Island Soul City Dreams

I reflect. I analyze. I speak my mind. ~ I Keep it Irie ~

Archive for the month “April, 2014”

25 Apr 2014

Don’t Be Ashamed of Depression, Don’t Be Afraid To Live

In my last blog post for 2013, I Kicked Her Butt, I wrote about some of the darkest moments of my year and how on reflection, I realized that those dreary days were outshone by the unconditional love, invaluable time spent with and unwavering support from my family and closest friends. Above all, it was my relentless faith in God, long instilled by my devout Christian mother, that enabled me to appreciate the blessings amidst the storm. The latter was the mindset I adopted as the dawn broke on 2014. Like for many other people, the start of the year signaled exciting new possibilities, dreams being fulfilled, a spirit of invincibility, renewed hopefulness. I felt armed and ready for what I declared was going to be the best year of my life yet. But before I could even celebrate my birthday at the end of January, everything that could go wrong in every sphere of my life started to go wrong. Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged CaribScribe, Depression, Depression Among Blacks, Depression In the Black Community, Don't Be Afraid To Life, Don't Be Ashamed of Depression, Faith, Having Someone To Call ON, I Blog Therefore I Am, I Keep it Irie, Island Soul City Dreams, Karyn Washington, Karyn Washington For Brown Girls, Karyn Washington Suicide, Life in New York, Maquita Peters, Mental Health Taboos, Spirituality, True Friends Are Gems

15 Apr 2014

A Part of Me Died Today

Today marks two years since I lost my dear Uncle Moses. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss him and think of him. Continue to sleep sweetly, Uncle Moses. Our family is not the same without you. I, rather, we will always love you.

Island Soul City Dreams

I had today’s blog post all planned. Over the past couple days I had been preparing another product – Caribbean-style to share with you. And while it’s not exactly a culinary treat, I’d hoped it would have brought some cheer. But this morning, I awoke to the sad news of the death of my Uncle Moses in Barbados. As my mother asked the words over the phone, “Are you sitting down?” I started screaming, “It better not be my Uncle Moses, not my Uncle Moses.” It’s no secret to anyone in our family that among my mother’s 10 siblings he was my favorite. He was my grandparents’ third son and the child born just a few years after my mom. Had he lived to see his birthday on May 9, my Uncle Moses would have turned 52.