NO MATTER HOW HOT YOUR ANGER, IT CANNOT COOK YAMS

By Vernalee

Anger stops progress. It challenges and warps our thinking. There is an old Nigerian proverb that says - “No matter how hot your anger gets, it cannot cook yams.” We all know about anger; correct? We all have experienced it from time to time. Anger can be dangerous if not meticulously managed. If can make us say or do things that may be injurious; many things that may hurt others though not our intent; many things that we might later regret. We can become so heated up, we lose control. Being a hot head does not permit you to think clearly. Agreed?

Getting angry resolves nothing.

It is for that very reason that we should keep our emotions in check so that we can make informed decisions. It’s a balancing act that is critically important and necessary as it ultimately affects our final decisions, quality of life … and our emotional temperature. Most definitely, we want to keep our emotions from "heating up and boiling over!" Photo Credit: twitter.com

MISTAKES

By Vernalee

The above quote probably spoke to you loud and clear as it did me. We all make mistakes. Admitting and learning from them leave a memorable dent in our character. Agreed?

Attending a HBCU, we often had inspiring celebrities to visit our campus. Our professors were indeed adamant to show us that greatness came in hues...and Black was one of them! One such person that I saw, heard, and remember to this day is Nicki Giovanni. Not only was her poetry "deep" and inspiring, her reading left you spellbound. I remember her words flowing with impeccable elegance as she charismatically spoke in a rhyming pattern. She was engaging to say the least! Her style made you remember her as much as her poetry. I heard her reading poetry in our chapel at Tougaloo College (MS) in the early 1970's. As I still remember her, needless to say, she made a favorable impression! If you haven't heard her, here is your chance. You're just a click away! I present Nicki Giovanni.

PRIDE COMES BEFORE THE FALL

By Vernalee

By definition, Pride comes before the fall means - "if a person is too arrogant, he or she will make a mistake or fail in a big way. An arrogant person might think he/she cannot make a mistake and become more prone to making mistakes. He/she will also be highly embarrassed by any mistake made." As with all things, let's go to The Word. In the Book of Proverbs 16:18, we read, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." In other words, said simply, in a world where one can be up and down in a see saw fashion in a matter of minutes, we need to keep our feet on solid ground and stay humble! Humility is such a beautiful characteristic. Arrogance with your head in the air is for the birds as falling on the hard ground can be a quite painful experience.

Photo credit: me.me