It seems a lot of celebs have been passing these days and over the years. This month we lost Joe Frazier, Heavy D. and just yesterday Patrice O'Neal. To me it just really points out how short life is and that each day we have on earth is a blessing from God. These days whenever I wake up I try to remember to thank God. Thanksgiving was last week. It has always been my favorite holiday despite its baggage. A good friend who is Native American recently reminded me of the Native American view of the Thanksgiving holiday. It's a sobering and painful remembrance for our Native sisters and brothers. I am part Native American also though over the years I have not embraced it as much. I don't know why. I guess because it is painful and sometimes it's just hard enough being a black male in America, despite living in an age where Barack Obama is President.
I don't feel I am any more enlightened than most, but I tend to think of myself more as a human being on planet earth rather than just a race or stereotype. I can't change my Black past or my Native American past. I accept it along with my Irish past, though when I look in the mirror I am black and people will only see me as black and that's fine. It may be a cliche but it still holds true that we are all the same color underneath. I heard a preacher say " Character is who you are when no one is watching" , it's a profound quote from the late basketball coach John Wooden who won countless collegiate championships and mentored such greats as Kareem Abdul Jabbar. These days I am more concerned with improving my character and being a better citizen on the testing ground that is planet Earth. So this past Thanksgiving and moving forward I just want to be more thankful. We all have something to be thankful for.
