Yesterday when I awoke, the first thing I did was thank the Lord for allowing me to see another day of life.
Later in the afternoon I felt a joy within my spirit.
Today I am relaxed within the stillness of the day, listening to the rain pour down, and taking in the beauty of God’s unwavering presence that is heavily enveloped around me.
It was cloudy and damp when I first went out yesterday. Then eventually, it began to rain later on though the temperature was kind of nice, it wasn’t cold, felt almost like spring from the layers of clothing I had on-even with snow still occupying the ground from the last snowfall we had.
When I arrived home, I put away my groceries from the shopping I had did and prepared me something to eat.
First, I made my aunt tuna fish. It was a request she made along with some crackers. She had spotted the items the moment she noticed them stacked up inside the bag. I had asked her to help me carry up some of the groceries once I made it home.
Afterward, I ate a delicious plate of onion rings. I had not eaten anything all day.
It continued to rain on through the late night into the wee hours of the morning and I slept calmly to the sounds of the drops hitting against my window pane.
Yesterday afternoon I headed out to the post office to find that it was closed. Then I went directly across the street to the bank to find out that establishment was also closed.
Right away, after I noticed the gates locked at the post office, I figured the bank was probably closed too but headed over there anyway.
I immediately said to myself, “It must be a holiday”. So, I took out my smartphone and swiped over to my calendar app. And sure, enough it was president’s day.
Luckily for me, the post office and bank were just a few blocks away from my home, conveniently within walking distance. I did not lose out by wasting a trip on bus fare.
Nevertheless, I hopped on the next bus to take me to the nearest check cashier within my area, which also did not cost me to lose out since the place was in the shopping center where the supermarket was located. I had planned to pick up some groceries afterwards, fortunately everything worked in my favor without me going through a hassle.
Thank the good Lord for his providing of ways and ordering of steps.
Within the current field I work in there included quite a few roads of both convenient, and inconvenient, local and minor distant travel.
For seven years straight I have been a healthcare professional. Before then, and during my present area of employment I have also had multiple occupations within retail.
I have worked two jobs at a time holding a daytime position at one establishment and an overnight position at another.
I have traveled every day from my hometown of Queens, New York through New Jersey to upstate New York in Rockland County.
I have traveled every day or night to Manhattan and Westchester County.
I have worked Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island. I have been to numerous locations all around the city. I have been almost everywhere.
I learned to travel at an early age. My mother use to take me along with her to places all the time. I watched and learned from then. When I branched out on my own during my teens, I already knew how to go from here to there and I had a natural sense of direction as so did my mother.
What I like and have liked about most of my jobs is that I had the fortunate advantage to work independently under my supervisors. There have been assignments that included teamwork and that is great too, especially when co-workers are responsible, capable and behave professionally. However, co-workers are not always dependable, sufficient or cooperative.
I had lead roles where I worked alone and took on and mastered different tasks and functions. I totally enjoyed all of my responsibilities, they were more like fun to me than mere work, and I excelled within all of them. I was like the “energizer bunny“! I just kept going and going.
I had problems and incidents with jealous coworkers yet the incidents did not deter me or interfere with my obligations. I was unbothered and paid their shenanigans no attention. I, of course, stood up for myself and even reported some of them when necessary. I was not afraid of anyone at any of my workplaces.
When I look back, I see how much I rip and ran throughout the years, not only for heading out to work but to taking care of personal business as well. Yes, I maintained a busy pace.
I once took my mother with me on one of the Coach USA buses, I used to catch either on the George Washington bridge or at the Port Authority bus terminal, depending on how I felt like going on any particular day, to pick up my paycheck from Palisades, New York when I worked on a special unit at a facility caring for Alzheimer and Dementia clients.
I thought it would be nice for her to get out and see a different scenery. She very well enjoyed the visit but conveyed to me when she partook in the commute from our bus-ride in queens to two train rides, a long walk underground in the train station through a long tunnel to then catch the thirty-minute bus-ride to our destination, “I would not do this every day”.
I could not blame her at all for her comment. I myself do not even understand how I did it or all of the other things I had done, and was capable of doing them without slacking off. Also, to mention, I was always very punctual, getting to my jobs ahead of time even!
I think it was in 2019 when my mother accompanied me to Brooklyn to take care of some business.
I have worked in Brooklyn, New York a few times and an agency I once worked for was headquartered down there.
Before that particular time period, I had traveled to Brooklyn when I occasionally had to during my early adulthood, and so on.
Brooklyn is not the best area but it is not the worst either, however, I prefer not to go there if I do not have to.
So anyway, in 2019 when I had to go handle an affair my mother would not let me go alone. I was forty-four years old at the time but this woman refused to let me head down to this area by myself. My heart was greatly warmed.
Of, course, my mother knew the certain routes of Brooklyn and other places. She was a busy traveler in her days too.
No matter how old we get we will always receive the solicitous regard of our thoughtful and concerned parents.
Even while out running an errand in our neighborhood I would get phone calls from my mom checking to see if I was alright or what was taking me so long to return home.
It is all so cute and endearing.
The vegan lifestyle is very suitable for me. For over thirty-three years I have maintained a healthy balanced diet. I have been even more cautious of what I eat since last spring.
I consume less oils, salt (which I do not cook with at all) and I stopped eating products with, or loaded with added sugar.
One of my favorite natural and very healthy grains to snack on is popcorn. I always pop my own organic non-GMO brands that I purchase regularly.
Since I learned how to air-pop popcorn kernels in a non-stick pot I eat popcorn more frequently. There was a time I would pop the kernels in olive oil but now I can eat my popcorn as often as I want to without having to consume too much oil in my diet.
The high nutritional value of plain air-popped popcorn goes far up without the use of things like oils/butter, salt, cheeses and other toppings or dressings that people add on for enhanced flavor.
To me, popcorn popped and eaten in its natural state is totally delicious. The yellow popcorn tastes better to me than the white although I love them both.
My mother was a major influence in my world she made a huge impact on my life. Where would I be without the love, attention, and teaching that she gave to me?
Her and I were both smart academically, talented and gifted spiritually, able to learn on our own, to be self-taught without anyone having to train or to inform to us the certain significant matters of life and society. The Lord created us the perfect match for one another.
God played a solid role within my mother’s growth and maintenance. She told me he did a lot for her.
My mother went through a lot from an early age. I wonder how she came through so sufficiently to then endure further hardships with family and other jealous and troubled folk all the while continuing to be a phenomenal mother to me.
Aside from I recognizing God himself proving to be extremely faithful in most of our life circumstances, my mother is the reason I am able to put my hope and trust within the Lord.
Thank you, mommy, for teaching me to pray as a little girl. Thank you, mommy, for all those years of being there for me, always believing in me, always encouraging me. Thank you for being someone I could deeply and genuinely admire, look up to, respect and love ultimately.
Your sense of humor was out of this world, we both cracked each other up. You were funny without trying to be, you had that natural knack for inciting laughter. I get my gaiety from you.
I loved the fondness and ear that we had for different types of music and all of the moments we enjoyed together listening and jamming to the beats. The gospel music you used to play for years was also very inspiring and still motivates me to this very day.
I am so honored and glad that I was born to you, I could not have asked for a better parent. You deserve all the best reward for everything that you have done for me and other undeserving people, and for all that you had to go through in this crazy, twisted world we call a society.
I love you so much, the love you gave to me was untouchable. No one but God can surpass it. Your love highly contributed to my strength, self-worth, and security. You kept me full, never lacking or needing anything other than the nurturing I was supplied with.
I am a survivor, a complete woman due to the fierce and selfless woman in you. Mom, you sacrificed yourself as a true mother does always putting me first.
You were never last to me. You are my number one. The best woman I ever knew. You are my best friend, you and Brandie! Forever, and ever, and ever.
I love you.
Daily Living, By Miss LaToya 