Free your mind, feel good

Live and let live, that's my motto – at least I try not to judge. I'm not always successful, but I try. Who am I to think I'm always right, anyway? Besides, being constipated with grudges and judgmentalism clogs the spirit and backs you up with negative emotions, stress, and illness. I want none of that.

Are you with me? Need an antidote to runaway judgmentalism? I give you En Vogue...

Prejudice, wrote a song about it.

Like to hear it? Here it go.

I wear tight clothing, high heeled shoes

It doesn't mean that I'm a prostitute, no no

I like rap music, wear hip hop clothes

That doesn't mean that I'm out sellin' dope no no

Oh my forgive me for having straight hair, no

It doesn't mean there's another blood in my heir yeah yeah

I might date another race or color

It doesn't mean I don't like my strong black brothers.

Why oh why must it be this way

Before you can read me you gotta learn how to see me, I said

Free your mind and the rest will follow

Be color blind, don't be so shallow.

Free your mind and the rest will follow

Be color blind, don't be so shallow

So I'm a sistah

Buy things with cash

That really doesn't mean that all my credit's bad, oooh

So why dispute me and waste my time

Because you really think the price is high for me

I can't look without being watched, and oh

You rang my buy before I made up my mind, OW!

Oh now attitude, why even bother

I can't change your mind, you can't change my color

Why oh why must it be this way?

Before you can read me you gotta learn how to see me, I said

Free your mind and the rest will follow

Be color blind, don't be so shallow…

Why oh why must it be this way?

Before you can read me you gotta learn how to see me, I said

Free your mind and the rest will follow

Be color blind, don’t be so shallow… FREE YOUR MIND!

Love!
Donna

Sports Illustrated cover girl, Mo'Ne Davis

Reporter: “What’s your signature pitch?" 
Mo’ne Davis: “Strike.”

Mo'ne Davis at #ESPNThePicnic (Kaitee Daley)

Forget about your models in skimpy bikinis. Little League World Series pitching star, Mo'Ne Davis, has taken over the cover of Sports Illustrated! See photo highlights of her outstanding performance here.

A role model to girls who love sports, Mo'Ne has a 70-mph fastball, and she's the only girl on her team, the Taney Dragons.

Not that I keep up with Sports Illustrated covers, but I can't remember when a 13-year-old black girl from Philly dominated the cover of any magazine, not to mention SI, but there she is, in all her skilled, disciplined, gorgeous glory.

That's not all. Jackie Robinson West, the Little League team from the south side of Chicago, won the U.S. title! I will never, ever, forget that last play FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!!

To watch these young people play ball was a thing of beauty. Congratulations to their parents, and double props to their coaches. Even the commentators had to give it up: these kids have skills. And I loved their sportsmanship. Beautiful.

Mo'Ne and the boys have restored my faith in youth, and I know I'm not alone in feeling this way. When coming home the evening after JRW's big win against Nevada, a young football team was waiting for us at the stoplight off I-57. They were trying to raise money for their upcoming season. Helmets in hand, they walked in a dignified manner in between the lanes as their coaches kept a watchful eye.

I gave money, as did nearly everyone who stopped at the light. When children work hard, we must support them. Whether they win the game or not is not always the point. Mastering a skill develops self-esteem, discipline, time management, and a strong sense of team in kids.

In my family, we put our children in music (see SugarStrings), but sports is equally powerful in developing physical, social, and cognitive skills. Like I said, a beautiful thing.

I bet Jackie Robinson is up in heaven giving the angels high fives!

Love!
Donna