Haston Helping Hands-Wear A Mask! Wear A Mask!
Wear a mask! Wear a mask!! Wear a mask!
Amplifying Black Voices- Melody Hobson
In aid of listening more and talking less, I am going to be amplifying black women and their voices. First up,
Melody Hobson
Please watch, and comment with some of your favourite black women speakers.
Think About It.
Listen, Learn, Dismantle, Action- REPEAT
Dear Readers,
Far more learned folks than I, are taking pen to paper or pixel to screen to opine or share opinions or actions we can take to fight racism and there is just one thing I feel compelled to share right now.
This mantra-
listen to black voices,
learn what you don’t know from people who don’t look like you.
Dismantle your own white supremacy. Surprise! even the most staunch ally has racist thoughts.
Then take action. That can be buying from a black owned business, voting out racist politicians, protest.
Then, in some ways, this might be the hardest one, REPEAT
It’s not one and done, folks. There is no more snoozing that alarm clock-
These are just a few images I have been looking at and investigating, and I promised to keep you posted. I invite you to post your thoughts and questions since we are ALL in this together.
“Don’t wait for it to hit you personally to take it seriously”- Professor Haston
No more snoozing, follow these steps-
1.Listen
2. Learn
3. Dismantle
4. Action
5. REPEAT
It’s that hard, and exactly that simple.
Think About It.
Haston Helping Hands-Amplifying Black Voices
I see you, I hear you, I feel you. I am sorry. I am listening and learning.
Here are some black voices to follow and listen to. This is not an exhaustive list. Find others- share- Lift up black voices.
Don’t wait for it to hit you personally to take it seriously -Jenn Haston~
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Haston Helping Hands-“You Are A Bird”
I go to the sea to breathe….
Dear Readers,
Mary Anne Radmacher says, “I come to the sea to breathe.” I was given this saying on a magnet six years ago, when my husband and we traveled to Cannon Beach with Mama Mo (Poppa Joe’s lovely wife) and we spent the day frolicking (and I do mean that in every sense of the world) in the sand and the surf. We had traveled to Oregon for a second honeymoon three years into our marriage and it was relaxing, and restful.
Yesterday my family and I returned to the sea to breathe.
Okay. It wasn’t the sea, it was the lake, but my heart surely did not feel the difference. As soon as I felt that cold water touch my feet, I was instantly calmer and more serene. I have to say that I told my husband, I NEED to be in water, I really wanted that, but until yesterday I didn’t realize that it really was a need.
It was such a lovely respite from the crazy and turbulent days we have had lately. Real life intruded all too quickly, and we had to go home, but with a fervent promise to return not too long from now.
Where do you find peace?
Think About It.
Now, plan a trip there, soon
Breathe. Breathe. Cry if you want to, Now Breathe…
Dear Readers,
As we head into day ????? (well, to be honest, I have really lost count, not to mention the fact that everyone’s count is different, I started taking it seriously on March 16, 2020, so looking at that, today is day 65 for me, but I know others started way sooner) of this thing called Covidia, I am finding myself more prone to reaction than response. I am working hard to do as I tell my child, “breathe” when she gets upset and crying. It’s good advice, (thanks Rachel) – I watched her do this with her kiddo and pulled it into my parenting bag of tricks.
it took Vivienne almost 3 years to learn it as a self-soothing technique, and Mom is still working on getting it down.
I am partially joking, but truly, breathing is so good for self-regulation for so many reasons. The first of which is that it lets you STOP and check your (temper) ature. Are you Frustrated? Tired? Angry? Done? If you are feeling anything like I am right now, you are feeling a combination of these things hourly, and sometimes it makes sense and other times you can’t explain it.
This is NORMAL. You are human, not an alien, as my good friend, Dr. Keya Litt likes to say.
Then again, we can’t continually stay in that state, so we need to be sure to ask for help, this is where the support piece comes in to play. A good example is a a virtual group I am part of, it’s been emotionally exhausting to keep checking in, and I can’t speak for you, but I am getting pretty burnt out on virtual meetings, so I have opted out of a few recently and the peace I feel over that, is revealing.
Something else I do, no matter what, every day at the end of the day I meditate for 2-3 minutes. I am convinced it helps to keep me sane during this time of insanity.
Another thing that helps is a good old-fashioned phone call. No FaceTime, No Zoom, just the phone. Pick it up and call someone that you miss, chances are they will be surprised and happy to hear from you, and if not, there will be a short awkward conversation and you can go back to texting.
In the meantime, it’s my platform so I will stand on my soapbox if I want to, so please wash your hands, wear a mask and please please please social distance. As much as some people are thinking the “danger has passed” it has not. Maybe you think I am wrong, and let me go on record now to say I would be DELIGHTED to be so, and for now, for me, and our family, I will wear a mask to protect us both and ask that you do the same.
Think About It.
Haston Helping Hands-“How Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
How Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
Haston Helping Hands 