Last week, I took a brief look into the work of a certain "little miss lady" with a nod to hopes for her balanced success and, of course, a sweet tune. [The entire post was as follows.]
26 September 2010 - The Main Ingredient
A Classic by the group Catalyst
What are little girls made of? Sugar, spice and nice things like braided mohawks are what, if you're Miss Willow Smith. The nine-year-old daughter of superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith was signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label some weeks ago and recently released her debut single, "Whip My Hair". Now, when someone's hair is whipped, it's done -- well -- just as the little lady's coif has been appearing at various spots on 'the scene' since early this year. Lyrically, the single-digit starlet "[goes] hard" as she whips her hair in deference from any "haters" determined to "keep [her] off [her] grind" and encourages ladies of all ages to do the same. Empowerment mixed with entertainment is cool. It is my hope, however, that like the aptly titled classic instrumental featured above, she and her guardians keep it smooth and composed with good taste. [NOTE: I love the way Miss Willow put a little paint where it ain't (or wasn't) once the official video was released; a bit sassy but still young and fresh. Good job!]The timing of that entry, which interestingly enough wouldn't fit on my main site's 'Insights' archive page, seemed to coincide perfectly with this blog hosting change. Actually, I'd created this account in early 2008 to prepare for the simple organization I knew I could've used more of, sooner or later. Choosing to publish the first post here only two weeks ago, like finally allowing YouTube friends, was a small digital step away from excess shyness or reservations and closer to my humankind. It's natural to get ahead of ourselves in Life sometimes. I guess doing so in this manner isn't that bad.
Be all that as it may, today's views have a little something to do with growth and forward movement as the title and even the site shift suggests. During a brief stop at a convenience store earlier, the cashier took a while with registering my needs, which allowed a line to form behind me pretty quickly. The young man noticed the build-up and, continuing attentively with his job, called for additional counter support to come to the front of the store. Preoccupied with whoknowswhat, a middle-aged woman who was next in my line snapped at the young man, asking "why [he didn't] just call for help" since people had places to go. Obviously, she had not heard him do so already. A few other customers and the young man gently reminded her of that fact. She rolled her eyes and transferred that energy into tapping her foot instead.
A man just behind her on the line stepped out to ask the new cashier who had come to open his register a question. Now standing at right arm's length from him, I'd heard that he simply wanted quick info about a product. The 'lady' interrupted loudly, informing our fellow customer that he "[needed] to step back" into line behind her. I became one of those who commented on what I'd heard but she hadn't and gently let her know that an answered question was all the man sought. Even if he had tried to displace her and she felt slighted, there are other, more dignified ways to express disappointment and correct someone. Again, she turned her attention to him alone, stating that she didn't care. The man, now fed up, asked her who she was talking to so rudely, reminding her that he wasn't her mate or enemy. She loudly agreed that she didn't know him and, as such, could talk to him any way she chose. (?!) By giving certain glances or taking chances on sharing choice words with her, the entire store expressed displeasure with the bad attitude of that seemingly unprovoked woman. Another man, who once stood behind the gentleman she lashed out at, spared no volume or feeling in telling her she was much too old to act in such a nasty, childish way. Her response was a mere "whatever" as we all watched her leave with our mixture of surprise, relief and positive camaraderie.
As we move through Life, even for a little while through a store or a town, actions and reactions of adversity happen. Especially in large cities or in our dreams to take one by storm, rude and underhanded approaches or street arguments are almost second nature. That doesn't mean it's healthy or right. Some of my favorite scriptural passages since childhood are found in 1 Corinthians. Maybe traces of a little girl and the trajectory of a woman seeking to grow in God are what make me gravitate to all that literally Lovey-dovey stuff, but that's OK considering that our insides sometimes house jagged edges that justify the negatively juvenile energy verses 11 and 12 teach of. Referring to the human development notion, however, it might be a blessing to remember that evolution into a higher, more viable form of oneself is just, as natural.
In p(e)ace,
T*
