SQUARE SANDWICHES

Former Student Friends (FSF's) and I share a group on FB. Aside from solving all of the world's problems on the page, we engage in, sometimes, very interesting discourse about almost anything. An interesting question was posed yesterday: "What food did you eat as a child that you hated?" Everyone had various answers from brussel sprouts to chitlins. My answer was grits and oatmeal because I ate both too many times, and to this day, I refuse to eat either. It was very interesting to see what role food plays in our lives. One person's answer intrigued me. She mentioned how when she was in school, everyone had square sandwiches, but she had to take chorizo burritos or scrambled eggs and potato burritos. She said she wanted to hide in the bathroom to eat her lunch. Those words reminded me of how we really are what we eat. As a child of Caribbean themed Miami, I can't survive without a freezer full of conch. I was in Heaven in Nassau last week when I went to an outdoor restaurant "under the bridge" and saw the man take the conch out of the shell and make conch salad. My sister and I ate that fresh salad and relished the memories it brought. Interestingly enough, this is no longer a "square sandwich" world. It is a beautiful new world, where brussel sprouts, tortillas, pho, conch fritters, collard greens, chiltins, and bitter melon, can all be appreciated. There are those who recently relied upon the "square sandwich eaters," and found out that they were not enough. Inclusivity involves letting all foods reign! There is no need to be embarrassed anymore by what we eat, what we look like, what we wear, what we believe, who we love, how we love, when we love. I love this new world order! I am a cross-cultural eater because it reflects my beliefs. So eat, even if it's a square sandwich, recognizing that that is not all there is anymore!

BECAUSE I am Black!

I have refrained from writing during this election cycle, although I have had a few blogs running through my mind. In honor of my birthday yesterday, I decided to blog in honor of the 68th anniversary of my birth. I have no doubt that our POTUS will be re-elected this Tuesday, and I have not wavered in that opinion during this entire vitriolic time. I always believe, optimist that I am, that good wins over evil, even though it may take a little time. A storm during the other folks convention, and a storm a week before the election. We know that after each storm, calm comes, and it will happen in this case. Coincidence, I think not! It is all a part of the Master plan. One of my greatest irritants has been the question "Are you voting for him because he is Black?" My answer is "I am voting for him because I am Black." I have voted all of my Black life, because I am Black. I am voting for him because he is smart; Because has a smart wife; Because is a great father; Because he is cool; Because he knows what he is doing; Because he has a world view and he has lived it (We Former Peace Corps Volunteers love that); Because he has not reacted to the negativity in a silly way; Because he is patient; Because he CARES about people; Because he represents the things I believe in; Because he is trustworthy; Because he is truthful; Because he is proactive; And yes, Because I am Black!