I didn’t feel that spark on our first date but we had such a great time together that I had to ask you out again. And I’m thrilled that I did.
It turns out that you were the one I was meant to be with. Fifteen years and three children later, we’re still going strong. And as for that spark–I felt it on our second date.
This was written for the Ragtag Daily Prompt for today’s prompt, Spark. If you’re interested in participating, click HERE for more information.
Courtesy: Indian Country Today
It was just few days ago when I learned that March was designated as Women’s History Month. Well, today, an identical thing happened to me which prompted me to put this post together in a hurry. I found out just a few minutes ago that today is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I also discovered that my ignorance of the day is not surprising given that it is a little known observance day. NNHAAD is a day geared toward drawing attention to and building support for HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations. Here are some facts, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
While these percentages may seem low, one must remember to take into account the size of these populations compared to more populous races and ethnicities in the U.S. For example, according to the CDC, in 2005 American Indians and Alaska Natives ranked 3rd in rates of HIV/AIDS diagnosis, following blacks and Hispanics. To put this into numbers, the rate of new HIV/AIDS infections in 2008 per 100,000 persons were:
Given that many of these populations live in rural areas, access to health care services can be difficult. Not to mention other roadblocks to obtaining needed services such as language and cultural barriers. Native communities have some of the shortest survival times after diagnosis of HIV/AIDS of all race and ethnicity groups in the U.S.
The report also showed that Native communities are not accessing the much needed care and attention after being diagnosed with HIV. I also learned that about 26% are living with HIV and don’t even know it. So, this means that since they don’t know that they have it, they wouldn’t seek medical help. On the other hand, those who know that they have it, take steps to protect their health and take action to prevent spreading the virus to others.
Thankfully, there are public services like the IHS (Indian Health Service), an agency whose mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level. Our goal is to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people. The IHS operates within Department of Health and Human Services.
The IHS National HIV/AIDS Program is committed to partnering with communities to create lasting change in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We provide programs to assist individuals, families, communities, and health care providers to:
- Understand how HIV is spread, and share knowledge about HIV with others
- Get tested for HIV
- Put policies and procedures in place to offer a HIV testing as a routine part of all health care
- Improve access to care, treatment, and prevention services needed by people living with HIV and AIDS
IHS providers throughout the country are offering screening more often, collaborating with communities to increase education, and offering care or referrals where direct care is not available. We can all help to reduce the stigma within our culture and among health care providers regarding HIV/AIDS.
I was shocked to learn that March 20, 2016 was the tenth anniversary of this annual awareness day. I wonder how many people out there who even know that it exists. Awareness, education and access are key. And I applaud the many dedicated organizations that are currently working hard within the Indigenous communities to break down barriers and to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
The theme for 2016 was: “Hear Indigenous Voices: Uniting the Bold Voices of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders.” Last year’s was: theme is “Unity in CommUnity, Stand Strong to Prevent HIV.” On this day, we recognize the impact of HIV/AIDS on American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. The theme this year is “Unity in CommUNITY: Stand Strong for HIV Prevention.”
It is my hope and prayer that long after this year’s National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day passes, that more people will find ways to stand strong for the Native communities. We have heard the Indigenous voices, stood with them as we recognized that they are impacted by HIV/AIDS and now we must stand strong for prevention. We have heard the voices, now it is time to be united in the fight to change the tide in this epidemic which discriminates against no one. The HIV/AIDs is not one group’s or community’s fight but everyone’s fight.
Sources: Humanitas Global Development; Indian Country Today; Indian Health Service
She straightened her desk, brushing off the lingering crumbs from the delicious lemon cake she had brought back with from the restaurant where she had lunch. It was after seven. Everyone had left. It was just the two of them. She wondered if she wait until he came out to tell her she was free to leave or if she should go in and tell him that unless he needed anything else, she was going to take off. They hadn’t spoken to each other much all day. She had been down in the dumps because he had spent most of the afternoon behind closed doors with one of their clients.
Jealousy surged through her as she recalled seeing him laughing with the beautiful Nicola Andretti. She was quite exotic and made her feel plain in comparison.
She had tried to hide her frustration by busying herself in her work but always, her attention was lacking and her gaze would inevitably drift over to the glass panel of his office through which she had a clear view of them. When they came out of the office, they were laughing and her grip tightened on the pen when she saw Nicola playfully touch Lucas’ arm before she sauntered off. What on earth does he see in her? She’s so superficial. She looked away when his gaze shifted to her before he went back into his office.
Presently, she got up from her desk and walked tentatively to the open doorway. He was standing at the window, arms folded, looking out. He turned when he heard her step. As she went closer to him, she was distracted by the fact that his shirt sleeves were rolled up at the elbows and several buttons were undone, exposing his chest. She tried to ignore the racing of her pulse and the pounding of her heart. She could feel his penetrating gaze on her and was afraid to raise her eyes to his face. But, unable to resist, she did and her mouth went dry when she saw the expression on his face.
“Why are you standing there?” he asked. “Are you afraid to come closer?”
She shook her head. “No. I was—I was wondering if you needed anything else before I leave.”
“What I need right now has nothing to do with work.”
“And—and what is that?”
“I need to know who the man was I saw you with.” He was moving away from the window and toward her. He reminded her of a panther—strong, magnificent and dangerous…
“It was Alan. He called this morning and asked me out to lunch.”
“You were gone for over an hour.”
“I’m surprised that you noticed that I was gone,” she blurted out before she could stop herself. “I mean you were so busy with Miss Andretti.”
There was a flicker in his eyes. “Did it bother you to see us together?” he asked, stopping a few feet away from her. His hands were in his pockets, drawing her eyes to his well-defined thighs.
She didn’t answer but her expression gave her away. He went closer. “Even if you won’t admit it, I will admit that seeing you with Alan bothered me,” he muttered tautly. “I was insanely jealous. I could hardly concentrate on my meeting with Nicola. She didn’t guess what was troubling me but she knew that something was. I saw when you returned and noted the time. Believe me, if Nicola were not there, I would have called you into my office and berated you for nearly driving me out of my mind. Instead, I had to sit there and suffer in silence.”
“You didn’t act as if you were suffering. The two of you were laughing when you came out of your office and I saw the way she flirted with you, touching your arm and you didn’t seem to mind. I guess it’s because she’s so beautiful.” She couldn’t hide the resentment that stirred in her at the memory.
“You are jealous,” he exclaimed. He moved closer, his eyes darkening. “You have no reason to be, Kendra. Nicola may be a very beautiful woman but I’m not attracted to her. She doesn’t excite me, you do. You have, since the day you walked into this office.”
She stared at him, hardly able to believe that he was saying these things to her.
“Am I shocking you?” he asked. “I’m merely telling you the truth. I wanted you the moment I saw you but I had to keep our relationship professional. Now, it’s really hard for me to do so. You have no idea how much I want you right now.” His dark gaze slid over her slim figure, the raw emotions on his face, making her head spin. She realized then that she wasn’t wearing her jacket over the violet top with the fine straps. He reached out now and gently caressed her right shoulder, making her shiver.
She closed her eyes when he bent his head and pressed his lips against the side of her neck. Then, he was kissing her feverishly and her hands went up and buried themselves in his thick hair, gripping it as she responded wildly and with total abandon to his kisses.
This lasted for a long time until she pulled away, panting for air. “We can’t,” she gasped. “Not here.”
He nodded, his face flushed and his eyes stormy. “Not here,” he agreed. “And not tonight.” He released her and raked his fingers through his hair. “It’s getting late. I’d better take you home.” He went over to his desk. He rolled down his shirt sleeves and buttoned them and the top buttons and then pulled on his jacket.
She turned and went to her desk, her legs trembling. With shaking hands, she put on her jacket and got her handbag. He stepped out of his office and locked the door. She followed him to the lift, still dazed and tingling all over from what happened a few moments ago.
In the car, he didn’t say anything at first but when they were pulling out of the parking lot, he said, “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Now that you and I are going to be seeing each other outside of the office, it wouldn’t be presumptuous of me to ask that you don’t have lunch with Alan or any other man, would it?”
She shook her head. “And it wouldn’t be forward of me to ask that you don’t let Nicola or any other woman get touchy feely with you, would it?”
He grinned. “No, it wouldn’t be.” He reached over and kissed her long and hard on the mouth before he drove out on to the street.
It was hard to believe that
this was the same man she
married. They had started
off so strong. They were told
that they were too young to
get married but they believed
that they were ready. Their
love was strong enough to
weather any storms that
would appear on the
horizon. Or so she thought.
Then the honeymoon was
over and the troubles began.
First there were little dis-
agreements here and there
then they evolved into
bitter quarrels which ended
in stony silence. They made
up after a while but the
damage had been done.
The love they once felt
for each other no longer
inhabited their hearts.
It was time to call it
quits. The love had gone
and bitterness had taken
its place.
There was no hope of reconciliation.
Divorce was the only course
of action. How she hated to
admit that everyone was
right. The signs had been
there before they got married
but she had ignored them.
Now, she was paying dearly
for her mistake.
She filed for the divorce.
How she hated divorce.
It was like a stain upon
her life. At age twenty-five,
she was a divorced woman.
How sad. How degrading.
She was the first member
in her family to be divorced
a distinction she would have
gladly not have borne.
Now she must return to the
single life. Single life as a
divorced woman. What a
frightening thought. She
packed her bags and stood
on the threshold, the open
door leading to a life, a future
without him. She would
face what was out there
and this time, she would let
wisdom guide her.
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom – Proverbs 4:7
As she drank her tea, she thought of her grandmother.
Grams would have turned 90 today. How she missed her.
It was Grams who got her into the habit of drinking tea
in the afternoons. She thought of the times when she
used to walk over to Grams’ house after school and sit
at the table and watched as she poured the hot tea into
two large cups.
Earl Grey was Gram’s favorite. She had her reasons why.
And she loved to list them. “It has many benefits, Steffi,” she
would say. “It calms your nerves, improves your immune
system, helps your digestion, keeps you alert, which is good
for people my age,” she paused to chuckle at that remark
before she continued, “It boosts your metabolism, improves
your heart health, prevents cancer, keeps you hydrated and
protects your teeth. And it tastes good.”
Stephanie had to agree. Earl Grey had a fruity flavor and
didn’t taste as bitter or strong as the other types of black
tea. So, it was over a cup of Earl Grey tea that she was
remembering her grandmother who passed away from
natural causes two years ago.
It was during those afternoon visits that Grams would
talk to her about the Bible. The book of Proverbs was
her favorite. “It has lots of good advice for all of us,
especially for young people.” And she would read
to her.
As Grams sipped her tea, Stephanie would talk to
her about school, growing up and boys. She told her
about the annoying boy in school who was always pulling her
hair and doing things to upset her. When Grams told her
that he did these silly things because he liked her,
she was shocked but Grams was right. She was
always right. She had so much wisdom.
“I get it from reading God’s Word,” she
said and “I ask Him for it too.”
Grams was the first one in her family
to meet the man she ended up marrying.
He was that same annoying boy from school.
Grams was the first to hold their newborn
baby. Sometimes she suspected that her
mother was a little jealous of the closeness
she had with her grandmother but Grams
never judged her or made her feel bad when
she made bad decisions but was always there
to encourage her. It was Grams who had
faith in her when no one else did, including
herself. And it was Grams who led her to
Jesus.
Their afternoon tea tradition lasted
through high school, college and even
after she got married.
She smiled as she sipped her tea. Yes, she
missed her grandmother but she knew
she would see her again on the blessed
day when Jesus comes again. Until then,
she would continue to enjoy a cup of
Earl Grey tea in the afternoons and
remember her beloved Grams.
Source: Your Tea Headquarters
“Happy anniversary, my Darling,” he said as he handed her the beautiful bouquet of flowers. “Forty years ago, you turned my life upside down when you moved into my neighborhood. And it took a few years before I plucked up the courage to ask you out on a date. Thank you for not saying no and for the happiest years of my life.” He pulled her to his side and kissed her on the temple.
Joanne smiled as she inhaled the sweet fragrance of the roses. “These are lovely,” she said. “Thank you for being such a wonderful husband.”
Tears came to her eyes as she thought of how amazing he had been when they found out that she couldn’t have children. It had devastated her because she had longed to be a mother and she knew that he would have made a terrific father. For years they had tried and then she had learned that they would never have children. It was a very bitter pill to swallow and for months she was depressed but Martin was always there, loving her and trying to help her through those though times.
During the moments of despair, she lashed out at God, asking Him why He would deny her the joy of being a mother. Friends encouraged her to looking into adopting a child but she didn’t want to consider it. And Martin assured her that she was more than enough for him and tried to encourage her to go away on trips with him and get involved in activities to take her mind off of things. He was so devoted to her that sometimes she felt ashamed of how she was so fixated on not being able to have children that she might be neglecting him.
One day she was turning the pages of her Bible, not sure what to read. It had been a while since she had even opened it. And her eyes fell on the chapter one of the first book of Samuel. She began to read it. She could identify with Hannah. She remembered those times when she couldn’t eat and was always in tears. And all Martin could do was try to comfort her as best as he could. It must have been so hard for him. The words, But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb. Martin loved her even though she couldn’t give him children. Her barrenness hadn’t diminished his love at all, in fact it had grown stronger. Her friends remarked on how he treated her like a queen.
And Elkanah’s words to Hannah cut Joanne to the quick. “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Wasn’t Martin better to her than the children she wished she could have? He was there and they were not. God had blessed her with an incredible man whose happiness was wrapped up in her and the life they could have together. She felt ashamed and she cried out to God, asking Him to forgive her for being so selfish and for her anger and bitterness toward Him.
That night when Martin came home, she asked him to forgive her and he, of course, assured her that there was nothing to forgive. He took her in his arms and held her close for a long time. That night was the turning point in her life. She decided that she would focus on her marriage and nothing else.
Forty years later and they were still going strong. There were still moments when she wondered what would have happened if her life had turned out like Hannah’s. Hannah had prayed to God and He had opened her womb and blessed her with seven children. Joanne had prayed for Him to do the same miraculous thing for her but it didn’t happen. God had blessed her with a lasting, strong and healthy marriage and tonight she was going to celebrate.
“Are you ready?” Martin asked.
She nodded. “Yes. I’m ready to celebrate forty years of being married to an incredible man.” Yes. There was much to celebrate. And she had God to thank for that.
At the 2015 The Kennedy Center Honors on Tuesday, December 29, 2015, three great ladies–Carol King, Cicely Tyson and Rita Moreno were among the five honorees.
Cicely Tyson, at 90 looks as elegant as ever. She is best known for her role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. She was born in Harlem, New York City and raised by deeply religious, West Indian parents from Nevis, St. Kitts. Her mother was a domestic and her father was a carpenter. Cicely was discovered by a fashion editor and she became a model. She took the fashion industry by storm, quickly rising to the top. She began acting in 1957 in off-Broadway productions before she was cast in feature films. Her first major role was Portia in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter in 1968. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her amazing performance in Sounder. She has appeared in Roots, King and a Woman Called Moses. Cicely is a seasoned and hugely talented actress who portrayed strong and positive black women.
I don’t condemn anyone for making their choices. If someone chooses those roles, fine. But not for me. When someone stops me and says, You’re the reason I became an actress, that lets me know I made the right decision – Cicely Tyson
We applaud Cicely for standing by her convictions. Our choices can not only affect us but they can affect others.
Carol King wrote tons of songs such as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” for the Shirelles, “Run to Him” (#1 and #2 hits for Bobby Vee in 1961), “Crying in the Rain” (The Everly Brothers, #6 in 1962), “The Loco-Motion” (Little Eva, #1 in 1962), “Up on the Roof” (The Drifters, #5 in 1962), “Chains” (The Cookies, #17 in 1962, The Beatles in 1963), “One Fine Day” (The Chiffons, #5 in 1963), “Hey Girl” ( Freddy Scott, #10 in 1963, also Bobby Vee and The Righteous Brothers), “I’m Into Something Good” (Herman’s Hermits, #13 in 1964), “Just Once in My Life” (written with Phil Spector for The Righteous Brothers, #9 in 1965), and “Don’t Bring Me Down” (The Animals, #12 in 1966) and You Make Me Feel which has become the song most associated with Aretha Franklin.
The songs I identify most with Carol are “You’ve Got a Friend” which became a no.1 hit when it was recorded by lifelong friend, James Taylor and “It’s Too Late”. Carol is the most renowned song-writer in pop music. She has the distinction of having 400 of her compositions recorded by over 1,000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles. In 1987 she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 1990 she was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
At the age of 70 this remarkable songwriter, performer, author and environmentalist is still going strong. Beautiful–The Carole King Musical which tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom won two Tony Awards in 2014 and a Grammy in 2015 for Best Musical Theater Album. Her music continues to thrill us.
It’s about connections. I want to connect with people; I want to make people think “Yeah, that’s how I feel”. And if I can do that, that’s an accomplishment – Carol King
We are grateful to Carol King for her music which still resonates with us.
Rita Moreno has starred in three great musicals–Singin’ In the Rain, The King And I and West Side Story for which she earned an Academy Award. She has the distinction of being one of the very few and the first performers to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy. She was born Rosita Dolores Alverío in Humacao, Puerto Rico to seamstress Rosa María (Marcano) and farmer Francisco. She and her mother moved to New York City where she began her career.
Unfortunately for Rita, she was typecast as a Hispanic pepper pot or another “exotic”. In Father Knows Best, she was cast as an exchange student from India. She considered the roles she was given degrading. It wasn’t until the ’70s that she was given better roles. It was during that time that she won a Grammy Award for her contribution to “The Electric Company”‘s soundtrack album, a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for “The Ritz” and Emmy Awards for The Muppet Show and The Rockford Files. In 2004, she received the award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. It is said that when her star was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she fell on top of it, openly and uncontrollably weeping, later commenting, “I had been dreaming of this day since I was six!”.
We admire Rita who came from humble beginnings to where she is now. She is a reminder that childhood dreams can come true.
Bigger than life is not difficult for me. I am bigger than life – Rita Moreno
Notes to Women salute these amazing women for their well deserved honors and recognition for their work in music, film and stage.
Sources: IMDb; Brainy Quote; Carol King Website; Think Exist; IMDb;
