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Good Morning!
I began writing these “Good Morning” messages in December of 2019. The words were a good morning to God. I thanked him for protecting me through the night and allowing me to see the light of another new day. I thanked God for restoring and refreshing me as I slept and as he readied me for a fantastic day in this beautiful world.
My dad had the habit of calling me daily, excited to welcome me to another day. When he passed away five years ago, I began missing those early morning phone calls and wanted to find a way to connect with him. I believe that was how the messages started.
The “Good Morning” messages represent making it through the night. Waking up each morning is priceless and a gift from God. I am thankful for each new day and do not want to waste it. I only got it today, and I am not sure of tomorrow. You will read the “Good Morning” messages I wrote in my journal book to myself on these pages.
My writing time is between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Sometimes it extends until 5 a.m. I enjoy the stillness of the morning and write about the first thing that comes to my mind. It is usually concerns something happening in my life. Often, I am surprised at what comes out of my head. I frequently write, then close my book, and on the next day, I am surprised at the previous day’s message.
I learned to thank God for each new day, with the promise of happiness and worthwhile activities and experiences. I have accepted each day with gratitude and am grateful for the blessings that come to me each moment and from every direction.
I wrote longer messages after March 2020, after the increase in COVID-19 cases and the mandating of the shelter-in-place. I noticed the words were relevant to what we were experiencing nationally and globally. I started writing and posting my feelings on Facebook and in text messages to my friends.
I was surprised at my postings because the words were mine, and initially, I did not want to share them with the world. However, I felt that the nation and the earth were experiencing this trauma simultaneously and that I had to document the impact on myself and others.
I have lived afraid, like many, of trying not to catch the virus due to the possible consequences—especially death. However, I live in conscious awareness of God’s presence. I sense the beauty of each moment. The bright and inspirational messages are with me throughout the day, filling me with strength, joy, and vitality for every task and opportunity for constructive self-expression.
The beauty of the “Good Morning” words is that it is simply a thank you to God for sustaining and holding me together each waking hour, primarily when he provides me with the gift of a bright new morning.
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Quarantined
Good morning! Being quarantined from COVID-19 has given us much time to reflect on our lives. It has also taught me to celebrate each day as if it is my last. As I write this piece, I remember the number of days at home and wonder how many accumulated days it will take before this virus breaks. In those days, families globally will feel sorrow and pain or fall short of being their best selves. I have a small request for each of you. I would like you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses during this time of isolation. Take the time to work on a plan to strengthen the weak areas of your life. Realize that you cannot change yesterday, but you can choose to see your new day as a gift.
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A Father’s Love in Raising a Daughter
When I was younger, at least once a month, my younger sister and I would take the train to New York City to meet our dad for lunch. We began these get-togethers around ages 13 and 11, respectively. We learned the importance of developing relationships with men during these luncheons because our father was our first date.
Our father had the traditional role of a parent present in our lives; he gave us “father love” during these one-hour luncheons; his dad would allow us to choose a restaurant near his work. Sis and I would arrive at his job promptly at noon. We ensured we were never late because he frowned on us not being on time. We enjoyed spending time with him, and he wanted to spend time with our witty personalities and all the stories we told him. We could talk about everything and anything.
After arriving at his job, the security department called his office to introduce us. He told the person to send us up to the 15th floor and presented us to his co-workers. We called everyone by Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs. He would brag to his colleagues about our latest achievements, and they would acknowledge how brave we were to take the one-hour train ride into the city by ourselves. They commented on how clean and mannerly we looked, and they always wanted to know how well we were doing in school. One of our dad’s favorite co-workers was a lady named Ms. Nancy. Ms. Nancy was a secretary who loved to chew gum and always had a beehive hairstyle. She looked like she lived in the 50s, or maybe the 50s never left her. We always enjoyed our conversations with her until we left at 1 p.m. for our luncheon date.
My sister and I would rotate each time we met, choosing where to eat. Sometimes we wanted a fancy restaurant; at other times, we wanted fast food. Sometimes we asked to visit our preferred Chinese restaurant where the waiters knew us, always ordering our favorite food. Dad was cheap and consistently based his tips on the waiter’s performance, so there were a few times when he did not want to leave anything. However, my sister and I always brought extra money for tips. Dad never knew that we were excessive tippers, and he often thought the warmth and friendly smiles of the waiter were from his great conversations with them. My sister and I developed a relationship with the waiters, and we wanted exceptional service, so we took care of them with tips, and they always treated us like princesses. It was a win-win situation. They received an excellent bonus, and we received great food with a smile.
After lunch, we always visited the Coliseum Bookstore to purchase two books each. It was part of our monthly ritual. I fed my passion for reading at the bookstore. I became an eclectic reader and wanted to buy every book I had, so he limited us to two books each. We chose our books and then took the hour-long ride back home. During these monthly introductions to his workplace, we learned he was the only person of color at his job, which he held for more than 25 years until the company went out of business. We learned about race relations and how to treat people respectfully at these early meetings. As we got older, Dad often discussed what it felt like to be the only Black person at his job and talked about the relationships he had developed. He was always sharp with his answers, which prepared us how to handle difficult situations in the future and how to create genuine connections with people from different ethnic groups. Until we were adults, we did not know how rewarding these life lessons would be, nor how thankful we would be today for the experiences.
These luncheons taught us many other things. They taught us the importance of family and how to build solid relationships. They allowed us to spend time with our daddy, the first man we ever loved. My father taught us independence, respect, fearlessness, and adventure. He was our original cheerleader and a great motivator. We strengthened our relationships as we matured, and he gave us the best advice on preparing ourselves for our first dates. Daddy would never tell us what to do, but he would listen and say, “Do what is best for you.” He trusted our decisions and made sure that the young men in our lives respected us. He instilled great values in us and strengthened our self-worth. We learned that we should not allow people to take advantage of us. We knew how to love ourselves; we were his diamond and pearl.
I have shared this story to encourage dads everywhere to spend quality time with their children, especially their daughters. You can do so many beautiful activities together. Lunch was just one event with our dad. We celebrated so many other activities, and each is now a cherished memory in our minds. Dad, you are your daughter’s first love. Father-daughter relationships are essential in a girl’s life. A young woman’s first experiences with the man who gave birth to her should be rich with history, memories, and parental love; they serve as a model and road map for the positive relationships she will have with a partner later in life. The experience with her father can either shatter or strengthen her self-esteem.
Fathers, please spend time with your daughters to develop positive and healthy relationships. Without your love to support and guide her, she might end up in a toxic relationship, running after a man who disrespects her, or she might love a man who does not love her back. Your unconditional love can show her that she does not need a man to validate her as a person. You will set the standard of how she chooses a partner by providing the voice in your little girl’s life to validate that she is worthy of love.
Goals and Desire
How many of you have goals and desires you want to accomplish but are afraid to start? A few of you have allowed fear to cripple your minds and stop your plans before you can begin.
Today, take a moment to look at your life. What have you done lately to further your goals? Are you going in the direction you want? What will you do to fulfill your dreams?
How will you change course to remain on the path to do what’s required to complete your tasks? You cannot sit around and hope a goal will come true-you must take action.
Praying is the first activity that can start you on your way to completing your goal. God is always the driver of our actions. Learning to meditate is another option to help you focus on your path to bring your project from inception to completion.
Prayer or meditation in silence works for me. I give my desires to God and listen with an open heart and mind for an answer or inspiration to bring me on my way. God’s guidance comes when you least expect it. I am never confused about what path to take after praying or meditating because I trust God’s direction in my goals.
Gratitude
I woke up with gratitude. I am a happy person, and I have an attitude of gratitude. If you are thankful and appreciate everything given to you, you are so glad. Do you think that you can be that person? How often do you count your blessings? Do you realize you are blessed? Do you respect the people around you and the things they do for you? How often do you thank the people in your life? Remember that a grateful heart is a giving heart. So, share with others, and give with a spirit of gratitude.
Self-care
How are you doing? Are you taking care of yourself? How are you taking care of your mental health? I asked these questions because staying home can become difficult for some people. If you live alone, take time daily to contact friends or loved ones. If you know of a person living by himself or herself, reach out to them to ensure they are okay.
Many family and friends will get sick during this pandemic and remain home alone. Everyone’s health is a perfect miracle until you become ill. So, to ensure that you keep sufficient strength and vitality, let’s keep our minds in a positive place and close them to negativity. Whatever you decide to do to maintain your mental health, always remember that God is the ultimate healer if you get sick. Nothing is incurable, and no disease is more difficult to heal than another. I leave you with this note: a positive mind gives your body strength, joy, and excellent health. So, claim it now because you are not alone.
My COVID-19 Story
The 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 lockdown was real, and I uncovered the life-changing lesson of being grateful. I wrote about my thankful experience because life’s events teach us many valuable lessons.
Believe it or not, I was grateful for the excuse to shelter in place because I felt God was telling us to slow down in our lives. I also looked at this moment as an occasion to grow stronger spiritually. Initially, like everyone, I fussed about losing my freedom. I also looked at the consequences of COVID-19. So, I had to reflect seriously on the lesson we were to learn; I knew it would be revealed as I persisted in looking.
There were days when I questioned why the world was undergoing this pandemic. Still, I wanted to review the number of deaths. I never asked God why. I did not ask God why because I knew that there were no bad experiences, nor did it have any power to hurt me if I protected myself. The quarantine has taught me that my reaction decides whether I experience a blessing. Waking up each morning is a miracle.
I chose to look at what the nation and the world endured as a blessing because I was alive. I also acknowledged the many who expired unnecessarily due to not following the rules. I prayed for the lives lost because I trusted God’s plan. I know him as an awesome God. I know that he does not intentionally place us in harm’s way. Losing my family and friends was challenging; however, I still hoped to see a reduction in deaths. Like many, I wished for an immediate cure.
Yet, when they gave us immediate notice to wash our hands, stay six feet apart, wear a mask, and stay home, I accepted the message out of love for myself and my neighbors. Still, some saw COVID-19 as an enemy and began to resist, struggle, and complain. During this period, I prayed more for people to have common sense and adhere to the rules that would return us to normal quickly because staying home was becoming tiring and mentally draining.
However, I immediately declared, “I am grateful for this experience—in the face of this challenging activity—for I know there is a lesson in it for me.” I realized that not resisting this change would protect me. I would learn my lesson and remain safe in the process.
Several months have passed; I am thankful for this life-changing experience and will try to see the good in it for the rest of my life. This year will end in a few days, and the pandemic still lingers in our communities. However, I plan to go forth with deep trust, acknowledging that faith in God will get us through this national and global crisis.
I choose to turn to God’s great, unfailing wisdom to guide me out of this new normalcy. I will continue to live lovingly despite the stress and mayhem, turning to God’s warm, healing love that will see us through. God is my driver, companion, and constant guide. I have no fear, for, with Him beside me, I know that my prayers will be answered and that we will survive the 2020, 2021, and 2022 COVID-19 pandemic.
All writings are copyright protected by Dr. Angela Banner Joseph