To every young black person who dreams of making a difference, your fervent desire will be supported by your understanding of from whence you came. 

Dear Little Black Child

Dear little black girl. Tell me what did you know as your mother pushed you through her birth canal with all of her might? Did you know that your ancestors were dragged from their homes in the dark of the night?

 

Dear little black boy. What did you know as you looked up in your mother’s eyes as you suckled on her breast? Did you know that being black meant that you may as well have a big letter on your chest?

 

Dear little black girl. What did you know about the breasts you sought comfort in as a babe? Did you know that your black female ancestors had no choice but to allow their slave masters to hold onto their breasts as they had their way with them?

 

Dear little black boy. What did you know as you took your first step into this big wide world?

Did you know that with every step you took, you’d be walking with chains still around your ankles?

 

Dear little black girl. What did you know as your mama tore the pick through your hair trying to get through those nappy knots? Did you know that you’d be judged by how tight your curl pattern was or even how loosely it fell?

 

Dear little black boy. What did you know as you tried out for the 100-metre sprint at school? Did you know that it would be practice for you as you ran for your life from some of those sworn to protect you?

 

Dear little black girl. What did you know as your momma vaselined your beautiful black skin before sending you off to school? Did you know you’d have to fight back the tears as the white girls made fun of your thick lips, big bottom, and large thighs?

 

Dear little black boy. What did you know about innocently walking the streets from your friend’s house in the evening hours? Did you know that all black men wearing hoodies look alike, and that you MUST be the one that just perpetuated that crime?

 

Dear young black scholar. Your ancestors have paid the price! Your brothers and sisters of this 21st century have paid the price! Don’t stop fighting for them. Don’t stop fighting for that little black boy and girl who didn’t have a chance to become you. 

 

Dear little black child. What they did not know is that they couldn’t break your spirit. Fight on for what you didn’t know, and for what you do now know. You are emulated, you are imitated, but you will never be duplicated. 

 

Love Natalie, 

(who was once a little black girl)

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Some of you may or may not know that I am a licensed paralegal, and a manager of operations at a legal firm. As I arrived to work on Monday morning, I saw the belongings of a homeless person scattered within a little nook close to our back staircase, by the parking lot. This person had laid their head there overnight. 

Now, I first mentioned what I do because I take my role seriously, and take care of this business as if it were my own.  I told the managing director that I would call the city to come and clean up the mess, and if they didn’t come soon then I would do it myself. I told him that, first I’d like to give this person some time to come back and collect their belongings. Perhaps they went to the local shelter to get something to eat and was making their way back soon.

The next morning, when I arrived to work, I noticed that the items were still there and seemed to be further scattered on our driveway. I knew that I had to clean it up as it was an absolute eyesore. The city clean-up crew were taking too long. I put on my gloves, got some garbage bags and a “picker upper” apparatus, and began to put the items in the garbage bag, scorning them and feeling a bit frustrated that I had to do this.  I carefully searched for drug paraphernalia, to be sure I didn’t accidentally get stuck with something. 

I did not see any evidence of drug use, but what I did see still has me feeling overwhelmed.  I saw the life of not only one in individual – possibly a mother, and the evidence that there also may have been a child. There were baby blankets, plastic bags, a tent type material for shelter, baby gloves, and some adult and children’s clothing.  

And then there was a Bible!!!!

This stopped me dead in my tracks. Were my eyes deceiving me? I’m a tough cookie, but I am also extremely sentimental, and can be an emotional mess especially when it comes to the reality of the psychological and physical pain of others. I took a moment to pray for this person. I prayed for my own wisdom and discernment to understand if this was a message to me from God. 

From all accounts, this appeared to be mother and a child who had nowhere to go that night. A mother who just wanted to make sure that her child stayed warm throughout the night. A mother who, regardless of her circumstances still had faith, and had the wherewithal to keep hold of a Bible, and of her faith, and pray to God for his infinite mercy.

This could be anyone of us. I put myself in her shoes for a moment and thought of what I would do with a child and nowhere to go. Did Covid to do this to her? Did our government fail her? Was she in an abusive relationship and feared she had no alternative but  to leave? Has she always been a woman of faith? Did she only turn to God because of her current situation? So many thoughts and questions ran through my mind

I got myself together and completed the process of putting her belongings in the garbage bag. I left it in the place that she had left her items in hopes that she would return to collect them.  To collect her little baby’s blankets and gloves, and her Bible. 

Lesson learned today… that despite your dreadful circumstances, keep faith and always keep God in the forefront. Somehow, someway He will see you through it.  We truly don’t know what one’s past or present circumstances are, or what causes them to do what they do. Let us not judge. Let us help and love our neighbours

I pray that this woman and child are safe, and mom continues to hold onto her faith

And I pray that she returns even if it is just to collect her Bible because I left it on top of the bag for her 

Natalie Wilson June 2021

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As a Certified Coach Practitioner under the Certified Coaches Federation™, I use methods called Cognitive Reflex Conditioning® to help my clients program their thought patterns, moods, and beliefs to become congruent with their intentions in order to create more flow, more consistency, and more results!

Cognitive Conditioning – “A process in which a stimulus is repeated, paired with an imagined response or behaviour…”

Cognitive Rehearsal – “A therapeutic technique in which a client imagines those situations that tend to produce anxiety or self-defeating behaviour and then repeats positive coping statements or mentally rehearses more appropriate behaviour.”

(American Psychological Association)

The 4 R’s of Cognitive Reflex Conditioning:

1. RECOGNIZE

• You have this repetitive feeling of emptiness or longing for something more in your life. You know you want something to change, but just can’t pin what it is
• You feel like you are not moving forward but at a standstill or downward spiral. You feel defeated
• You feel a multitude of feelings: anger, confusion, lost, stuck, hurt, sadness, or desperation

2. REALIZE

• You know you’re living this life that you know you don’t want to live; repeating the same patterns/habits/mistakes over and over again
• You realize that something(s) has to change or you will stay in this place and it will only get worse
• You are asking yourself questions like: Why am I stuck here? Why do I want a change in my life? Do I need to say goodbye to certain things or certain people?
• The more you write down your thoughts and feelings, the more you realize you want to change
• You start to change your mindset and start to identify the limiting beliefs that are holding you back

3.  REPLACE

• You’ve identified the things or people that are holding you back, and are taking accountability for where you are in life
• You pay more attention to the negative thoughts in your head, and the negative things or people around you
• You start to make some serious eliminations and replacements with things, thoughts, ideas and people that can have no place in where or who you want to be going forward
• Goodbye negativity, hello positivity!!
• You fill your soul with good, happy and positive things, people, healthy foods, podcasts, groups, webinars, self-help books, apps, etc

4.  REPEAT

• You are feeling happier and more fulfilled with all the new and good that has entered your life
• You feel more grounded and like your sense of purpose has been redefined or discovered
• That “longing for” feeling is a thing of the past, and you’re living purposefully in your present; looking forward to an even more promising future
• Now you must maintain so you can sustain!
• REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT all of the above that is changing your life for the better 
• And don’t think you will never fall – you will, but it’s part of the process.  Have your moment, then get up and keep moving forward

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