Through This Lens

Spectacular Times

Images and Everday Life

Larry Law

Guarding The Gates -  Lauryn Hill

"Tryna fix myself, for society. Tryna mix myself, for society. But can you tell me where is love in anxiety? But can you tell me where is love in anxiety?"  Lauryn Hill

Just listen to the words and consume it...

Hide & Seek

I’m not the type to visibly wear my emotions on my sleeve nor do I walk around with a void look that shows no emotion but I typically walk around expressing a smile. I know one would probably question how I could hide any type of emotion I’m feeling at the time behind a smile, I question that myself. I have had colleagues of mine say to me time and time again, “Mike, you are always smiling”, “Every time I see you you’re smiling about something”. It had got to the point where people were looking at me like I was crazy, crazy for ALWAYS smiling. Little do they know; various emotions were hiding behind that smile. As a man, it is typical for me to hide my TRUE AND REAL emotions or withdraw from people or the situation(s) I’m facing at hand. In public and around people it’s easy to put on a front like everything is peaches and cream, good as gold, and smooth sailing but it’s just that, A FRONT. Once in the presence of your home it’s back to reality. I’m a firm believer that one should always “try” to leave their personal problems and issues at home, so I tend to make temporary peace with whatever it is I’m dealing with at the time just to get through the day. That smile on my face is a mask to hide the typical human emotions such as: Fear, anger, frustration, and sadness which often times is disconnected from my eyes. Sometimes you can’t seem weak around others so you turn your “clown” act on and play Hide & Seek; I mean after all we’re only human.

“Some flash their teeth as a polite warning to their enemies. Some put on beaming faces to keep their tears from falling. Others wear silly grins to mask their fear. But then, there is that rare smile that is actually genuine, it's the smile of a person who knows their troubles will soon be over.” Anonymous

You be the judge…......

Shook Nation

Haiti needs our help, the PEOPLE of Haiti needs our help!

The media images and video footage of the catastrophe from Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti are completely horrific and devastating. We take so much for granted and in just a second everything can potentially be taken away from us including life, which makes you put a lot into perspective.

Continue to keep the nation in prayer and in the meantime make donations and contributions to Haiti at Yele.

Shall ye reap...

We all heard the phrase – “You reap what you sow”, sowing is planting and reaping is harvesting. Your deeds good or bad, kind or unkind, positive or negative will not go unseen and will repay you in kind. I am a firm believer that what you do will eventually come back to you in some way, shape, or form so why not plant as many good seeds as possible in order to reap that miraculous harvest? I know many times we tend to focus on what our own “rewards” and “blessings” are or can be at any given time that we forget to take a step back exclude ourselves and say, it’s not about me this time. I find myself often times becoming so self-absorbed in my own blessings big and small that I fail to realize that I too can be just that, a blessing to someone else and in someone else’s life. It takes mindful effort to remember my own blessings but yet still be able to promote and be a positive influence in another individual’s life which is not an easy course but something needed. I made a vow to myself that going forward it will not always be about counting on blessings in my own life, but rather me being able to be a blessing in someone else’s life. I will no longer undervalue the power of my own actions because something that may seem so small to me just might mean the world to someone else. I will continue to plant (sow) seeds of happiness, joy and positivity, encouragement, forgiveness, hope, faith, belief, and motivation any way possible because I know there is purpose seen fit. What type of seeds are you sowing? Are you sowing for good all the time? Or are you sowing for bad all the time? Maybe it’s both but you fail to realize it at times. Either way, we need to be vigilant of the kind of seeds we are sowing in all areas of our life because the seeds we sow today can potentially affect us tomorrow. With that in mind, try to focus on productive sowing every day, make it a habit even if it is something that seems so small. Stop sowing seeds of negativity, bitterness, and resentment; it’s pointless and whichever one you sow the most you will reap, it’s the law of harvest. With that in mind remember that our thoughts are seeds; be careful of which ones you tend to focus on.

Age Aint Nothin' But A Number

YOUNGER women and OLDER men, we see it all the time but YOUNGER men and OLDER women not so much but it’s definitely a growing trend. I feel that age has a diminutive liaison with experience and maturity when it comes to an individual and therefore you shouldn’t feel boxed in or limited to who you decide to get involved with. Whether it is casually, romantically, long-term, short-term, for the moment, for the day or for the night, older women (cougars) are on the hunt for their quarry and therefore lean towards younger men (cubs). Many men in their 20’s like me realize that the majority of the time these older, experienced women (cougars) are not only looking to possibly recapture their younger years, or even jump back into the fountain of youth but merely lose all inhibitions if they have any left at all. It is our looks, energy, new familiarity, liveliness, spunk, lack of extra baggage, and ‘young love’ that attracts older women. For many years older women dating younger men went unnoticed, it was seen as taboo; nowadays it is getting much noted recognition and even being praised. If you’re a cougar 10-20 years his senior and cub hunting or you’re a cub 10-20 years her junior on the cougar hunt, WHO CARES. Enjoy each other, enjoy being in the presence of one another, enjoy the moment(s) and remember, age aint nothin' but a number so have fun.

Slacking On My Blogging

Hello ALL. I know I have been MIA over the past few weeks which resulted in me slacking on my blogging but I’m returning sooner than you think! I have been extremely busy with relocating to Connecticut from Atlanta and READJUSTING to being back up north PERIOD. Stay tuned, more into my world and life shortly.

To be continued…

He Said It

"Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings."

Ralph Blum

Thankful & Grateful I am..

This year so far has been a year to cherish and appreciate LIFE. Many people were not fortunate enough to subsist to make it to this present day. I look at ALL the people who have passed on from: family members, friends, entertainers, actors, musicians, acquaintances, and regular everyday citizens and I sit back and thank God for affording me LIFE. We tend to take LIFE for granted because we don’t really plan on or expect the “unexpected” to happen to us. In actuality WE need to “expect the unexpected” because tomorrow is NOT promised to any of us. I am THANKFUL, GRATEFUL and APPRECIATIVE for LIFE at this present moment. I know at times I tend to make my LIFE seem like it is a living hell but in reality, my LIFE blessings most definitely outweigh my LIFE stresses. It’s crazy because my last blog – 360 Degrees of Dissatisfaction, I stated at the end how I was ready for that 180 degree turn-around sooner or later, well believe it or not, I can NOW say that I’m officially on that path. I am FINALLY at peace in my LIFE this present day and this actual moment. I have FINALLY found a PEACE OF MIND which was needed in order for me to get to this point. I look at the WORLD around me and realize that things could always be SO MUCH WORSE. As individuals, WE have to learn how to LIVE for the moment and LIVE in the moment. WE have to learn how to cherish and appreciate LIFE. WE have to learn how to be THANKFUL and GRATEFUL for LIFE.

LIVE…LAUGH…LOVE… BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL… CHERISH EVERY MOMENT LIFE HAS TO OFFER…

360 Degrees of Dissatisfaction

Varying degrees of dissatisfaction in my life has been that of 360. It’s like a reoccurring pattern or life cycle with things going good for a while and then next thing you know I’m back at the same point in life where I was before. Over the years I can honestly say that various events in my life have been in a 360 degree rotation. This pattern has been physically, spiritually, emotionally, and definitely mentally draining beyond one could imagine but that’s LIFE, or shall I say, this has been my LIFE consisting of – trials, tribulations, sadness, fears, failures, changes, disappointments, regrets, accomplishments, happiness, triumphs, success, achievements, and feats. We all experience this at one point or another. Who said life would be an easy journey? It NEVER will be, and if you think or thought otherwise, reality will slap you in the face sooner or later if it already has not. It slapped me in the face plenty of times and even until this day I’m still getting slapped. This is my LIFE; every aspect and every living moment is mine, the good, the bad, and the ugly. How one would ever know and understand? They won’t until they walk a mile in my shoes and experience all that I have experienced FIRST HAND and trust me; I have been through the ropes. Even though this degree of dissatisfaction in my LIFE has been that of 360 degrees, you better believe I’m ready for a 180 degree-turn sooner or later. At the end of the day even when it all seems bleak, I can say I have been so blessed even through the strife.

Disassociation From The Associated

Many of us choose to enfold the positive and or negative influences of our race, ethnicities, and cultures as an envoy to our “own” personal lives. I as an African American, a Black male often times voice a defiance to being associated with particular groups of people and environments within my own culture. I personally believe that this form of disassociation is just a basic structure of my character as to who I am as an individual. People who really don’t know me that well assume that I think that I’m better than the next person, bourgie, or living to please the likes of “others” outside my race which is completely FALSE . I personally choose to associate myself with people in GENERAL not just one race or ethnicity but people who share the same or similar: values, morals, likes, goals, aspirations, aim, drive, and intellect like myself just to name a few. Often times I think about the phrase, “We become part of what we are around” and use this attitude to help shape and mold my life. I say this because believe it or not, the people YOU associate with have a reflective affect on your emotion, mood, attitude in addition to what you eventually WILL and CAN attain.

"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." W.Clement Stone

Settling For A Sideline...

A Man's Perspective: Ok we ALL know infidelity is animate; you would be a complete fool to think otherwise but tell me this, has having more than one man or woman grown to be an excessive way of life? Is it wrong to have someone on the side if you’re so-called in a “committed” relationship? I’m curious to know what you think so I posed this question. I think it would be quite interesting to get views from the men and women on this heated issue. I personally think that the double standard needs to be put to rest because it is evident that women cheat just as much as men. Please note that I am NOT condoning this behavior at all, but more so speaking and pointing out the truth and we all know the truth hurts at times! In addition, I’m not making this solely an issue about infidelity though it literally ties in with the subject matter. The major issue I have is that women tend to demean us men for what they assume to be our acts of iniquitous behavior when they rightfully know what’s going on from the jump. Many women turn a blind eye to the issue OR choose to settle, settle with being the main woman in the “relationship” and I use that term loosely despite what’s going on OR settle for being the sideline woman aside from the man’s main woman. I find it amusing how women go back and forth when they’re a “sideline” or one of many other sidelines. What makes you any better than the next one? If you’re not the “main” woman and you’re choosing to settle to be the sideline then you really have no say in the situation so continue to play your role since you’re settling. Even if you are or think you’re the “main” woman, you really still have no say in the situation since your settling. Yes, I know just like how we as men can have women on the side from our “main” woman, women can also have men on the side from their “main” man but of course the majority of the time we are unaware of it which can be a good thing for you if your man or men are not afraid to catch a case.

This is such a deep topic and issue that can tend to get heated when discussed but what do you expect?

Are you a sideline? One of the many sidelines? Are you aware and settling? Are you turning a blind eye to the situation? Are you in denial? Are you the “main” one? Or could you care less about it all?

I find it quite interesting hearing people's views on this issue.
Don’t take this to heart; I’m just keeping it real and truthful so entertain yourself in the discussion!

Lastly, I DO NOT have any sideline's, I was rather posing a question and giving my view on the issue.

Gossip Folk

Rumor..
Hearsay..
Tittle-tattle..
Scandal..
Chitchat..
Tattletale..
Rumormonger..
Gossipmonger..
Scandalmonger..
Nosy parker..
Big mouth..
Chat..
Natter..
Blather..

All of this to describe what I call GOSSIP FOLK.

He said, she said… He heard this and she heard that… Well so and so said this and so and so said that..I heard so and so was this, I heard so and so was that… I heard they were going together, well I heard he was supposedly going with her and she was supposedly going with him.. Didn't he use to do this, and didn't she use to do that..

You heard ALL that through the grapevine..

We all have experienced it at one point or another whether you were the gossiper or the one being gossiped about- I CAN’T STAND GOSSIP FOLKS what about you? If you can oppose, PLEASE don’t get yourself drawn into the gossip circle.
If you are a gossiper do me a favor – Try to focus on YOU and what’s going on in YOUR life and while you’re doing that, try building up some sense of self-worth because your more than likely lacking it!

Gossip Folks have so much to say with very few known facts but yet they still talk.

Gossip Folks the majority of the time don’t even know you but insist on keeping your name in their mouths. IF they do know you, it must be something VERY intriguing about you for you to be the topic of THEIR conversation on a daily basis whether it is rumored or not.

All in agreement repeat after me:

Gossip Folks – Mind your own business, stay out of mine, AND keep my name out your mouths!

If for some reason you can’t seem to keep me off your minds, at least talk about something worthwhile!

“There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it hardly becomes any of us to talk about the rest of us.” ~Edward Wallis Hoch