Thank you my love.
There is a Buddhist saying that goes: a single drop of water dripping contiuously over time will eventually wear a hole in a stone-Now you know that's not exactly what it says-but close enough.

I seem to have been chosen to be that drop for justice.
Somehow, all these different kinds of people have been dropped literally in my lap so I have been able to observe much like Jane Goddal, the habits of people.
I have come to the conclusion-much to my chagrin to find that my grandmama and other elders knew what they were talking about.

We are different!
As different as the flowers in a garden. We have many commonalities, but the differences are cultural, genetic and some others I can't think of-anyway-my take on what I have observed is that in trying so hard to be "pc" and ignore the elephant in the room, we have re-created a tower of Babel by assuming we know what people are talking about based on the words we hear.

Well that is a terrible place to start!
Words mean different things to different people.

I have seen a person I was talking to get red in the face, defensive and go into a 5 minute monologue of his virtures because I said some word like "ownership" or something. His mind jumped to plantations or some other insanity since I have never been on a plantation therefore would have no need to take that connotation - until he put it in my head. at least.

Fortunately, I was in a setting to stop and examine where we had reached a fork in the conversation-what he had heard versus what I had said.

I often have to come back to correct something someone has interpreted my words to "mean" that had nothing to do with what I had written here in black and white (no pun intended). I can't stand for anybody to say "what she meant to say" - Those are fighting words, I know how to say exactly what I mean to say and I say it-no translation needed.

Until we can work comfortably with understanding the differences between to create common workable language, people will continue to stumble over good intentions based on a slip of the tongue and nothing more.

Joyce,

May those children follow in your footsteps.

Love,

Luella

Luella May and John Elliott, aka Oaky Wood

Thank you all for dropping by and helping me to honor

Maya Angelou

Luella

Luella May and John Elliott, aka Oaky Wood

Awsome 32nd Woman of Courage!!!!

I admire Maya Angelou...;-) A very strong choice for this honor. Thank you for sharing!!

Welcome, Sharon Lee ... Maya Angelou is awesome and a wonderful choice for our 32nd Woman of Courage.

Dear Joyce,

Misunderstanding or mishearing what another says is so common.  Not only among blacks and whites, but among husbands and wives, teachers and students and I'm sure the list could go on and on.

Not to make light of what you are saying because I do understand.  Nobody likes their words to misinterpreted.

This is wonderful and says so much about your strength.  "I can't stand for anybody to say what she meant to say" - Those are fighting words, I know how to say exactly what I mean to say and I say it - no translation needed."

I used to have a verse that dealt with the subject that I just loved.  I will need to see if I can find it, so I can share it with you.   

I love it that you are different!  I love the comparison to flowers in the garden.  If only others would see us the same way.  

Just a thought: