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EXPRESSIONS PONDER THIS! Nobody Said it was Going to be Easy

By Hazel Rosetta Smith

Aging is a fact, not a dooms day in retrospect. Like anything else that we want to hold onto, it takes diligent determination to age healthy and gracefully. If it is true that youth is fleeting, it may be because we do not count the days until they become undeniable years gone by.

The best wines are highly regarded and priced because the grapes have a little age on them. Crock pots simmer meat to succulent tenderness because of slow cooking. We can participate in the management of our body’s aging process into full maturity by slowly and wisely maintaining a steady partnership of mind, body, and spirit.

The late Dr. Johnnie Coleman, Minister and Founder of Christ Universal Temple in Chicago was known for teaching people how to live better lives. I Hazel Rosetta Smith

was privileged to meet Dr. Coleman in 1990 and her words continue to resonate in my mind today, “It works when you work it.” The principle mandates for Dr. Coleman’s teaching was an understanding of the power to create a long productive life, built on a daily practice of healthy renewal through spiritual consistency and perseverance.

My 101-year-old grandmother, the late Margaret Howard Banks, often said to me,

her inquisitive granddaughter, “Chile, you’ll understand it by and by.” I always thought her words meant when I reached heaven, the Lord would reveal the mysteries of life. Now I am blessed to be in the third quarter of my life finally getting an understanding of those words. By and by is upon us right here and right now, every day, just look around.

Looking back with fond memories of the countless blessings that have come my way, I remember with great pride, watching my granny enjoying life one day at a time, spreading her wisdom, sharing her love and laughter, praising her God unapologetically. She never complained, simply exclaimed, “Age is just a number written in God’s book, assigned to each of his children, designated as the time allotment for the fulfilment Dr. Johnnie Coleman Margaret Howard Banks

of his purpose.”

Margaret Howard Banks opened her eyes at the break of dawn every morning speaking the same words, “Thank you, Jesus.” Nothing was taken lightly or for granted, from bathing to dressing, to breakfast preparation, there was always thanks given all day long. She stretched her arms to strengthen the muscles, she walked every day for blood circulation, and she read God’s good book out loud every evening to challenge her comprehension and strengthen her voice.

Someday something will ache and no matter how much we try to ignore or deny it; it will be the result of the wear and tear on the limbs that have carried

our body through many storms. When the back gets weary and sitting too long does stiffen joints, we can pull on our strong commitment to be a conqueror and rise to the occasion.

So, nobody told you aging would be easy. The charge is to expect the unexpected and be open to change, for it will surely come. As birthdays accumulate with numbers that seem to surprise even you, do not hesitate to remind yourself you are important, you are uniquely created. It would be inappropriate for you to think anything other than, you deserve to have an active, fun-filled celebration of life every day. What you choose to do is up to you. [Hazel Rosetta Smith is a journalist, playwright and director for Help Somebody Theatrical Ministries, retired former Managing Editor and Woman’s Editor of The New York Beacon and current columnist for Harlem Community News, Inc. Contact: misshazel@twc.com]

BROOKLYN BROOKLYN UPCOMING EVENTS

Every Thursday on Black Lives Matter Muit bricartsmedia.org for Zoom 1:00-2:00pm ral, 1368 Fulton St. more info. $5

Brooklyn Free Speech CommuNow Until August 3-7 nity Producer Weekly December 31 10:00am-1:00pm Gathering Made in Quarantine Online Summer

To ensure that we Showcase Camp: The Stories stay connected during The Showcase highMasks Tell this time, BRIC has lights the resilience See how African been hosting weekly of Brooklyn College’s masquerade can be BRICxHome: Brooklyn film students, their deused for communiFree Speech Commutermination and the nity Producer Gatherpower of creativity ings every Thursday at during times of hard1PM. Please join this ship. These remarkable Thursday’s gathering films highlight a diverse via video or audio— range of narrative, whichever one you’re documentary and most comfortable with. experimental media. Join at bricartsmedia. Visit brooklyncollegeorg presents.org to stream

Tuesdays and

Thursdays July 30 7:00pm 10:15-10:30am Birds of Brooklyn

Transit Tots with Heather Wolf

Kids can kick-start Join author and bird their morning with expert Heather Wolf Transit Tots on Tuesfor an online workdays and Thursdays at shop on the birds of 10:15am! Join Museum Brooklyn! Learn expert educators for songs, tips for identifying our stories, and activities feathered friends, from for their youngest tranyear-round residents sit fans. Recommendto migrants passing ed for ages 2-5. This through on their way to online edition of Tranand from the tropics. sit Tots is available on Register with brooklyntheir website at nytranbridgepark.org for the sitmuseum.org/TransitZoom link to this FREE Tots and on Facebook workshop. at facebook.com/nytransitmuseum. July 30 5:00-6:30pm

Wednesdays Orientation

Until August 26 Learn podcasting, 8:30-10:00am photography, motion

Summer Social Disgraphics, and editing tancing Fest | FREE with BRIC’s remote Meditation and Yoga learning program. Series with Instructor Join the online class at Stephanie Battle bricsartmedia.org for

Join The Billie HoliFREE. day Theatre’s Summer the films for FREE.

Education

Social Distancing Fest July 31 10:00am & for their FREE Medita August 3 2:00pm tion and Yoga Series BRIC.Home: Make a with Instructor StephStop-Motion Animation anie Battle located at Film the Black Lives MatStop-motion animater Mural! Stephanie’s tion is a fun and easy classes are rooted in way to create titles, alignment and stabilshort animations, title ity but are also an exsequences, and more! ploration of creativity, In this class BRIC refreedom and personal views some popular expression, meeting stop-motion animation each student where techniques, and shows they are. Bring your you how to create your own mat and water own animation with bottle! All experience the equipment that levels are welcome! you have at home. Visty-building and storytelling. Draw your stories with ink on paper, and then bring them to life by building your own mask out of cardboard, yarn, and other household fiber materials. For campers ages 8–10 and 11–13. Registration for this one-week class is $340 ($306 for Members). Visit brooklynmuseum. org for more info.

August 4 11:00-1:00pm

BRICxHome: Instagram Marketing for Small Businesses

Learn how to use Instagram to promote your small business. This class covers setting up an Instagram Business account, posting, Instagram Stories, analytics, and posting strategies such as when to post, tagging, and adding hashtags. You should have a good understanding of social media platforms to get the most out of this course. Visit bricartsmedia.org for more info.