Peace for the New Year & Peace for Haiti

A Warning to Rebels by Toussaint Louverture 1795

Art by: Thomas Bess Jr.

Happy New Year!!

January 1st is also Independence Day for Haitians

Be Safe

Photo & Haiku

Haiku #2
Elegant raindrops
Tap dance on city sidewalks
Black storm clouds applaud

Photo: Rainy night at the Utopia Restaurant on U Street, Washington, D.C.

Photography: The NC I See at Christmas

These are photos of Downtown Williamston, NC. I took these pictures on Christmas Eve. Downtown is equivalent to about two to four city blocks. I love it! Small towns have a certain charm about them during this time of the year. Otherwise, it was a great time spent with family and friends.

Williamston Downtown

Other sources: The Martin County Chamber of Commerce online

Lil' Stevie's Christmas Questions

Lil Stevie: “Momma, how come we don’t got no chimney?
Momma: “You mean, why don’t we have a chimney?”
Lil Stevie: “Yes, Ma’am.”
Momma: “Well, because we live in an apartment.”
Lil Stevie: “Oh. Well, how is Santa going to get the presents to us if he can’t come down the chimney like on TV?”
Momma: “He’ll come through the front door.”
Lil Stevie: “Who will let him in? Won’t you be sleep?”
Momma: “I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

(Stevie looks at his mother and scratches his head)

Lil Stevie: “No momma! ‘Cause If you do that then somebody will come in behind Santa and try to rob him! Then, they will probably beat him up, take his money, take his reindeer and sell ‘em, sell all the little girls and boys toys, plus our gifts! After all of that then Christmas will be over!”
Momma: “No it won’t son because we’ll still have Jesus.”

(Stevie looks at his mother and scratches his head again)

Lil Stevie: “Momma, what does Jesus have to do with Christmas?”

Steve Biko

Happy birthday to Steve Biko. Please check out my post from November 2005 . I did a week of Biko. Also, Rethabile posted a great tribute to Biko today on his site, Sotho . Peace to ntate, Biko. Peace~

To All My Friends Old and New

“…Christmas time is here
We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year”

This is a display by the desk of a co-worker. I was always a fan of A Charlie Brown Christmas Special as a child so this took me back. Many of you will be quiet until the new year so I wanted to wish you all well. Have fun and be safe at your holiday parties and family gatherings. Well, I have work to do, places to go and people to see. Have a great weekend! Peace~

Source: www.factmonster.com

Papa's Faith

Good afternoon! I thought that I would share part of my everyday life with you today. I spoke to my father last night. It’s always good to talk to the reverend these days because we have more to talk about since I’ve become an adult. We have similar interest. What are our interests? Let’s see, we talk about books and books and…well, more books. He reads a lot about African politics and religion, but he is especially interested in South African politics. He travels there occasionally and Cape Town is his favorite vacation destination. So, you can imagine his surprise last year when he found out that I was getting married to a woman from the RSA. He was so delighted that he paid a visit to my new mother in South Africa to seal the union!

Nowadays, he is intrigued with my renewed interest in writing. This is something that he encourage me to do when I first graduated college in 1994, but I had other things on my mind like a JOB. *smile* So, now that he knows that I am writing he calls me to check on my progress. I can appreciate that. Besides, it’s good to hear from him either way. I thanked him for encouraging me years ago even though I didn’t act on it. Well, I did get an article published back then, but he could see beyond articles. So, thanks to all the parents who took the time to look over that mountain for their children. I know that it has made a world of difference for a dreamer like me. Dad, I love you. Peace~

Photo & Scripture

Proverbs 25:14: (King James Version)
"Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain."

"Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give."

(New International Version)

Photo: I snapped this photo last friday. These are clouds over D.C. near Georgetown.

Photography: Ausi Maria

"...For thousands of years

My soul has roamed the earth

In search for you...

And now we give thanks

Give thanks for each other

At peace forever

For it is done"

Nina Simone (Excerpt from Consummation 1967)

Photo: Ausi Maria © S Bess
Definitions:
Ausi = the Sesotho word for sister
Sesotho = A Sotho language spoken in Lesotho, where it is the national language, and in South Africa, where it is an official language.