Close to the Edge

A few days ago I witnessed a brotha do everything he could not to implode. He took deep breaths. He appeared to ask the Lord for strength as he looked up at the ceiling...but he lost the battle. Yeah, the Battle is Not Yours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbV1axOxZ8. Really? Who owns the battle? Jesus? Well, Jesus did not show up for this brotha. He snapped! Guess his brief prayer did not work. Did he not pray long enough or was he supposed to be on his knees?


The irate woman accompanying the King pushed and pushed...until God’s child could not handle the pressure/stress/disrespect any longer!

There are countless brothas in prison because of the inability to maintain control (it can be tough...I know first hand) - and because the angry female would not ease up. Because the female would not back the hell off!

It was like she wanted him to violently shake her and forcefully mush her...like he did. I do not condone violence as a resort in most cases. I do however expect people not to relentlessly agitate with the sole expectation to push someone over the edge.

The brotha tried...and cried. I saw him pleading with himself and his Queen. No luck with his sincere prayer request. He ended up in the back of a police car handcuffed. I later watched the car ride away with him inside his temporary confinement until he reaches lock up. Wonder if he will be offered a bible to read while he there? That's the typical prescription drug for black people.

All she had to do was ease up after he said, "I am sorry. I made a mistake. I should not have spent the money. I will get it back. Please forgive me."

No dice - another brotha in the system. That could have been prevented!

The inability to monitor and limit anxiety is prevalent within the black community. It is a sickness. Black men and women appear to be so much at odds that they cannot help each other navigate within this stressful world. In essence, they cannot save each other from the shit this world slings their way. Thus creating an environment of tension and constant strife.

It was not a surprise that when I did my research years ago on anxiety that I did not find a reasonable amount of information that connects anxiety to cultural realities. I was also not surprised to discover while chatting with several African Americans about depression and anxiety disorders that they did not value healthy mental health. Actually, I have been aware of this for years. My introduction came when I was a child.

When I was a kid, the neighbors next door had it out every Friday. It was a Friday Night Fight after Friday Night Fish Fry every Friday. By the way, Friday Fish eating is not a ‘black thing’. It is a Catholic tradition. All these years…and I thought it was a Black tradition. http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Roman-Catholic-Tradition-of-Eating-Fish-on-Fridays  

Since we are sick we need to do something about it. I suggest therapy, counseling, anti-anxiety medication, yoga, exercise (walking does wonders), meditating (not praying), and positive affirmations (not calling on some imaginary holy ghost).

For those of you, who are against taking medication, please consider that there may be a chemical imbalance.

has saved many lives. With that, I live a life of transparency in an effort to save my life and many more lives! In my transparency: I am unashamedly medicated.

It is effective…I don't have to say to the one nagging me any longer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFwvl6z2J4I

The Shadow