man, I realized that what's important is the legacy my grandpa. Now it's my responsibility to carry it to the next generation of men in my family, starting with my son. I realized that it's not that we don't make men like my grandpa anymore, we just don't require much of our boys so they never get the opportunity to be the kind of man my grandpa was. We need to do a better job helping our boys live up to their God given potential.
We need to require MORE of ourselves and our children. Let's stop complaining about each other. There are still good men and women in this world. The problem is they have not been required to be better, or do MORE. Let's do our part to make the world a better place than we found it and let’s start with self. Anyone can rise to LOW expectations. Raise your standards people, stop accepting the norm and require something MORE of yourself and of others.
Dream big and God will meet you there, but know that it will require you to work at being better, being MORE. Stand up and take your places - we need you to raise the bare for yourself and those around you.
Until next time, stay strong, smart and powerful.
Tiff
My grandpa died May 23, 2007. He was 94 years old. I still get a large lump in my throat when I think of him. He lived a very good life and he ran a good race. My sadness however, is selfish. I am sad for me. My grandpa was a very strong, proud man; he was a giant to me. He was the first and only man to ever really love me. He was my hero, my biggest cheerleader, my standard by which I judge other men. He always sounded happy to hear my voice on the phone (even if he wasn't). He's gone now, which means the love I felt from him is gone as well. There is a profound emptiness when a love you've always known is no longer available to you. I am still waiting to know that love again. Maybe I will find it in Heaven when I get to see him again.
My grandmother, however is probably feeling an emptiness that spans the distance from here to eternity. They were married more than 60 years. They were together longer than they were not together and she sat by his bedside everyday watching him slip away. How many of us will ever know love like that. My prayer is that our black men will strive to be like my grandfather. A protector, a nurturer - A GIANT among men!!!! How many of you will have lived a life that will be celebrated upon your death. Will you love with such an open heart that others will see past their own pain to comfort you in your last days.
Through the pain of losing such a wonderful man, I realized that what's important is the legacy my grandpa. Now it's my responsibility to carry it to the next generation of men in my family, starting with my son. I realized that it's not that we don't make men like my grandpa anymore, we just don't require much of our boys so they never get the opportunity to be the kind of man my grandpa was. We need to do a better job helping our boys live up to their God given potential.
We need to require MORE of ourselves and our children. Let's stop complaining about each other. There are still good men and women in this world. The problem is they have not been required to be better, or do MORE. Let's do our part to make the world a better place than we found it and let’s start with self. Anyone can rise to LOW expectations. Raise your standards people, stop accepting the norm and require something MORE of yourself and of others.
Dream big and God will meet you there, but know that it will require you to work at being better, being MORE. Stand up and take your places - we need you to raise the bare for yourself and those around you.
Until next time, stay strong, smart and powerful.
Tiff
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