this is… The Neighborhood
the Story within the Story
REDEFINE PATIENCE
image by cocoparisienne
Never be afraid to take a moment to think.
∞∞∞
from Sacramento
Hustle Rhythm Soul feat. H-Y Loco
with I Gotchu
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Redefine Patience
written & edited by Kendall F. Person
When we were all just kids, our parents would often tell us or demand of us, “Patience, we will be there soon.” But even if we were of the age and could tell time, it still had no meaning, like the week before Christmas, which felt like a torturous month. But each time we asked, “Is Santa here yet?” patience was the word that filled the void of a proactive response. As adults, rather we are counting down the days to our long overdue vacation or for any other joyous pursuits, we often consider patience, as our only consolation
But patience has a darker side, sinister for its ability to hide, clever in its disguise, fooling us into believing, it is an attribute – that as a (young) adult is no longer of good use – so the drumbeat of Right Now is adhered to, then years later they will wonder, “Why am I still standing where I started?.”
Do not stop its use… patience.
But as we learn and teach ourselves to think bigger thoughts, imagine bigger dreams, and even though, there is a prize we are eyeing, capturing the prize becomes of small favor…. because redefining patience, and understanding the new definition, nourishes our inner peace – minimizing the need of instant gratification for the individual self.
Redefining patience, should be demonstrated in its use when spoken to our youth, “Be patient, here’s a good book,” or “Why don’t we draw,” so that they learn at an early age, that patience is not doing nothing, but actually taking steps to doing something great.
PRESENCE OF MIND: Lesson Learned from Daring Self-Rescue by a 7-year-old Erica Pratt
It is by presence of mind in untried emergencies
that the native metal of man is tested.
– James Russell Lowell, An American Romantic
∞∞∞
from 2002 – I Can
by Nasir Jones aka Nas
(lyrics version)
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I have 21 years in the Police Department,
and I have never seen this kind of heroic act
of bravery committed by a 7-year-old.
– Philadelphia Police Inspector William Colarulo,
Presence of Mind
written by Kendall F. Person
inspired by Erica Pratt
in support of James Vinson III
Imagine
You are driving along a rain slicked highway in the dark of night, making visibility near zero. In the distance, you notice the bright blinking lights of the overhead sign and you assume it will read: DRIVE SLOWLY. Or perhaps a severe weather alert, of which you are well aware. But on the approach, the message becomes clear. Your heart skips a beat and with eyes wide open, you say a little prayer: AMBER ALERT. Child abductions are parents’ worst nightmare, and even the thought of a helpless child in the hands of a dangerous stranger is more than enough to rattle our nerves.
After the rescue, a smiling 7 year-old Erica Pratt, and the nation smiled back.
On July 22, 2002, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a 7-year-old girl by the name of Erica Pratt was abducted while playing on a neighborhood street. That year, high-profile kidnappings had swept the land leaving the nation on high alert, so the search for little Erica was immediate and intense. Blind-folded, bound and gagged and left in the basement of a vacant building, seven-year-old Erica Pratt refused to become a victim, so she imagined a way out. Gnawing through the duct tape, she freed her tiny hands; no longer constrained, she reasoned upon an exit. Using all of her might, she smashed out a basement window, screamed for help, and ultimately….. saved herself.
“In the end, maybe the best defense you can give your kids [and ourselves] is not a blind fear of [others], but rather instilling self-assurance and presence of mind.” – Mark Coatney, Time Magazine
The lesson can be applied well beyond what we learned and depending on the situation: presence of mind = keeping your head
— The Neighborhood
April 23 -28 teach learn and engage,
in a transforming week of awareness
2017 MENTAL HEALTH WEEK, 2nd Annual
*For the entire awareness week experience, please register on Facebook at 2017 Mental Health Week or like The Neighborhood Facebook. Interest in becoming an active participate, shout YES in a comment, whisper sure in a message or INQUIRE by email: abovetheclouds@kendallfperson.com Your help is needed, for sure (big smile)
*Cheers to Marcie Carlsen, the 1st monthly Supporter
has Reached One Year (You are appreciated – huge smile)
DONATE via Paypal.
or in-kind. Ask why or how.
(Kendall F. Person for The Neighborhood)
∞∞∞
The Neighborhood exist
above the clouds or not all.
produced & created by Kendall F. Person
2017 Chair, Lisa Troedson, Tenacity Goddess
a cast still unknown.
But we see you. Hope you see us too.
AT ITS WORSE: DEPRESSION IS A COLD-BLOODED, MOOD DISORDER
Depression is a common mental disorder
that affects people of all ages,
from all walks of life and in every nation.
– WHO, World Health Day spotlights Depression
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The worst part of being depressed isn’t the numbness, it’s the lies that depression makes you tell yourself. It tells you that your best friend on earth hates you. It tells you that if you were to confide in someone that they wouldn’t care. It tells you that you are the biggest disgrace to ever walk the face of the planet. You might reject these lies for a while but eventually you start to believe them. You start to push people away because you don’t want to be a burden. – Depression by Suzanne Davidson, 2016 Mental Health Week
At its worse, living with depression is suicidal.
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from 1994, Tupac
with Pain
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April 7, 2017 World Health Day spotlights Depression.
The following, is in remembrance
of lives lost to depression, that in some way
touched The Neighborhood.
At Its Worse:
Depression is a Cold-Blooded Mood Disorder
by Kendall F. Person
Kurt Donald Cobain
With the stunning success of Nirvana’s 2nd studio album, Nevermind (75 million copies sold, worldwide) Kurt Donald Cobain, was not only one of the most popular entertainers of the time, but one of the most relevant voices of Generation X. Young, rich, famous and a new family to share it all with, on the surface, there was no one happier than the uber talented godfather of grunge.
But through the looking glass self, he saw an entirely different man: a washed up artist that would never overcome his addiction, thereby doomed to a life of depression. So ruthless the hallucinations in his reality, that even the joy of Frances Bean Cobain – his one year daughter – was no match for the pain created by an untreated mental health disorder. On April 5, 1994 Kurt Donald Cobain put a shotgun to his head, pulled the trigger, and became a worse case scenario. – Breathe eps. iii Imagine
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Phyllis Hyman
She was forever a wounded singer, unhappy living in the shadows of Whitney and Madonna. But to the fans that knew her music, she was our biggest star. And not until her untimely death, would we ever make a connection, that her beautiful ballads were desperate, lonely songs.
On June 30, 1995, just hours before she was scheduled to take the stage at the famed Apollo Theatre, Miss Phyllis Hyman would fall victim to a web of internal lies, that deceived only her. But that deception was enough for her to commit suicide by an overdose of sedatives.
– A Tale of Two Women
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There has been beautiful, there has been young, there has been rich and there has been combinations of all of the above, but funny is something almost unheard of. Funny is suppose to take the pain away. Funny brightens the mood and according to medical professionals, laughter produced from funny raises our pain threshold, reduces stress and enhances immunity by boosting our levels of antibodies.
Funny is not suppose to be sad.
It is no wonder, that the death by suicide of comedic genius Robin Williams sent shockwaves around the world. He was funny and he was very sad. On August 11, 2014, upon the unfunny revelation – that Robin Williams hung himself – sadness was all that was left. – Unfunny: The Death of Robin Williams Spotlights Depression
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It’s all bad y’all…
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
Cruising in the 300 Chrysler. Wishing the world could be a little brighter. But all I can seem to find is this lighter. It’s all bad y’all.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
If there’s a God then He’s calling me back home. This barrel never felt so good next to my dome. It’s cold & I’d rather die than live alone.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
It’s… all… bad… y’all. *puts finger around trigger*
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
I love you Mom.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
I love you Dad.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
I love you Katherine.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
God… please forgive me.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
I’m sorry.
— Freddy E. (@Freddy_E) January 5, 2013
A promising career was not enough to convince Freddy E, a young man of only 23 years, to stick to the fight, when you’re hardest hit; it’s when things seemed worst, that you must not quit. But most troubling, was the jedi-mind tricked played by depression: convincing him that he was all alone, even as he expressed love to his parents and live-tweeted his suicide to his fans.
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Heather Workes,
Heather, the time you spent in The Neighborhood, courageously telling your story and sharing your struggle, touched many lives. I had to take a long pause upon fully comprehending, that When the Abuse Stops was not just your reality, but the ongoing story of your life. I will always be grateful for the time spent with you, (and my good friend) and as promised, your presence here, has not been forgotten.
It is in your memory, in which we continue to search for answers, as how to make the downhill stop; and to bring and maintain awareness, that depression – while common – is a cold blooded mood disorder, and no stigma exist that should prevent us from getting help.
On May 23, 2014, when Heather Workes took her own life, it was over a decade after the abuse had stopped.- In Mourning: The Neighborhood Remembers One of Its Own
Depression is treatable. Help is out there. Reach out and talk to someone you trusts. Talking may be your first step toward cheers.
*Note to An Aspiring Rapper
**Rapper Live Tweets His Own Suicide, The Verge
April 7, 2017 World Health Day spotlights ‘Depression’
WHAT’S UP MY BROTHER? SAYS THE BRILLIANCE TO THE BRILLIANT (AND EVERYONE ELSE)
“Would I lay down my life to save my brother?
No, but I would to save two brothers or eight cousins.”
– John B.S. Haldane, Geneticists
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John B.S. Haldane was an award winning scientist, who made important contributions in mathematics, statistics, physiology, evolutionary biology, and of course genetics where he was presented with the Kimber Award by the United States National Academy of Sciences. A brilliant scholar, no doubt but in my short venture into his life, it was his deep thoughts about everything, that made him a man I wanted to learn more about. Or perhaps, the song I was listening too, while researching the man behind opening quote, made the connection, by happenstance.
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BROTHER
by The Brilliance
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“What’s Up, My Brother?”
Says The Brilliance to the Brilliant (and Everyone Else).
written & edited by Kendall F. Person
inspired by Rudyard & Michelle
Sometimes, scholars lose sight of what all that knowledge was meant for. I am a champion of the university bubble, truly believing that knowledge offers the solutions to everything, but it does no good if the wisdom is held inside a bubble made of plexiglass, and the inhabitants share back and forth in a spectacular exclusion, never imagining a way to share the wealth (shade thrown at The Sacramento County Academic Decathlon, but another story).
But songs like Brother – perhaps a would be candidate for the Kimber Music Award, had it not crashed, when the Kimber Science Award was stripped from the occassion – and recording artists like The Brilliance demonstrate a comprehension of sharing emotion, and telling a story through a simplistic message, that exist, however, on equal scales with the deep thinkers, who rarely venture out of the hollowed halls.
Through the course of his life, John BS Haldane would not limit himself to the discipline that brought him fame. He was a communist for awhile, but even when he wore that banner, his intellect would not allow a robotic or fanatical ideology to set in. As a member of the communist party, he notably stated, that the United States even as it grappled over the resemblance of socialism in government, could never be undone by limitations of life under communism. An atheist by design and definition, but when questioned by theologians, his responses were anything but decisive. Perhaps smart enough to know, how much he never would.
“It seems to me immensely unlikely that mind is a mere by-product of matter. For if my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true.“
As scholars have sought to make intellect a private club, ministers of religious ideology, who fire shots in condemnation from high upon the pedestal from which they judge, have also preferred closed doors. But it was not religion that took the hit, but rather it created a fog over faith and belief, forcing doubt where it did not need be.
But Brother builds bridges. The song does not hide who its praises are for, but does so without excluding anyone from its remarkable charm. Emotions and conviction are inhaled in every word. Brother breaks it down so completely, that peace and love are all we feel, and even the New York vibe in the rhythm, that keeps us continously bobbing our heads, will force gospel music purists, to ride the wave, as The Brilliance – in 3 short minutes – puts on a revival via musical performance, that makes us feel closer to one another, and inspired by our belief in a higher power,
The Brilliance and the brilliant, lived in two separate times, and by all appearances, not found above the clouds, in two separate worlds. But had they met, the brilliant scientists and The Brilliance christian music group would have stopped and took note of the other. “How were they able to touch a non conflicted part of me, that I did not know existed?” Haldane may have pondered. And for David Gungor and John Arndt, their thoughts and intent, would have been clear from jump: When I look into the face of my enemy, I see my Brother. (opening lyrics)
When the song ends and the music stops, allow the flow just one more moment: the very next person in our path, greet them in sincerity, with the words “What’s up, my brother?” and note how good it makes us feel.
Brother from the album Brother by The Brilliance available on itunes
Shout out to Young Lawrence for sharing Brother with me.
THE POWER OF RESPECT IS FREE
image by John Hain
“There is nothing more despicable
than respect based on fear.”
– Albert Camus, Philosopher
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In every culture, on every level there is a line that need not be crossed. It is not written, rarely stated and never etched in sand, but simply taken for granted – or discarded – that regardless of our differences there is still respect of man; a reverence of one another, as an extension of oneself. Not necessarily on a spiritual level nor from a lineage perspective, but a sense of knowing, that we are all in this world together. Rather rich or poor, black or white, christian or muslim, that indeed, we are our brothers keeper.
As human beings, we are full of uncontrolled emotions. We may laugh one minute, then without notice, breakdown and cry. We allow rage to overcome us, to blow an everyday situation, way out of proportion. We may covet our best friend’s rise in stature and fame, although we truly want to be happy for their success. Yet when these feelings pass, we dismiss the occurrence as simply awakening on the wrong side of the bed. But what if we sought to understand our emotions, rather than suffocating them in a time-controlled box. What if we stood back, after an out-of-nowhere emotional meltdown, and required answers from ourself, as to what turns us from civil, peaceful people… into ticking time bombs.
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F.U.W.
by Jussie Smollett
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The Power of Respect is Free
written & edited by Kendall F. Person
In the early 1920’s, the deep south in the United States was not just a racially segregated place, but fostered a bewildering belief system, that a man or woman could be judged simply by the color of their skin. Black Americans’ pursuit of higher learning was limited and inferior, and yet still ridiculed as being uneducated and foolish. Subject of medicinal experiments, without their consent or knowledge, and unwelcomed in the sanctity of most white churches, yet decry, that black Americans were heathens. But the systematic discrimination was not the catalyst that would lead to the Civil Rights Movement, inequality was simply everyday life, and while the cause would become known as a fight for freedom, in actuality, what lit the fuse was being unable and unwilling to further withstand the crippling humiliation of being disrespected as human beings.
Eldridge Cassidy (right) Hope Arkansas
Some changes in behavior take generations to unlearn. Many structural inequities require acts of government legislation to overturn. While most of our formal history lessons revolve around wars, turmoil and hardships, not everyone living in the deep south had to wait for laws to pass to conform or understand – all men deserve to be treated like men.
Eldridge and Edith Cassidy owned a small store in Hope Arkansas – a typical southern town steeped in bigotry with blacks and whites living on opposite sides of the tracks. While most white-owned businesses would not even conduct a money-changing transaction with their fellow black citizen, The Cassidy’s sold goods and gave credit to citizens of all races, respecting them as customers and people who were trying to raise and nurture families, just like them. They would, by their actions as much as by their words, and without knowing or intent, pass down a legacy of respect and kindness, that would one day be felt across the land. When The Cassidy’s grandson was elected the 42nd President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton proudly presented a cabinet and inner circle of a stunning diversity and reflection of a nation’s best and brightest people, never seen in the Executive Chamber prior (and eclipsed only by President Obama).
The Obama Cabinet 2009
We are an ever evolving species. Each decade brings new creations, that alter how we live and how we think. We will continue to face struggles and challenges, they will never go away, and we will continue to have disagreements and differences of opinion, as individuals, free will always holds sway. But if we understand the importance of dealing with our own emotions, we become better equipped to maintain calm, even if we live in the eye of the storm.
Mr. Cassidy’s place in history has been cemented by his lessons in commerce and decency, but the true symbol of his legacy…. is that the power of respect is free.
April 7, 2017 World Health Day spotlights ‘Depression’
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April 23 -28 The Neighborhood’s
2nd Annual Mental Health Week
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