I Have Issues Too!

As an educator I never went with the norm! I was always transparent with my students. I showed them my heart in order to capture their heart. I realized early in my ministry…(yes, it was and still is the “ministry of teaching”) in order for me to teach my students, the student in me had to always be present! I had to have an open heart and mind, seeing eyes…listening and hearing ears and a compassionate and understanding spirit. Once I allowed my students to truly know me and me taking the time to sincerely learn and get to know them…then and only then was I able to truly teach!

I instilled in my babies that no one had it all together, but together we can have it all! I revealed my flaws to them so that they could and would believe in and trust me…! All of this was and is necessary! They had to know it was safe to freely release all the blockages and hindrances…thus allowing them to freely receive the fruitful, nurturing and nourishing knowledge I freely gave and imparted to them!

I’m saying all this to say…we as a people have worn the mask and held on to the many stigmas for far too long…causing many to perish! It’s because of all these stigmas that so many over the years feared to reveal they had issues because of the judgement and rejection they would receive! To truly be an impactful leader for such a time as this…you must properly maintain and oversee home-base first!

This just may be my only Black History post this month…because as an educator, I intentionally never taught anything about Black History during the month of February! I refused to box Real World History into the shortest month! I taught something about “Real World History; which is all inclusive with Black History, all year long! My history lesson this evening is: even some of our greatest leaders had/have issues but never dealt with in the proper way because of the fear of being rejected! Black History fact on mental illness of one that will be talked about all this month: the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He attempted suicide twice as a child and suffered from severe depression as an adult. But because of how we judged and stigmatized…and knowing that this issue would have been used against him…even by his own kind…he battled this issue in silence…which was an unhealthy thing to do!

I’m a firm believer that one of the biggest hurdles to cross before even attempting to overcome is to take off the masks…be authentic and transparent! Be willing to admit…”I have issues too…and yes, no one has it all together, but together we can have it all”! I think this would make Dr. King smile down upon us! #Ihaveissuestoo