Category: Writing

How do you show love?

This is one of the easier prompts that I’ve written on during this month.

I show love by being present and attentive.  One of the biggest investments a person can make is by his or her presence.  One can only be at one place at one time.  Where you choose to be is important because there are so many things that one can get involved.   So if I’m invited to a certain event,  I’ll show up.*.   That’s my contribution in the physical.

I’m livin’ in the future so the present is my past.  My presence is a present… – Kanye West

* That comes with conditions of course.  E.g., the event doesn’t conflict with my schedule and I’m generally in favor of the cause and inviter.

What’s a lie you tell yourself?

The lie I tell myself is that I have no fear: That I’m bold. That I’m flawless.  That is further from the truth.

The truth is that I have fear.  I am scared of certain unknowns.  I’m usually very quiet but this is where having a relationship with God comes in.  He sent His son to take away sting of death, which fear is a part of.  I have to trust God.  He operates in faith so as His child I should be doing the same.  But I don’t.  I don’t execute the faith walk as I should or like I want.

As I get older I’m becoming open to this.  I’m not invincible but I know the One who is. And that is comforting.

*postdated

What was your dream job as a child?

My dream job as a child was to become a professional athlete like a basketball player.  I wanted to play on the Knicks because that was (and still is) my favorite team as a child.  They were very good once I started paying attention to NBA basketball in the early 90s.  If it wasn’t for Michael Jordan and the Bulls of that era they would have won a title.

That is why I was crushed when they made it to the NBA Finals in 1994 and lost to the Houston Rockets.  They were one game away from winning the championship.  And MJ was living out his (first) retirement away from the game.

The childhood dream still inspires me to this day.  I am far away from an NBA roster at my age, but the desire to be in good athletic shape and good health still inspires me.  I play semi-pro basketball now and I’m becoming better at the game of basketball.  But, who knows, maybe I’ll have my 15 minutes on NBA roster someday. LOL.

*POSTDATED

Who is your favorite author and why?

My favorite author as of late has been Andrew Wommack.  He’s a TV minister who main teaching on focusing on the grace of God.  He has a number of books various aspects of being a believer and knowing who you are in Christ.

My favorite one is Spirit, Soul & Body.  That one has shaped my understanding as to what really happened when I chose to be a believer.  I don’t normally do a lot of plugs but you should check it out.

What irritates you about the home you live in?

First off I’m very thankful to be live in an apartment in New York City.  There are a lot homeless people here and it doesn’t seem like the numbers are going down.  With that said, I live in a 5 floor walkup building and I’m on the 4th floor.  Fortunately, in my time here, I haven’t had too many situations with carrying large packages or items up the stairs.  Also, it works out well because I can use the opportunity to add some extra steps to my daily goal of 10,000 per day.

*Postdated

What color describes your personality and why?

I would say black and neon blue. I consider myself to be an extraverted introvert.  I can thrive in social situations.  I like hanging around large crowds, people watching, and being outgoing.  Also, I tend to stand out because of my height and skin tone. That’s explanation for the neon blue.

However, I tend to be a laid-back dude who’s a homebody. Just plain. As a matter of fact, I am obscure.  Someone who likes to fade into the background like I didnt exist.  Ergo the color black.

What’s your favorite meal to cook and/or eat?

My favorite food is lasagna.  I remember when my dad used to cook it for my sister and me when we were younger.  I was immediately hooked with all the layers of pasta, cheese, sauce, and meat.  The corner pieces with the burned cheese edges were so good.  After writing this prompt I might have to find a pizzeria to get a piece.  (Also,  I became a big fan of the Stouffer’s kind.  Not anymore since it has so much sodium.)

Describe the happiest day in your life.

I think one of those days was when I graduated college.  I didn’t think that it would have happened.

My mom had passed away the year before. I was trying to take care of possessions and the house since there was no one there.  I was supposed to get help in driving up there from an uncle but he had gotten into an accident so he couldn’t make.  A lot of other adverse things that happened then but  I had a good support system ranging from my then-girlfriend, to my buddies from college, and my dad and sis.

Fortunately I was able to finish the job and graduate.   That was one my greatest achievements.

Do you have a memory that’s linked to a smell?

Yeah I do.  There was time when I was younger around 10 or 11 years when my sister and I would stay at our mother’s house during the weekends.  On Saturday nights, I would take the responsibility of cooking dinner for us.  Normally it was Hamburger Helper (Cheeseburger Macaroni flavor) and, boy, that was so good.  The fragrance of cheese and beef coming from that skillet was second to none for me.  I really enjoyed that time to prep and cook.  To see the final product was an amazing feeling.  Eating the final product was even.

Man, those were some good times.

What fear have you conquered?

I would say it’s being around people and speaking with confidence around them.

I consider myself an introvert.  I like to be by myself and quite frankly I am a homebody.  I don’t even have a television in my apartment and I enjoy reading.  When it comes to being around new people, I get kind of nervous.   Ordinarily I would shy away from those interactions but recently I forced myself to approach people that I don’t know and introduce myself and engage in conversation.  It’s a work in progress.