Photo: Jennifer Samuel
beauty, elegance, womanness, charm, sexiness, class, regality, power….are all redefined with moments like these.
Allison Caviness
Take your time…or someone else will.
Filed under Children …
Who was Benny A. Lyde?
Benny A. Lyde was a 21 year old college senior at Long Island University, living in Brooklyn, NY. He lived on Lincoln Place in Crown Heights. Not too far from my home. In 2005 he suffered a murderous death by gunfire – all because of some beef that had nothing to do with him. His death went mostly unnoticed in the public eye – as if no unordinary tragedy had transpired. As if we hadn’t just lost a bright, young model American citizen. He was on the honor roll. He had a job and helped his mother pay bills – at the age of 21. He helped run a literacy program in East New York, Brooklyn and mentored younger children in his community. Children looked up to him. And he was looking forward to a shining future as he was finishing up his degrees in Business Management and Computer Science. The world was his. His mother has said he would reevaluate his life’s goals every five years. In 2005 (what would become his last year here), he aspired to be the first Black president of the United States.
A couple of weeks ago, I was taking a Saturday stroll from my house to the Brooklyn Museum. I walked into a crowd of people on that beautiful, warm, sunny Saturday. The air was perfectly crisp and the sun was gentle, not too demanding. The event in Crown Heights that afternoon was a street naming ceremony at Lincoln Place and New York Ave for “Benny A. Lyde Street”
I think I now know the taste of bittersweetness. His murderer has been captured. His mother was able to speak of him without a gush of tears. And in spite of the clear blue late summer’s sky, there was no justice.
Daddy’s Girl.
“This album is dedicated…to all the people that lived above the buildings I was hustlin’ in front of that called the police on me when I was just trying to make some money to feed my daughter.” – Biggie Smalls.
T’Yanna Wallace at her sweet 16.
Light
A supernovva 6000 light years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. Smithsonian Flickr Commons.
“To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest” -Unknown
“Love is not consolation. It is light.” -Nietzsche
“Love is not a mere sentiment. It is the ultimate truth at the heart of creation” -Tagore
“Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?” -Maurice Freehill
[Paraphrasing] “I do miss her, but wherever I see light, she is there” -Carlos Santana speaking of his ex-wife to Tavis Smiley
I noticed yesterday that my adorable niece Renee (one month old) loves staring with wonder into the light, or on white surfaces that reflect light brilliantly. She looks around at these images of light, as though there is much more that she can see, that I cannot see. I wonder if she’s able to see spirits…ancestors looking down. I imagined she was looking at my grandfather…or perhaps my grandmother after whom she was named.
There are so many notable quotes and understandings on the meaning of light. Truth. Love. Eternity. Consciousness. Beauty. God.
When we see the light, when we feel the light within, it is undeniable, gracious, powerful and enlightened. I think I need to go up to my rooftop and meditate on that for a bit….
Kids, sing along!
It’s a beautiful day to be Allison!
It’s a wonderful day to be Allison!
I just LOVE being Allison!
And I hope you love being YOU!
A Great Day to be Born
I got a call at 6:30 this morning from a then pregnant Luchana. They were on their way to the hospital. I sent out prayers, affirmations and positive thoughts and solicited more of the same via txt messages, facebook and twitter. And, at 9:17am on Tuesday, May 19th 2009, Renee Doris Marie Caviness was born.
On this day 84 years ago, baby Malcolm Little was born and would grow to be El Hajj Malik Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X. He would stand for the freedom of many, to be remembered, studied, loved and revered.
Below is a video sent on twitter by @zaheerali of a secret audio recording of Brother Malcolm meeting with a couple of members of the FBI. They really tried to insult his intelligence. You have to listen to it. The nerve! Proof that the brother was committed. Unwavering. Steady. Reliable. Worthy.
Happy Malcolm X Day. And welcome to the world, Baby Renee!
