as i add another year...

another year older, another year better.

this Sunday is my birthday. (insert cheers and noisemaker
sound effects here) for the past couple of years, it's taken
on more meaning. there's always an outstanding lesson i move
forward into the new year with. and this year, that lesson is
summed up in three words: 'triumph over transition'.

when you think about it, life is full of transition. you don't
realize it on your day to day movements, but it's there. time
moves on, with or without you. and it's about how you choose
to walk with it. i spent some time in the past couple of years
being down. i had my share of feeling abandoned, not feeling
worth anything. depression. i know that my circumstances were,
and are different. i began to really look at them. and i found
i had a lot more to be grateful for than to be sad about.
even in these past couple of years, i've done a lot. had a lot
of laughs, great experiences. i've allowed myself to ask myself
tough questions, and sit with the answers. i've let people go
'cause i needed to. i've gotten a gang of grey hairs. shed a
few necessary tears. gotten to know good people. reconnected
with old friends. went to war on fear. turned poetry into bread,
and sorrow into scotch and jazz. living. and for a brother in
these United States, that is hard to do and still flash a
smile and laugh in the face of all those who'd sweep you away
with the crumbs. in short, the triumph is that i've been broken
down but i haven't been truly broken. and it's thanks to the
insistent and consistent love of family and friends, my faith
and will that this is the truth i walk with.

triumph over transition. that's the wisdom for this time. and
i can only hope and work towards etching that truth into my
spirit, no matter what happens. i think i'm well on my way.
thank you for reading this, and i hope that you'll be able to
make that a reality for yourself too, if you haven't already.

until the next time...