The 7th Day of Kwanzaa Imani - Faith

This is the last day of the Holiday season and Kwanzaa. The rest are just days off work.

It is January 1st and I have agonized about not breaking bread with you since the 10th or something like that. I also got into a quagmire trying to get a radio show up after an awesomely awesome time with Drs Melissa Harris Lacewell and Yolanda Pierce, the ladies of The Kitchen Table on December 20th whose blog you can find at www.princetonprofs.blogspot.com . I have agonized more.

Time keeps on slipping into the future and with each day so much to do preparing for the holidays, being on holiday and returning home from holiday.

Over the break I have contemplated the meaning of life or if I was just having a nervous breakdown and no one told me. I know I love imparting math knowledge to young peole, the "practice" known as "teaching" is however daunting. I like most single mothers are in need of relief. I am personally looking for a caped hero who is never coming.

My two favorite things in the world to do: writing and talking, I didn't get at during this "break". Now its summarily over. I sit here writing listening to Stevie Wonder thinking of my friend Judy with whom I spent time with in Atlanta as our sons born two weeks apart became reaquainted. We talked non stop about Love, Life, Pain and music, the music, the music, the music all things Stevie Wonder, The Roots, Incognito and my new boyfriend, Q Tip. I even got to watch the Donny Hathaway Unsung....I was blown away.

My Christmas Holiday was also spent crossing county and state lines through Atlanta, GA; Selma AL; Montgomery, AL; Coffeville, AL; Birmingham, AL and finally Huntsville, AL (the place of my birth). I updated Facebook and Twitter all along the backroads and highways we drove.

I constantly contemplated where we were going as we drove, as well as, where I was going mentally and spiritually particularly on a journey for which my 6 year old son, Ali is my constant companion. We however travelled with Faith as our constant companion each time we set out.

We never doubted that whether late or early we'd always arrive at the desired destination. Even if we got lost or became concerned about a route choice, we would consult the human GPS at the local gas station or just a nice Black woman in a convenient store to get back on track.

We were visiting relatives and friends...old friends and some new. Upon our arrival in Coffeville, AL to the Kiel Settlement we were greeted by my cousin Nikki whom I had not seen in 15 years. When we last laid eyes upon another she was 19, pregnant and pouring her heart out into 6 feet of dirt where her mother was being laid to rest a few feet from where my own mother was already resting.

Nikki and I spent time on Christmas Day running to the local Walgreens which was approximately 40 minutes away in a town called Thomasville, AL and while there we bought Poinsettias for the grave sites of our mothers.

As well, while in Coffeville for the annual Family Reunion, I met my cousin's new girlfriend Dina of whom I was initially suscpcious, she looked white and all I could think was that after a year of campaigning for Barack Obama my high road talk of race was still mired in some challenges. She turned out to be Egyptian, which made it all okay somehow.

After time spent with her and the sensitivity she showed toward my son Ali I realized that an unwilling faith to be sweet to her made me a recipient of her sweetness. She was authentic. She was genuine. I got a New Year's text (of the many :-) from her 15 minutes after I thought ..."I should text Dina ...I miss her".

I find often that if it appears to be honest and true then I have to go with it. "Going with it" is Faith. I believe that it could be the most important of the 7 Principles that Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba . As a believer in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is in the Christian Tradition a huge concept to wrap my head around and live by.

The thing that gets tricky is how to comfortably walk in the confidence of that faith. I work to discern which came first the Chicken called "Faith" or the Egg named "Confidence"...or is it the Chicken named "Confidence" or the the Egg named "Faith".

I just know that Faith without works or action is in fact dead. If I believe it and the rest is honest and true...I will have to "go with it" in action, deed and spirit. The next time I think I should text a new friend...I will stop and do it.

In 2009 I am therefore going to "go with it" and always take Ali with me....

See you at Inauguration (because I went "with it" back in January 2008) and give us a listen this Saturday, January 3rd at www.blogtalkradio.com/djdannak

oh yeah....

Keep the Faith ....in Barack... in ourselves.... and others