I’m still finding words. Here is a poem about my feelings.

I am a gardener. During the day, I plant seeds, till the soil, and pray for equal amounts of rain and sunshine. There is dirt beneath my fingernails, and my clothes are soiled. No one sees me, but my work is unforgettable. My Love is a cook. Each day, she wakes up before the sun. She makes miracles out of ingredients, feeds the souls of the hungry, and brings joy to all who are able to enjoy her art. Her hands are calloused from consistently washing the dishes she uses to make her miracles. Her hair smells of the gifts that she gives to all that she serves. Her clothes are soiled with food and oil. No one sees her, but her work is unforgettable. When the night comes, we shower, change, and remove our masks. She washes my feet, and me, I wash her hair. She praises me for my strength, and me, I offer blessings and thanks for her Strength, Love and Beauty. Even though most don’t see us, we clearly see one another. We are air. We inhale Love and Exhale pain. We are air…. (This is the average Black Experience.)

I know that I was out of words yesterday. When I wrote that, I sincerely meant it. I really did. However, guess what? Today, I found some words that lived deep within my soul. With that being said, let’s get to it. As the title of my website is the Hueman Movement, it is important to know that I have love and respect for all huemans. I see you, I hear you, I feel you, and I sincerely hope that the day soon arises when we can live with one another rather than around one another. To me, there’s a difference. As a Black Man, I am around people most of my day, yet, I rarely feel as though they are with me. In order to feel like I am surrounded by those who are with me, I must take refuge in communities saturated with people that look like me. Truthfully, in most instances, it is there, and only there, where I can breathe deeply, completely open my eyes, and speak from my soul rather than my professionally crafted mind. Now, on to the words that I found. World, please stop treating the victims of some of the worst crimes against humanity like we are criminals. We are not. We are Beautiful Survivors. Our behaviors are a response to trauma. We are born into a war that we didn’t choose, and we are doing all that we can to make peace and safety real. More importantly, stop treating both the direct descendants of those who inflicted those crimes, or equally importantly, those who look like them and continue benefit from their acts of treachery as though they are victims. I promise you; some are not. Honestly….. Honestly, people of Color are required to acquire knowledge and education in order to live in this world. We can’t go to school for knowledge, for those who are instructing us are bound by curriculum, societal norms, fear, and ignorance. For knowledge, we speak to our tribes. For knowledge, we listen to our elders. For knowledge, we use the music of our survivors as a sweet, yet dark lullaby that reminds us of our past struggles coupled with our future hopes. This is how we acquire knowledge. Although unspoken, we all know that we must never speak of this knowledge in the presence of those who will never understand it. For education, we go to school. It is there that we begin the legalized, strategized, and specifically designed course of ignorance. When we are in nursery school, we sing songs about our own demise by softening the sting of the meaning with the seemingly innocent nature of childhood. We are taught the greatness of our “founding fathers” while intentionally overlooking that we are his bastard children. George Washington freed over one hundred of his slaves after he died. Many say that he knew that slavery was wrong. Did he free them after he died because he was afraid of what they would do if they were free while he lived? I may never know. Education…. When I walk into a room, I know what it feels like for some women to grab their purse. I know what it feels like to be questioned for being in a venue in which you are the keynote speaker. I know what it feels like for others that look like me to look at me as though they are ashamed of the fact that I am not trying to blend into our seemingly expected invisibility. So no, I don’t take the pledge. Why? Taking a pledge comes with a commitment. In good faith and mind, I cannot make a commitment to an ideal while others are committed to the common practice of reminding me that the initial ideal never included me. No… If this World is to change, there must be a reckoning of truth. There must be a space and time to hear the impact of the methods used to create the “greatness” of this World. As the descendant of the bastard children, it is my moral, spiritual, emotional, and communal responsibility to speak to, for, and about them. Had it not been for them, I would not be. Until we are all free to be, none of us are. Perhaps this is why we fear each other. Lies have never given anyone a reason to sleep well……Patrick

As always, I know I said it yesterday, but I’m saying it again today. This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. If you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

I haven’t written lately. Honestly, I’ve run out of words. I’m all out of metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and personification. I’m tapped. I find myself sitting silently on a bus to NYC. I’m on an adventure. On this expedition, I seek not only words, but also inspiration. I pray that through your journey, you not only find, but keep, and use, your own words… Until next time. Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. Also, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything…

What can I say? It’s been quite some time since I sat down to write. Nonetheless, I’m here now. This morning, I went to get my routine cup of coffee. While there, I overheard a woman speaking to her son about the death of her grandmother. I was amazed by her grace and saddened by her seemingly required restraint. Rather than fall, her tears seemed to flow back inside of her eyes causing them to glisten in the light. I know that feeling. Today is the anniversary of my Mother’s death. Me, I’m still pushing. I need you to know that I’m alright. I’m working, consistently working out, and most importantly, working out the kinks in my own mind, heart, and soul. I’m alright… Because I know the floor much better than I know the ceiling, I feel as though I’m qualified to say this; there is only joy. In all things, there is only joy. In the worst of times, there is only joy. In the best of times, there is only joy. In the face of adversity, there is only joy. In the face of confusion, there is only joy. Who is this deceiver and thief called sadness that has taken so much from me? That deceiver is nothing more than a monster that I created in order to cope with my own self-doubt. I have allowed that deceiver and thief to take a great deal from me, and of them, the most important is time. No more, for there is only joy. Hard times, adversity, and confusion are nothing more joys in development. Count it all joy. Perhaps this is why we sometimes cry when we win. We did it…. I need you to know that there is only joy. There is only joy. There is only joy…. Through all of my ups and downs, it has been, and continues to be, one of my greatest joys speaking to all of you. Thank you for always speaking back. I’m still growing…… Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

Happy Tuesday. It’s a cold January evening, and I’ve decided to sit down and write what I have been thinking and feeling for a few days. Let me begin with this; each weekday morning, I wake up at 5:00 am. For those of you who get up at that time, you get it. It sucks! For those of you who aren’t required to, thank the Universe for aligning in your favor. Nonetheless, without going into the weeds, I wake up at 5:00 am each weekday morning. After slowly entering the shower, I quickly exit the house. I turn on the Russ Parr Morning Show, put my car in drive, and off I go. Purposefully, each morning, I make the same stop. I stop at Wawa for my FAVORITE cup of coffee. It doesn’t matter if the weather is hot, cold, snowing, raining, storming, hailing, etc., I stop at Wawa. As I walk in, I’m always careful to hold the door for fellow huemans, and I gradually make my way to the coffee. After a few “good morning” salutations, each day, I greet the same face; Theresa. Now, Theresa might stand about 5’3, she wears a Wawa hat, and most importantly, she wears that same friendly smile each day. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows Theresa. She is one of the first people that I begin my day with everyday. For that, and that alone, I am blessed, for both patience and friendship decided to grace me with her presence. Like me and most, Theresa lives paycheck to paycheck. She has no secretary. She doesn’t have fancy things. Honestly, I don’t think she cares. However, what I’m certain that she never considered is that she possesses one very important quality; she has Power. You see, Theresa empowers not only me, but everyone that she interacts with to engage the best parts of their uncertain days each morning. As I enter the store exhausted, I leave enthused. Theresa… Now, I have arrived at my point. You see, there is a distinct difference between those who have titles and those who have Power. Those who have titles have wonderful things. They have corner offices in beautiful buildings. They have corporate cards with infinite limits. They have beautiful homes that echo due to space. They have cars that talk, drive themselves, offer massages mid-ride, give sound that rivals the beauty of symphonies, and cost more than the average person makes in a few years. They sit on boards with other people with titles and they discuss very important things. Their names are usually followed by abbreviated alphabets that are aligned with years of study and preparation. They worked for, and earned, the title. As a Black Man, when one of our own are bestowed with a title, it seems as though our entire metaphorical village celebrates. “One of us making it in will make it better for the rest of us.” That’s the line that’s often quoted. Here’s the truth. While they sit in the corner office, they rarely, if ever, own the building. Many are so afraid to use the corporate card, they never do. I guess they understand their limits. The homes are leased by the bank while those with power own the people who call those houses home. While their cars do more than most, they go to the same place everyday; their jobs. When you call what you do your purpose, you are officially job-free. Jobs require work, while purpose flows from Love. There is no competition between the two. While their names are followed by abbreviated alphabets, none, and I mean none, actually spell this powerful four letter word; F-R-E-E. You see, their titles are often recycled, and they come with a price. Then, there are the Powerful. The Powerful are rarely, if ever seen. Yet, their impact is felt everywhere. The Powerful make changes while those with titles ensure that those changes are on par with expectations. The Powerful move people to change. Those with titles change the way that people move. Here’s the thing with Power; Power can only be bestowed by the Universe. Titles are given by people. Power is never forgotten. We elect presidents every four years. Power builds. Titles use the phrase “don’t sleep” because it knows it’s days are numbered. Mothers have the most immense Power of all; they are the Givers of Life. Fathers have Power. They have the Power to Give Love. Brothers have Power. They have the Power to Give Where Their Fathers Couldn’t. Sisters have Power. They have the Power to Listen When Their Mothers Couldn’t Bear What They Were Hearing. Friends have Power. They are the Keepers of Our True Secrets and the Naked Places In Which We Can Unapologetically Be Ourselves. Money doesn’t mean Power. Money only buys things. Power.. Power changes things. I’m not certain if you can see it, but there is great Power within you. It doesn’t matter if you can’t pay your bills. It doesn’t matter if you’re overweight/underweight. Who determined what weight should be anyway? Probably someone with a title. It doesn’t matter if you’re light or dark, gay or straight, republican or democrat, northern or southern, religious or not. You have Power. Dig deep within yourself and find that quality within you that personifies the very reason you were born. Darkness hides. Light both shows and grows. Be the Light. We are all Powerful. Never, and I mean never, allow anyone with a title to make you feel as though you’re not Powerful. If they try, smile, walk away, and rest assuredly in knowing that they can’t sleep because they exchanged their true Power for a title……..Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything….

First of all, let me say HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s 2023, and we are officially off to the races. I hope that your year is beginning with hope, Love, and Joy. I hope that you are ready for this ride that we call a new year. It’s crazy to me that the year seems so long, yet it passes so quickly. For me, I am committed to greater spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth this year. As I grow older, I seem to feel deeper, see clearer (although I currently need new glasses), and desire less material things. For the first time in my life, it seems as though my head, heart, and body are in sync with one another. Let’s keep it real; for some men, the body easily wins battles that both the head and the heart are emphatically against. Me, I have fought those battles. Hell, I still have the scars. Thankfully, those days are behind me. Now, let’s jump right into it. For a great portion of my Life, I have struggled with being the right type of Black. If you’re wondering what that means, let me help you out. The desire to be the right type of Black means feeling secure no matter the environment one is placed in. For example, throughout the course of my life, I have frequently felt too hood to be suburban, too suburban to be hood, too educated to know, understand, and recognize the struggle, too scorned by the knowing, understanding, and recognition of the struggle to appreciate my education, too genuinely Black in a room full of White people, and too “cultured” (code word for acting White. No one gets this!) to be down in a room full of Black people. Talk about exhaustion! Yes, feeling like that is exhausting. Therefore, I decided that I was going to be me in all rooms. I am authentically me in all rooms. It took me years to get here. I had to understand that no matter what you do, everyone is not going to like, appreciate, or understand you. It’s just that simple. I have learned that as long as I like, appreciate, and understand myself, all can, and should be well in my Universe. Again, it took me years to get to this stage in my Life. How did I get here? Well, when I was a child, I was constantly compared to others. “Look at this person, look at them. You should be more like them.” I was seemingly given a microscope that allowed me to see all of my flaws. Yet, I never received the confirmation of my worth. Therefore, I spent much of my life trying to find it. I had to lose me in order to find me. Through my confusion, I found clarity. To you, I’ll say this. You are very special. You are uniquely you, and as a result, the world is a better place. I know that there are things that you want to change. I know that you are fully aware of those things. However, what are the things that make you both special and beautiful? Do you know those things? What are some things about yourself that you would never change? What is your individual magic that you feel, yet either can’t or won’t speak of? These are the things that make you the right type of you. Honestly, when I meet people, these are things that I look for. Being you in all environments is both empowering and enlightening. Being you is beautiful. As I am me, may you beautifully be you. May we all be better as a result. This is going to be a beautiful year….Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

I know my problem. It’s so obvious that I’m sometimes frustrated and ashamed of myself. Tonight, I needed a smooth drink and the soft and comforting sound of Alex Isley’s voice to get this out. Here it goes. I’m stuck. I’m stuck between my memories and my dreams. I’m stuck between yesterday and tomorrow. Neither of them hurt. In fact, the only thing that hurts are the times when I snap into the now and realize that I’m not there. That hurts. Yesterday, I was hurting. The pain still lingers today. Yesterday, I learned of the death of DJ Twitch. Damn Man…. We never met, but you hurt me. Was there no one to call? Was there nowhere to go? Was there nothing left to do worth giving one more day to? Did you run out of dreams? Was the wonder of yesterday no longer warm? I wish today included you. I really do. I am no stranger to where you were when you did what you did. Trust me, I’m not. Me, I lacked either the courage or faith to move forward. I chose a different path because my faith is louder than my despair. However, you…. You gave more than you took. You shined when I couldn’t. You danced when my feet and hips couldn’t agree with one another. You smiled when my cheeks were too heavy for my face to support them. I’m sorry this was your choice. I’m sorry your reality made you feel like this was a viable option. I hope that you’re free now. I really do… Me, my memories are still wonderful because I can choose the best of them. I choose happy rides on the city bus over fearful nights in my home. I choose the smile of my Mother over the rage of my surroundings. I choose Sunday greens and fried chicken over empty stomachs and closed minds. Tomorrow, you; you are perfection. You are exactly, and only, what I desire you to be. Tomorrow, you promise that my house is full, my bed is warm, and my life is complete. Tomorrow, I will never cheat on you because you always forgive me for the things that I either can’t, or won’t, do today. I’m in Love with you Tomorrow. Today, we’ve got issues. I feel like you don’t see me, and I can honestly admit that I don’t quite see all of you. With closed eyes and clinched fists, I endure you. Perhaps you do the same with me. I can’t help but feel that perhaps, we should both approach one another differently. If you allow me to feel safe, I promise to open my eyes. If you can help me understand that both tomorrow and yesterday include you, I promise to relax my hands. If you can convince me that my choices about you are directly aligned with my consequences, I promise to breathe deeper and accept. I don’t want to be stuck. I want to be free. I’m not sure if you know, but secretly, I have learned to Love all of me. Isn’t that something? I’ll trust you and say it again; secretly, I have learned to Love all of me…. Today, I apologize to you. I’m sorry for not maximizing our time. I’m sorry. When we transition into tomorrow, let’s both say the same thing when we simultaneously become yesterday; well done….Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

I have no soul left to feed on. Each time I held my tongue in your presence, I had to take a small bite in order to survive. Feeding on my own soul in order to feed your ego came at too great a cost. Your self worth shouldn’t be greater than my self-respect. In your one-sided interpretation of freedom, the rules are designed in order to convince the confused that they aren’t. You know… You know… Each time you look in the mirror, you know. You cheat with the Sun in order to look like me, yet you call me ugly. You pretend to hate me. You know…. Actually, your perversions are the very reason you stole us anyway. On an equal scale, you would have never measured up. Like the common liar and thief, you are of the night. Me, I am of the Sun. The Sun is faithful to me, which is why I don’t look like you. I don’t hate you. I hate what you have done. Actually, I pity you. Am I angry? No, I’m not. Why? Each time I breathe, your insecurities keep you up at night. Nightly, each fearful pace that you take reminds you that the goods that you have stolen will one day return to their rightful place. We are Gods… We are God’s……Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to the leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

You wanna know something interesting about me? I feel symphonies in my soul. Sometimes they are so gentle and sweet, they actually bring tears to my eyes. These symphonies are the score of my experiences on this side of the Sun. So much music… I dream in poetry. Not haiku, not the type of poetry they teach in school (that never made me feel anyway), no, the type of poetry that I dream is real. I dream of city blocks, candy trucks, fried fish sandwiches, smiling faces, and hard times. Each victory is cemented as an extraordinary stanza. Each loss singes those stanzas. Yet, I push through defiantly. I Love from a place other than here. I can’t Love from this place because I don’t consider what some do here Loving. No, it’s liking predicated on a set of requirements, expectations, deliverables, and lastly, comparisons. Liking based on an opportunity is not what I choose to do. Me, I Love as though my eyes are closed. I Love from the very place that I was denied by most as a child. Somehow, I was able to pick the lock on a Love so sweet, I find myself stealing a little only for me. I don’t apologize for that, yet, I consider it selfishly necessary. I worry about the state of the world. I think that we have become so self-absorbed that we are losing space and consideration for others. I hold my trauma in the same cup that I drink from most nights. It seems to weaken the demons. My smile in a place where others are clearly not is a disguise. However, they’ll never notice that because they don’t see me. They’re afraid to. I miss my Mother’s collard greens, sweet potato pie, and cheese cake so much that I can’t express it appropriately. I HATE motionless beds more than I hate beds with motion, yet, no emotion. My bed is motionless. Simply put, motion with no emotion doesn’t work for me. Well, I guess that’s it for now. Be well today………. Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. As always, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.

Good Evening. It’s Saturday, so I’m going to jump right in. STOP TELLING BLACK MEN WHAT TO BE AND HOW TO FEEL! White Men do NOT have permission to be varied, while Black Men are all expected to be the same. No…. Just no. If you’re a Gay Black Man, you are still a Black Man. If you are a Straight Black Man, you are still a Black Man. If you are a Black Man who Loves to read more than you like to rap, you are still a Black Man. If you speak the king’s English better than you speak the neighborhood’s jargon, you are still a Black Man. If you chose to go to college, the military, trade school, or seek gainful employment rather than sell drugs or gang bang, you are still a Black Man. If you decided to sell drugs or gang bang because Life dealt you a difficult hand of cards that required an equally difficult response, you are still a Black Man. If you are rich, you are still a Black Man. If you are poor, you are still a Black Man. If you are depressed, suffering from anxiety, or any other form of mental health challenge, you are still a Black Man. Be you. Be proud. Be. If you are lost in the abyss of a difficult response, look to those that Love you rather than those who want to judge you for a way out. Truth be told, our scars never healed; they just scabbed over. As the stars are varied, so is our response to our trauma. America, there is no way to be Black and “free” and not suffer some form of mental health challenge. We are expected to walk in perfection while others are praised for their vulnerability. It is not our job to make you feel better about your insecurities by pretending that we share the same. No… Me, I’m insecure about the quality of education in communities made up of people who look like me. I’m insecure about the integrity of the people who claim to speak for the “American People.” I’m insecure each time that a police officer who suffers from an insecurity greater than my own decides to pull me over. 50/50 (Those are the odds that I give myself for survival of each interaction.) As I write this blog, I can feel my own power drip from the tips of my fingers. I am powerful. Yes, I am powerful. I am Power. I realize now that money, status, recognition, and “education” don’t beget power. No… My power flows from the freedom to speak my truth without fear of losing my socioeconomic status. Hell, I’m an educator. I don’t have a fortune to protect, yet my dreams are priceless. I now understand that having more money won’t make me free(er). In some cases, it makes you a better slave. My truths are not controlled, endorsed, or presented by those with more than me. No, they are mine. I’m free…. I am in a constant state of being…….Patrick

This week, please do something for someone other than yourself for no other reason than to make their lives better. Also, if you make it to where you’re going, please don’t forget to leave a map for the rest of us. As always, Always Choose Love Because Love Changes Everything.