Pandem Magazine Vol.1 Issue 1

Volume 1 Issue 1

Welcome The pandemic has not been easy on one. Many of us have lost a loved one or has battled Covid-19. Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered because of this pandemic.

This magazine, along with our company GreenLeaf Health LLC has been born out of the pandemic. Being healthy has always been a fundamental goal in our lives, but now with this virus looming over us, health became a top priority. At the time, there was no vaccine and no known effective treatment. Naturally, I fell back into my upbringing on herbal health. I researched and came up with my blend of herbs to take, and soon after, we began to notice significant improvements in our health. Our discoveries became the spark for our company Greenleaf. In our debut issue, you will learn about some fantastic people and businesses. We hope that you enjoy this issue, and we look forward to bringing you more.

Sincerely, April Jim John W. Bennett Jr.

Table of Contents Why Healing Feels Impossibly Hard

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I DON’T WANT TO BE SELFISH

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3 Ways to Fight Depression

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Spiritual Health: Seven Ways to Boost Our Spiritual Immune System

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3 ISSUES THAT SLOW OR STOP HAIR GROWTH

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CHECK UP ON YOUR GIRL

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Book Debut: Forbidden

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9 Reasons to Avoid Processed Foods

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Do you have a book inside of you?

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5 Tips to Small Business Development

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The Red Ballon

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Behind The Book

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Like a Chameleon

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You gotta try this recipe!

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Hoping for a holistically healthy world.

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Why Healing Feels Impossibly Hard Even Though It Isn’t

By Dr. Rosenna Bakari

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am one of 60 million adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The difference between most survivors and me is that I live openly, while most survivors live in secret. I lived in silence too for forty years, hiding instead of healing.

According to journals, books, and professional blogs, survivors are stifled by their sense of guilt and shame. While most of us experience those emotions to

varying degrees, my ten years of working with survivors tell a different story.

The mind’s preference for the familiar is counter-productive to healing.

Most survivors can work through guilt and shame, given adequate information, and affirmation support. However, even in the absence of guilt and shame, healing can feel like hell. It could be descriptively referred to as the “helling” process. A critical mental process distorts the

Stuck in the Familiar The mind has a strong preference for the familiar and will choose a known demon over a strange goddess most of the time.

Quantity is more important than quality.

You find yourself singing to songs that you hated after hearing them 20 times on the radio. We maintain tradition because of familiarity, not practicality.

The more times any event or experience happens, the more likely our brain will code it as “normal.” The brain codes “normal” according to the environment's reality, not based on judgments of right and wrong. Generally, when a victim cannot stop abuse, the brain will habituate to the abuse, thus making it normal for survival.

Generally, when a victim cannot stop abuse, the brain will habituate to the abuse, thus making it normal for survival.

Adult survivors have a long history and lots of familiarity with dysfunctional internal and external experiences.

Attempts at new behavior compete with decades of the familiar. For healing journey and makes thriving appear impossible.

The mind’s preference for the familiar is counter-productive to healing. In the absence of trauma, the process helps to develop healthy patterns for negotiating the world. In the lives of survivors, this pattern keeps us stuck in dysfunctional cycles.

example, many survivors of childhood abuse continue to share spaces with people who harmed them as children.

The older sibling who emotionally tormented them, the grandfather who violated them, or the mother who physically harmed them may sit at every family function.

Although the survivor may feel traumatized by sharing space with people who harmed them, they continue to participate. They don’t consider making an adult decision to say no to their authority figures. Their brain has normalized the experience even although it is painful.

Fighting the Familiar Survivors can face unsurmountable circumstances in fighting the familiar.

Breaking silence typically leads to at least some negative consequences, often steep ones. I was threatened and excommunicated by family members for using my violator ’s real name and relationship in my memoir. Fortunately, I was far enough along in my healing journey not to be disturbed.

The family member who threatened me had become reliant on my silence. His brain interpreted me breaking my silence as dysfunction because it was an unfamiliar disruption. This similar response from family members wreaks havoc on the healing process for survivors.

So much internal work has to occur to reprogram the survivor ’s brain and create new normal. Frequently, survivors cocoon themselves in environments that supported their distortions and misperceptions of the world and themselves. So, when they begin healing and experimenting with functional behaviors, they are misunderstood and rejected.

Changing the Familiar Changing the familiar usually requires changing your tribe. Immersing yourself in change gives you a better chance than trying to change something small while everything else remains the same. The irony is that as we age, the more aversive we are to change. So, survivors fight an uphill battle.

Letting in new experiences is the easiest way to initiate change. Convincing yourself to spend the holiday with friends is easier than convincing yourself to reject spending holidays with your family. But, before you can decide to spend the holidays with friends, you have to begin spending more time with friends. First, you may have to make friends.

Change is not straightforward or simple, and it doesn’t occur overnight. I was eight years into my third healing process when I wrote my memoir. I had built up a network of support. I had experimented enormously with change and learned to live with the family isolation. I was much better prepared for the consequences of writing the memoir than I was for the healing that had led me to that point.

Reprogramming The distortions and misconceptions that occur from surviving trauma prevent you from knowing the truth about yourself, your trauma, and the world.

Reprogramming the brain requires new experiences that can remap and reroute

their

integration.

Restoring Distortions When we experience a toxic environment before we come to know who we are, we essentially never know who we are.

When we have been groomed as secretkeepers, enablers, caregivers, and hostages, we learn to focus on others instead of ourselves. Our likes, dislikes, and goals often center around safety instead of growth.

Getting to know you Ironically, safety in a dysfunctional environment is not real safety. For children, safety is about not getting into trouble or disappointing people. It can manifest in adulthood as perfectionism, hyper-empathy, or numbing out and rebelliousness. The focus on safety doesn’t support growing into our authentic selves.

I started writing almost daily when I began the healing journey. I thought I had

invented a new aspect of myself. A few years into the poetry scene, several people showed me poems I had written to them that I didn’t remember. I also found writing projects I had written decades ago that I had forgotten about. I don’t know how much writing I had done before I knew I was a writer. I’m just glad I rediscovered it. The more I healed, the more I wrote, and the more I wrote, the more I healed.

Getting to know the familiar in you that is resourceful, brave, and talented rewires the brain. It may require spending time in places you haven’t gone to before. I had to train my body to stay awake past 11:00 pm to participate in open mics. I thought my husband was going to give me a curfew instead of our children.

Getting to know the familiar in you that is resourceful, brave, and talented rewires the brain.

Going within to find your joy and your laughter will help build a healthy f a m i l i a r. W h e n t h e o u t e r w o r l d misunderstands or rejects the new you, your inner world must be strong enough and confident enough to continue the restructuring.

Permit yourself to experiment instead of expecting to have all of the answers as if life is a pass-or-fail test. It isn’t. Life is trial and error that requires resilience and tolerance for the unfamiliar.

You don’t need to go on a fancy and expensive trip to find yourself. You can go to a friend’s network meeting that you

keep putting off because you hate being around people. You can sleep-in Sunday mornings instead of going to worship because that is just what you’ve always done. Change your grooming patterns.

Spend time with people of different races, ages, and sexual orientations — unscript your life. Then strip your life until you get to your most authentic self.

Getting to know your trauma The perpetuation of trauma on children is complex. It’s rarely as simple as one mean adult doing something bad to a child. When adult survivors begin to heal, we start at the who did what to me.

We don’t see the big picture at first.

To see the big picture of all that has to go wrong in the world for a child to get abuse is like emotional cancer to the brain — life-threatening. Coming to terms with all that was wrong in our environment is the walk through hell’s fire.

Many survivors grow up believing that they had a normal family despite “this thing that happened to them.” I used the word thing intentionally because taking the person out of the picture is the first distortion. To survive, the experience of abuse is perceived as a thing rather than a particular person. Frequently, the victim is told they are responsible for the thing that is happening to them.

Healing means putting family and communities under the microscope to understand the ugly truth. If a child didn’t tell, the child didn’t feel safe enough to tell. For the adult to heal, they have to understand the dynamics that

made living as a child unsafe. Who or what were the parents guided by that their children did not trust disclosing horror.

Healing means putting family and communities under the microscope to understand the ugly truth.

Survivors were often betrayed by parents, family members, court systems, religious organizations, and society in ways that were never processed. All of these networks they perceived as good.

When they see the parts these systems have played in their victimization, their w o r l d c r u m b l e s . S u r v i v o r s fi n d themselves ill-equipped to confront these systems. But, there is a bright side.

When we see the role systems play in childhood sexual abuse, we can deindividualize our trauma. We see ourselves as part of a problem instead of the problem. We get distance from our pain with a panoramic view.

The way to get this distance is to acquire k n o w l e d g e — b o o k k n o w l e d g e , professional knowledge, academic knowledge. The more you know about childhood sexual abuse, the easier it is to reclaim your innocence.

Getting to know your world Knowing the resources in your world will go a long way in the life-long healing journey. Survivors don’t thrive without support. Most will stagnate or retreat when they get to the “helling.” Thus, my three attempts at the healing journey.

Once you are fully planted in your truth, you are unstoppable.

Every resource you need for healing isn’t directly related to healing. You need resources about relationships, health and wellness, spirituality, and possibly education and careers. Making healing wholistic is the way to move effectively through the healing journey, especially the helling. Surviving is only about stopping triggers. But, thriving is about being empowered in your whole life.

If healing were easy, half of all survivors would not live in silence. The pain doesn’t feel worth the effort for a while.

But, not healing means that you will never live fully. Healing may deepen the pain before you can live comfortably in your truth. But, once you are fully planted in your truth, you are unstoppable.

Respond to the author Rosenna Bakar, Ph.D. Empowerment Partner and Wellness Coach

I DON’T WANT TO BE SELFISH BY: ONYX KING I am so excited!! I have a new man. I promise that I wasn’t even looking, yet here he is. The first few months of 2020 were like something out of a fairytale. I had been in a wonderful relationship for an entire year. We had gone on our first mini vacation as a couple, and I had never been happier in my whole life. We both had wonderful jobs. He had his own car, his own house AND he loved the Lord. What more could I ask for? Did I forget to mention that he was extremely handsome? Light skinned with green eyes? Yep. All that. Not only did he have a good job, but I did as well.

I was a manager in a huge store. Then I caught a cold. I caught a cold that I could not get rid of. My wonderful man(Fiancé’ by then) brought me to his house so that he could take care of me. Help me nurse this cold.

Well to make a long story short. I was hospitalized for 8 days with the Corona Virus.

He was hospitalized for 20 days with the Corona Virus. All because my special man wanted to take care of me. Me exposing him to the Corona Virus was the most selfish thing that I could have ever done. Yes, I was lonely, and I wanted to be with him, but my wonderful fiancé’ could have lost his life.

That has made me think of so many times in my relationship I put my own wants ahead of what I knew was right, and sadly I have to say way too many to count. Today our society is going through a pandemic. We are facing a new normal. I don’t want to be selfish just like I know you don’t either, so when it comes to dating during this time. What are some things that we can do? I’m glad you asked!! I have a few things in mind: 1. Facetime- instead of merely talking on the phone why not video chat? It allows you to see that other person while you get to talk.

Ladies it also allows us to get cute for the conversation, cause you know that’s important!

2. Write letters either using snail mail or email. Lots of times we can really get out what we want to say if we write it down.

3. Read together. What better way to get to know someone other than to pick a book together, and then have an open discussion on what you read.

These are just a few things that I wish I had done. You know what they say. Hind sight is 20/20!! Anyway, I am not so selfish anymore. We are both better physically, and more in love than ever!

www.amazon.com/dp/ B08B73KL5y

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Ways to Fight Depression

1. Take a deep breath and visualize all of the negativity in you as a dark cloud and now blow it out see it float away and dissipate into nothing.

2. Take a pen and paper and write down all of the things you are grateful for. Challenge yourself to find 100 things to be grateful for.

3. Take a walk during the daytime and take time to appreciate the beauty of nature around you and in you.

By April Thomas www.aprilathomas.com

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piritual Health: Seven Ways to Boost Our Spiritual Immune System

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here is nothing in the world that rattles the human soul as vehemently as the possibility of death. Let’s face it: we are die-hard preservationists.

Over the last 10-plus years, many avenues have developed to promote and support health improvement, self-care, and healthier food choices. But nothing sounds a warning like the threat of death, and in 2019, the trumpet sounded. While it was first thought only to affect the elderly, children, and those with preexisting health conditions, we now know COVID has no respect of persons. In good health or poor health, a person could end up a casualty of this pandemic. The pandemic has enforced the need for better hygiene practices, staying home when sick, and finding ways to boost our immune systems. We’re fasting and flushing our bodies to eliminate waste as we increase our

intake of vitamin supplements, natural foods, and the use of essential oils. Although debates remain on the falsity or reality of the increase of COVID deaths and cases, the fact remains: this pandemic is not done with the world just yet. And, quietly in the background, another pandemic is taking place and waging war, only it’s an internal attack on our spiritual immune system.

Spiritual attacks are nothing new to those who believe in Jesus Christ. We became an enemy of Christ’s adversary the moment we confessed with our mouths and believed in our hearts (Romans 10:9-10), the gospel testimony of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Many churches fought to remain open; some defied the order to close the doors of the church building. Church

associations threatened to sue for the right to assemble themselves in their respective worship place. Many church bodies protested and continued to disregard the stay-home orders. Yet, something strange happened as churches found alternative ways to assemble and continue fellowship in the Word of God. Not all members showed up: not on Facebook, not in church parking lots, and not on Zoom. They showed up to their virtual home workstations, but not to their online worship services.

Like tiny parasitic worms that can live in human intestines, fear wormed its way through the hearts of God’s children. When church doors, businesses, and offices reopened with social distancing stipulations, there remained Believers tucked safely away in their homes, unwilling to return to the church building. Hearts exposed and faith challenged, the Laodicean church age of Revelation 3:14-22 was being tested and found to be lacking in the strength of a mustard seed. Weakened by the fear of sickness and death, devastated by the loss of family and friends, the need for a boost to our spiritual immune system is of great necessity.

Rest assured, the Word of God is a full meal deal with mega dosages of spiritual immuneboosting supplements. Below are: Seven Spiritual Supplements that Boost Our Spiritual Immune System Supplement AP: Abide & Pray. John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Make no doubt about it: this is the recipe for victory in everything that we do for Christ and everything Christ wants to do in and through us. To abide means simply that we remain as

one with Christ. Our spiritual marriage to Christ must continue to grow. Like a marriage, our relationship with Christ isn’t something we can take for granted. We have to invest in the Word of God because Christ Jesus is the Word (John 1:1). Otherwise, we grow apart from our spiritual spouse, allowing other things and people to create a gap that widens the distance between us until we don’t desire God the way we should. Because we are not born as God’s children, we are like babes when we ask him into our lives. So we shouldn’t expect to grow into mature Christians without daily fellowship with him. We are the bride of Christ; we are to shine before the world as an extension of him and his love. There can be no transformation (Romans 12:1-2) without learning and applying the spiritual principles found in the bible. We have to combine abiding in the reading and study of scriptures with praying to absorb the spiritual nutrients they provide.

The supplement that activates abiding supplement is Prayer, and it is key to boosting our spiritual immune system and our relationship with Christ.

Lack of communication destroys many types of relationships. No one talks to hear themselves talk, and no one likes being the only one doing all the talking. God wants his relationships with his children (individually) as his bride (corporately) to have good foundations. He wants us to share our hearts with him, even the disappointments and the anger we feel. However, we have made a habit of taking our wish list to God instead of cultivating our relationship with him. God, like a good husband, wants to be appreciated for the things he provides. It is hard to give thanks for one thing God has done because it always leads to all of the other things he has done for us. Husbands and wives can increase their chances for intimacy by

making it a practice to tell each other how much they appreciated the other.

Prayer has to be our booster to abiding or we won’t experience the full benefit of either supplement. The Father knows we struggle; he would much rather we admit it than hold it in our hearts where it will fester and create hardness of heart and bitterness. Our heavenly Father knows EVERYTHING about us, LOVES us continually unconditionally, and will never LEAVE or ABANDON us.

Supplement CD: Commitment Discipleship.

The truth is we commit ourselves to things we deem crucial and valuable to us. Our families, our livelihoods, our passions; we have no problem expending our energies on the things we are passionate about. The question we have to answer for ourselves is this: Am I passionate about God, my Savior?

We talk a good game expressing our love for God, but 1 John 3:18 makes a powerful statement: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. In other words, we don’t talk about it we are to be about it. A passion not consistently acted upon is no more than a pastime. Is my relationship with Christ merely an amusement or diversion, or am I sold out as a follower and Christ representative? Boosting our spiritual immune system with this supplement requires active engagement and fellowship with God and others. King David’s passions for God and the things of God caused him to be the only person in scripture said to be after God’s own heart! King David committed his ways to God (Psalm 37:5) and trusted God to bring him through every situation and provide for his every need.

King Solomon, David’s heir, followed in his footsteps and was established as the wisest man in the bible (Proverbs 16:3).

In direct support to the supplement of commitment is the Discipleship supplement.

Discipleship is what Jesus provided to his disciples as he trained them by the demonstration on how to continue and expand the work of creating and developing followers. You and I have the same mandate as the 12-Apostles and other followers of Jesus’ time. We are to 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20). That’s for all of God’s children. Do you know what Jesus’ passion was and remains today? It’s people: seeing people come to the knowledge and understanding that it’s not their sins that condemn them, but their rejection of the truth of the gospel message. We are ambassadors for Christ commissioned for the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). Our job is far more expansive than our salvation to heaven. Combining these supplements to boost our spiritual immune system will help block any complacency on our part to do the delegated work of an ambassador of Christ.

Supplement FP: Faith & Patience. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen as Hebrews 11:1 says, why do we put restraints and time limits on God? If we are honest, we must confess those times in our life we felt God wasn’t moving fast enough or hadn’t given us what we wanted. So, we went back to the throne of grace, retrieved our prayer requests, and went about our business to attempt to fulfill the desired result. And again, if we will confess it, we fell way short of the intended goal. Do you realize that was a large part of the Nation of Israel’s problem was their need for a sign to believe in Jesus?

Jesus admonished the people for being an evil, wicked, adulterous generation that seek a sign … (Matthew 12:39, 16:4; Luke 11:29). COVID exposed our lack of faith in God, our lack of biblical knowledge or understanding, and the lack of focus on what is truly important. We profess faith, but far too many of us walk by sight. Weak faith is a surefire warning that your spiritual immune systems need a boost. For those without experience in a father-child relationship, this may prove to be hard to practice because of the trust issues we develop behind our daddy issues.

The complimentary supplement to faith is Patience. Patience and faith are to be cohorts in the everyday operations of life; else, we find ourselves irrational and hopeless, as many have become in this pandemic. Like our expectations for developing healthier bodies through healthy eating and exercise, we need to develop patience that undergirds our faith in God's sovereign control of all things. God has a plan for our lives that includes every situation and circumstance we face, whether good or bad. Without patience, we will run races that take us two steps forward and push us three steps backward. We invest our time and energy in doing and being in too many areas; yet, it never leads us to develop the Fruit of the Spirit. We’re too afraid to love, too tired for joy, and too busy for peace.

We won’t suffer long with people, too selfabsorbed for gentleness, and can’t trust that goodness exists. Our faith falters often, we consider meekness a weakness, and we feel too entitled for temperance. Patience offers a great defense: it removes us from the battle to allow the host of heaven to work on our behalf. Know this: God is a gentleman who has no problem stepping back and giving you the reigns to your life. The power packed into Faith and Patience is like a shot of

vitamins directly into the mainstream of your spiritual immune system. Finally, Supplement B: Be. Throughout the scriptures are many spiritual principles that add virtue to our spiritual lives. In the New Testament, we are the New Testament Church, are given instructions on what our being or existence should resemble. But to do and grow in becoming, we must first learn to be still. Psalms 4:4 says, Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. One thing we fail to do is rest. If we would make time to be still after reading the word and meditate on what we have read, we will be more successful in planting scripture in our hearts (Psalms 119:11). Even if we are daily scripture readers, we seldom leave room to be still long enough for the word to take root. We struggle entering into the Selah rest. Like vitamins or medications, we use water (a picture of the Word of God) to help it get into our system. Until we learn to be still, we miss out on the full effect of boosting who we are and who we are becoming in Christ.

Like any healthy regiment, we have to commit to the entire process to achieve full results. Boosting our spiritual immune systems requires our commitment to the practice and application of the simple supplements of Abiding, Prayer, Commit, Discipleship, Faith, Patience, which work together in transforming us into who we will Be for Christ. The question I want to leave you with is this: When God looks at you does he see a healthy child of God or could your soul use a spiritual boost from

his spiritual garden – His Word?

Wanda J. Murry is a Kansas City Author of two books (My Soul Cries…Holy, Holy, Holy & Emotionally Charged: A Poetic Journey in the Issues of Life) and writes to inspire at her blog, SpeakTrueLife.com.

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ISSUES THAT SLOW OR STOP HAIR GROWTH

1.

Stress: Stress is the number

2.

one cause for many health issues. Learning to manage your stress will not only save your hair, but maybe even save your life.

Poor Health: A poor diet can

3.

cause, high blood pressure, diabetes and now you can add hair loss to the list. Research and create a balance meal plan that you can stick to. Don’t call it a diet, diets are temporary make it a life style change.

Medications: Unfortunately your medication could be the

culprit to your hair loss. Your only option may be to consult your doctor for advice and possible alternative medicines, if any are available.

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By Kimberly Batchelor Davis

HECK UP ON YOUR GIRL

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he headlines screamed Covid-19, it's a Pandemic. We have to shut down.

National leadership politicized the issue and said, "It will go away. It's not that bad. Don't worry, we have this under control."

In the inner cities, the number of cases exploded. The new narrative was that it's a Black people's disease. Numerous Black and Brown people caught Covid-19 like a raging wildfire that would not be contained. The virus spread from the inner city to the suburban and outlying communities without haste. Political campaigns became super spreader events, contrasted against Governors all across the United States who shut their states down during mandatory lockdowns.

Millions of people were forced home, and twenty million jobs were lost, many of them belonging to women.

New cases of anxiety and depression skyrocketed, and simple things like going to the grocery store became stressful because people refused to wear a mandated mask. For many, this caused great anxiety, and with the order to shelter in place, it only increased the fear. Families either pulled together or apart, which increased the stress level for many people.

So, what were people supposed to do? Fall apart, drink large amounts of wine, eat lots of food, take drugs, or seek therapy? Go to a

church, mosque, or a temple and pray? Time alone with your God is a good thing, although I believe that 2020 tested a lot of people’s faith. I don't know about you, but 2020 has been rough. The normal things that many people did to bring them joy, have coffee with friends, go to the spa, see a movie, enjoy a delicious meal at a restaurant, and get away someplace to clear your mind for a few days yet, all of those things have been taken away albeit temporarily. It still causes grief for many, and what about our girlfriends? Who checked on them, and or how do you check on them? Or who checked on you?

This year has been difficult and lonely for so many of us. Depression has hit the U.S. hard, and for other cases of anxiety, depression has increased, then a new diagnosis was created for the pandemic, Covid Depression.

Incredibly, this pandemic has pushed so many people to the edge. For me, I needed to do something to help lift my mental spirit and bring me joy. My friends and I met up a couple of times outside during the summer for a nice patio meal while social distancing, and it was wonderful. Of course, the meal was good however, it was the connection and conversation that I sorely missed. The important thing is that none of us got sick from the socialization, however, we were very cautious because cases across the country continued to escalate. We followed the recommendations from the health experts and o f fi c i a l s . I ' m t h a n k f u l f o r t h e t w o opportunities that I was blessed with to engage with friends, although I really wish this virus would go away permanently. I knew I was not alone.

My other sanity saver was utilizing virtual therapy. The ability to talk to someone even amidst the pandemic was crucial for me. If you’re struggling and need someone to talk to try out Psychology Today, https:// www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists and

see if you can find someone in your area.

Also, check your insurance and local county health departments. They all have resources available to you. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. It’s not weakness to ask for help. That’s strength.

At the beginning of the shutdown when people defied orders and piled up on top of each other and increased the Covid-19 spread it was a frightening sight to see. Later people defied shelter in place orders and mask mandates which threatened the life of every person that they would come in contact with.

It's been difficult because there was no national mandate, and if you wore a mask you most likely didn't risk going anywhere. If you disagree with mask mandates and shutdown orders, I suggest you talk to a nurse or doctor who has faced the full Covid-19 experience.

Most women know someone who had to work outside of the home because they were an essential worker and still had to care for children and continue to maintain a home.

With the addition of virtual school, it has been a grueling and steep learning curve for not only students but parents and teachers, as well. We've dealt with internet outages, power blackouts, google calls that dropped, and technology that sometimes didn't work, and if that wasn't enough to twist the knife of the pandemic in your heart, then the cases of Covid-19 increased even more. Again, what do you do? No hair salons, gyms, restaurants, bars, movie theaters, how will we make it?

Do you know how we'll make it? We'll survive this pandemic with the aid of technology. As a child, I watched the Jetsons and always thought that when I grew up, we'd be in flying cars. We haven't made it that far however, we use computers for everything, and no it's not the same as in-person, it is

better than no contact. The same computers that we use to work on, we can now call anywhere in the world and actually see someone in real-time. We have phones that are mini-computers that fit in our hands, and we can do the same thing on multiple platforms and applications. Phones can call a person, and you can hear their voice on the other end. There is also the old-fashioned practice of writing a letter by hand to someone that you love if you don't want to email them. This pandemic has challenged the way that we feel and think and let's face it. It has taken away our ability to connect. Yet, there are so many ways that we can still connect and strengthen our bonds with friends and family. If your family lives close by then you can have a drive-up visit where you wave to each other from your house to their car. Or you can wave between porches if you live especially close. If the weather is warm where you live you can meet up at a local park and visit outside while social distancing and wearing a mask. I did that twice this year, and it worked out well. However, if the weather is cold and not hospitable for outside activities then utilize the technology available to you to reach out. Place a call to hear a comforting voice, use video calls to see a friendly face, text messages give words that encourage, emails paint a story, and a handwritten letter evokes memories of the past and visions of the future.

Forty years ago, there were only three ways to connect with someone, and that was to write a letter, place a phone call or go and visit someone. People endured. The Great Blackout of the early 2000s taught us to be still and help out our fellow neighbor. People shared food, beverages, and watched over each other while a dearth of electricity settled over the east coast. This pandemic is a little different because we need to keep separated

to minimize the spread of Covid-19. Although there are some similarities like respecting each other by wearing a mask, checking up on those that you love, which includes checking up on your girlfriend and even yourself.

Remember, you have a right to be at peace.

Do what you need to do to guard that peace even if it means finding a therapist for yourself or scheduling some time to talk to an old friend.

Kimberly Batchelor Davis Check out the Kim B. Davis Show and never miss an episode by subscribing to the following platforms: Google, Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts. http://www.kimbdavis.com

Book Debut: Forbidden

by April Thomas

Chapter 1

A

mahle Jackson was engaged to Brody Dabney, a man born into great wealth and privilege. He was a politician, claiming to stand for women and those who were poverty-stricken, but his real focus was selfpreservation.

“Get up!” he shouted at his girlfriend of three years.

Her long, curly hair was matted with blood and tears. She had had enough. Since the age of eighteen, she had searched and hoped to find a love like her parents had—for a man to touch her with genuine love; yet all she saw were lies, pain, and betrayal. She truly believed she could love through the rejection and abuse, and one day, love would love her back. However, it had not happened.

She had given up a lot for the hopes of being loved. Now she felt as if she had nothing left to give.

She struggled to her feet. “I don’t care what you do to me anymore!” Amahle shouted, hoping that someone outside their penthouse suite would hear.

Brody lunged toward her, using his fist to knock her to the ground. He then straddled her, wrapping his large hands around her neck. Amahle did her best to fight back. She clawed at his skin until the blackness took over and her body became limp. *** His amber eyes peered into the inky darkness of the night. Something just didn’t feel right. Tokoda could feel it in the sharp,

cool evening breeze. Although the air was colder this time of year in north Florida, there was a dark chill in the atmosphere that caused the pores on Tokoda’s arms to rise. As a warrior and guard, he used all of his seven senses to protect his people.

Tokoda rose to his feet. His broad, sixfoot-two frame was impressive. He was known as one of the best hand-to hand combat warriors that his tribe had had in years. His long, thin dreads were neatly pulled back from his well-sculpted face, and his dark skin protected him like a cloak in the darkness.

He sensed something was coming his way but could not understand what this could be. Stepping out of the shadows temporarily, he gazed at the full moon, peeking out from the forest’s treetops. Again the feeling of foreboding passed over him, and Tokoda knew that something wasn’t right tonight.

He took in a deep breath. He could just about smell the stench of death floating in the air. The forest seemed to agree; it was strangely calm, as if the old trees knew something dreadful was about to happen.

An unfamiliar sound came to his ears, and Tokoda slipped back into hiding but at a vantage point where he could quietly observe what the cause of the noise was.

The crackling of dry, dead leaves beneath heavy boots could be heard. Tokoda peered through the branches and leaves of his hiding place and observed a man carrying a woman’s limp body through the woods. The stranger stopped at a clearing, just thirty feet away from where Tokoda stood guard. He dumped the woman’s body on the ground and

then walked away. Tokoda was confused by this man’s actions. Unfortunately, it was not the first time he had witnessed something shady in the forest, but this time it was different. There was something different about the victim.

Tokoda watched for a moment, unsure of what he should—and could—do. It was forbidden for anyone to have any contact with outsiders. The elders insisted on this law, yet only an elder could give him permission.

There wouldn’t be enough time to get permission from an elder in this situation.

His people were once known as Olmec, and later called Niji. They still referred to this continent as Turtle Island; a term forgotten in today’s world. Since the mid-1500s, they’d resisted European settlers.

Tokoda’s tribe joined the rebel natives, now called Seminoles. After the Seminole Wars, Tokoda’s people went back into hiding, finding a rare cave system in northern Florida.

In 1935, they had almost been discovered by a group of men exploring the unusual Florida caverns. Still, their leader, at that time, had led them deeper into the cave system and created a block, preventing further exploration of the cave. A new entrance was created, and his people had remained hidden to this very day. However, if it were not for the territorial guards, they could have been discovered.

It was now 2018, and it would be only a matter of time before his people would be revealed. It was imperative for Tokoda to not allow the outside world in. Tokoda, however, could not keep his mind from thinking of this strange woman. He could sense she was still alive, but just barely. Maybe he just needed to help put her out of her misery.

His instincts told him to sit quietly, so he did.

The strange man returned shortly with a shovel and some other items Tokoda did not recognize. It took the stranger an hour to dig a two-foot-deep grave, undress the victim

completely, and place his victim in it. He covered the grave with dead leaves and then left a marking on a nearby tree to indicate the burial site. He picked up the shovel his victim’s clothes and began walking in Tokoda’s direction.

Tokoda’s heart began to race, and he wondered if he would have to confront this monster. He had to make sure the stranger did not come close to the hidden entrance of the cave. This was what he was out there guarding. It was his shift to protect the cave entrance from any wanderers. This man was beginning to wander too close for Tokoda’s liking.

Just as Tokoda was about to stand and attack, the stranger stopped and abruptly dug a second, shallow grave, and threw the shovel and clothes into it. He covered it with his bare hands and finished it up by covering it with dead leaves. Tokoda watched as the man walked away, disappearing into the woods.

He listened carefully and heard a loud roar and then a low rumble. He saw lights suddenly appear, back away from the forest, and then disappear into the darkness. Tokoda waited until the sound completely went away.

He stepped out of his protective space and peered over at the gravesite. Once again, he could sense that something more was happening here tonight. He suddenly realized what had been missing—it was the spirit of death; the elders had told him about it. This meant the woman’s will to live had to be strong. He admired this, and could not resist the desire to rescue her.

He ran to the low mound of fresh dirt and began to uncover the grave. He started where her head should be and was encouraged to move faster when his spiritual ear began to hear a weak heartbeat. He revealed her head as she began to gasp for air, only to suck in the dirt.

She began coughing, and Tokoda worked quickly to clear off the top half of her body while sitting her upright to help clear

her lungs. He paused to rub his hands together vigorously until the friction became heat.

Then the heat became a lit ball of healing energy. He placed his palm with the glowing ball of power on her back where her lungs would be. She coughed violently until she spat out all the dirt that got into her lungs.

“You’re going to be all right. I’m here to help you.” Tokoda gently spoke to her in his native tongue.

She began to weep as he worked on removing her from the grave. She was naked, dirty, and bloody, yet, at her worst, Tokoda could see that she was a beautiful woman.

She had not spoken a word and stared blankly into the night until her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed in his arms.

He knew it was forbidden to bring a stranger from the world back to his hidden tribe, but he could not bear the thought of leaving her out here in the woods alone. She would not survive in this condition. He lifted her and carried her toward the hidden entrance. Before he could make it through the tunnel leading to his tribe, he was stopped by tribal warriors who were also guarding the entrance. This was not a surprise to him; he was expecting it.

“What are you doing?” Kaga asked, approaching him with his spear pointed toward Tokoda.

“I know it is forbidden, but I cannot leave her out there,” Tokoda replied.

“Take her back there, and leave her with her own kind!” Kitchi shouted. “We don’t need that kind, and you know what will happen if we allow this.”

An elder of the tribe, known for his profound healing skills and prophetic insight, overheard the commotion as he was taking his late-evening stroll around the caverns. He slowly made his way to the cavern’s entrance and observed the woman, lying limp in Tokoda’s arms. The three men were now arguing bitterly, and he could see that Tokoda,

who was usually very obedient, was not backing down.

“What is going on here?” Songaa, the tribal elder, asked.

All of the men fell silent as the elder took his time to approach. The warriors lowered their spears and stepped back as Songaa stood before Tokoda.

“I saw a man bury her, but she is not dead!” Tokoda announced.

“No, she is not . . . not yet,” Songaa said, placing his hand on her forehead. “Why would a person throw away another person?”

He gently brushed the hair back from her face. “Take her to the healer. The women will bathe and dress her, and then we will come to understand her purpose here,” he instructed.

Tokoda did as he was told by the elder. The healers cleansed and treated all of her wounds, horrified by what they discovered on her—broken ribs, cuts, bruises, and the large handprints around her neck. She had been through a great ordeal, and everyone that looked at her felt nothing but compassion for her. This reminded them of why they had chosen to remain hidden from the world. This told them of the years of slavery they had observed.

After she was cleansed and fed, she was given a sedative tea to drink to relax her so she would sleep, giving her body the time it needed to heal. As she slept, Chief Tate, along with Songaa, Noshi the medicine man, Tokoda, and his parents, all sat around a large cauldron filled with stew to discuss what should become of this woman. Tokoda was asked to explain how he came upon this woman and what drove him to do what he did. He was scolded by the chief for putting their people in this situation; however, the elder and medicine man stood up for Tokoda and found that his actions were admirable.

Songaa spoke. “For generations, we have remained hidden here, but this woman was brought to our doorstep. The Creator led her killer to that spot, right in view of Tokoda,

for a reason. We can’t ignore this; we can’t turn away a woman who could possibly be one of our own.”

“Why do you say this, old friend?”

Chief Tate asked.

“Many of our tribes have been lost for so long that the children do not know who they are. We can’t ignore this. The Creator brought her here and instructed Tokoda to take her in. We must obey. It’s because of the past disobedience that we are scattered and lost,” Songaa answered.

“She is a young woman who has been through a lot. If we send her out into that world, she will be killed.” Noshi the medicine man now spoke. “If we adopt this woman, who will be her parents? Who will teach her our ways and accept her as one of their own?”

Noshi looked toward Tokoda’s parents but both looked away, avoiding eye contact with him.

“I will take her as my daughter. I will teach her our ways.” Songaa the elder spoke up, breaking the odd silence.

“Your wife has passed on. You are old.

How will you take on the responsibility of this woman who is not a child?” Chief Tate questioned.

“I can see in her spirit that she is longing for the love of a father. These things I can give her before I join my wife in the great after,” Songaa replied.

“Tokoda, you are the one who found her. You have the option to make her your wife and teach her our ways. She is of marrying age . . . and you are well past it,” Tate suggested.

Tokoda looked at both his parents; each gave him a warning glare. He bowed his head and then looked at the chief. “I think she should be with Songaa. I am only interested in marrying a woman from my own tribe,” he answered.

“So, there we have it,” Songaa said.

“Her name is Amahle, and she is now of the bear clan.” He glanced over at Tokoda with a

twinkle in his eye. The old matchmaker smiled and said. “She is now one from our own tribe.”

Tokoda got his not-so-subtle message and lowered his head. Everyone else agreed, and the chief ordered that Amahle be placed in the home of Songaa. *** The next morning, Amahle awoke to a migraine headache. She began to whimper and was startled when she heard an old man calling out to her, approaching her with a wooden bowl. Slightly confused and mostly scared, she slowly sat up in her bed. She noticed that she was clean, bandaged, and dressed in a leather dress. The old man placed the bowl to her mouth to drink, and she did so willingly. After finishing her drink, her migraine was gone. She had never before experienced any pain leave her body so quickly.

“How do you feel?” Songaa asked.

“Much better,” she answered. “Who are you, and where am I?” she asked, looking at Songaa, then around the room.

“One of our people found you last night. You were in a pretty bad state, but you are alive now. My name is Songaa; I have adopted you as my daughter. My only desire is to love and protect you as any father would.”

“Adopt me . . . but I’m a grown woman, and . . .” she began to protest, but stopped. “My father is dead . . .” She trailed off.

“I am not here to replace your father, but you will need guidance to survive here,” Songaa informed her.

Amahle fell quiet as the old man spoke. She thought about the moments that had led up to this one, realizing she was now safe. If she left this place, Brody, her now exboyfriend, would send one of his henchmen after her and make sure she stayed dead this

time. She had no clue how this had happened, how she had been brought here, or if she would be safe here in the long run. Part of her wanted to flee, while something deep inside her told her to stay.

“I don’t know what to do,” she openly confessed to the old man.

“This is why I have become your father,” Songaa said, giving her a warm smile.

Something is not right, Amahle thought. No man smiled at her unless they wanted something.

April Thomas is an author of 18 selfpublished books. She began her writing career in 2009 and is now preparing to open her own writing and publishing course for those who want to learn the art. She calls her course “Writing With Passion” and looks forward to sharing what she learned from the mistakes that she made on her journey to becoming an author. To learn more about her and her course please visit her website or contact her today. If you would like to pre-order a copy of her upcoming book forbidden please click on the link here.

www.aprilathomas.com

© Copyright 2021 April Thomas

9 Reasons to Avoid Processed Foods There are many opinions these days on what cons2tutes a healthy ea2ng lifestyle. There are strict vegan diets as well as high “protein diets” with lots of animal meats. Some experts advise to stay clear of carbohydrates, while others will tell you to make it a staple part of your meals. Some experts believe dairy is an essen2al part of proper nutri2on, while others extremely advise against it.

There is so much confusion and blasts of

informa2on these days, how does anyone know what to believe?

In an effort to not confuse you any further, let's start with the sugges2on that I acknowledge that different things work for different people. There are many aspects to consider, including: food allergies (many people are allergic to wheat, dairy, soy or gluten), ethnic background (Europeans tolerate milk beHer than Africans), lifestyle (ac2ve vs sedentary), nutri2onal goals

(weight loss vs weight gain) and even physical condi2ons (illness, elderly, pregnancy, lacta2on).

Today, I wanted to share one of the general basics of elimina2ng processed foods for a healthier diet and lifestyle. This was one of the things that especially worked for me in order to heal myself of Polycys2c Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS, (infer2lity) nearly 11 years ago. Along with adap2ng a plant-based lifestyle, cleansing and detoxing , incorpora2ng natural herbs for reproduc2ve health such as red raspberry leaf and chasteberry, elimina2ng processed foods has been extremely beneficial to my health and energy.

The chemicals found in processed foods and conven2onally grown fruits, vegetables and even meats can have a detrimental effect on our health. It is impossible to process chemical addi2ves into nutrients that our body can u2lize. These chemical addi2ves are not able to just simply pass through our system “as is”. Therefore, these chemicals get absorbed into our body for an unlimited period of 2me, which causes delays in our diges2on and adds extra toxins to our blood, organs, 2ssues and extra pounds to our weight. Preserva2ves such as sodium nitrate that are found in hot dogs, ham, bacon and other processed foods along with BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are stored in our fat cells for an excessive period of 2me.

Here are Nine Reasons to Avoid Processed Foods

1

processed foods. .

Processed foods contain extra

salt, sugar and other flavor enhancers that are many 2mes slickly labeled as “natural flavors”. These foods are very unhealthy and over 2me dull your taste buds to natural flavors and what’s actually good for you, like green vegetables. So, what's the result of dull taste buds? A need to eat more processed foods to get the taste you want, as you will no longer be able to appreciate the taste of natural foods. I have no2ced my taste palate to actually “upgrade” and change to accep2ng and craving more natural organic foods since adap2ng a more alkaline plantbased lifestyle and elimina2ng

2.

When I say deadly, I mean

deadly. There are very harmful chemicals that are added to foods to keep them “fresh” or to be kept on the shelf longer. There are many instances where people are also very allergic to these food addi2ves. Some e xa m p l e s o f fo o d addi2ves are: ar2ficial sweeteners like corn syrup, an2caking agents, food acids, color e n h a n c e r s , preserva2ves, ar2ficial an2oxidants and emulsifiers.

3.

Hide and seek

ingredients. Processed foods oWen contain ingredients that play hide and seek, such as hidden sugars, salt and harmful fats. An example would be when a product says it is sugar free, but s2ll contains aspartame which is a harmful ar2ficial sweetener.

4.

Mystery ingredients. Many

processed foods are filled with stranger parts and pieces of animals.

For instance, hot dogs contain “edible offal”, which are the organs of a butchered animal. These organs or random animal parts can be the animal skin, snout, ears, etc.

5.

No nutri2onal value. When

foods are processed, most of the nutrients are taken out of the nutrient rich foods. This leaves you with almost nothing of what your body needs nutrient and mineral wise.

6.

For2fied w i t h synthe2cs.

F o o d companies a d d synthe2c

“vitamins” (the soil doesn’t produce vitamins) and minerals to make up for the loss of nutrients and minerals during the stages of processing. Our bodies are not built to process synthe2c nutrients. A great example is when a product such as bread is labeled with “enriched flour”.

This means that the wheat is stripped away of all its natural nutrients and then synthe2c vitamins or minerals are added to it. This is what they consider “enriched”.

7.

Wrong Market. When your

money is being spent in the processed foods market, you encourage growth in the market and sugges2ng that there is a demand in this market.

When you spend money on organic fruits and vegetables instead, it encourages others to enter this market and creates a demand, thereby bringing the expensive prices of organic foods down.

8.

M o n e y .

Although organic fruits and vegetables oWen appear to be expensive, they are oWen less expensive than processed foods. The cost of them is also cheaper in the long run than what medical bills can amount to if inorganic fruits & vegetables and processed foods are con2nuously consumed over a period of 2me.

9.

foods normally contain. Dead foods equal dead cells!

They are dead! Most of the

nutri2onal goodness is cooked or processed out. We do not benefit from the enzymes and nutrients the

A

As we can see, processed foods and food

chemicals have a harmful effect on our health and body. Avoiding them are a great start to prolonging your quality-oflife and for immediate relief of chronic health condi2ons.

frikan Goddess Lair is a wellness company that aims to encourage and educate women on the power of the art of self-care and holistic wellness through our holistic products, such as Certified Organic Vaginal Steam Herbs, Organic Herbal Teas, Holistic Wellness Consultations, Art Apparel and Private Event Packages.

Afrikan Goddess Lair was founded by Holistic Health Practitioner & Artist, Tiffany Collier -Mcleod. With the need to share her story of overcoming PCOS (infertility) naturally and intention to assist other women with their wellness journey, Tiffany created the unique Women's Wellness platform in order to educate, inspire and empower women along their wellbeing journey and their reproductive continuum.

The holistic feminine products, wellness content, and original artwork apparel are lovingly created with a desire & purpose to share vital wellness information and to spread culture, art & self-care that will inspire and bring harmony to the Goddess Woman.

We welcome you to book a Holistic Health Consultation, to shop our holistic feminine health products or browse through our original artwork apparel collection at www.thegoddesslair.com. Check out our Affiliate Program on our Art Apparel site.

Tiffany Collier Mcleod Afrikan Goddess Lair www.thegoddesslair.com info@thegoddesslair.com

Do you have a book inside of you?

The very first thing I have my students do is create an exit strategy. It's a plan designed to help them be proactive in order to reach the goals that they want for their book. A good example would be that after they have published their book and it is hopefully doing as well as they would hope. Then their next move will be to turn it into a movie. Since the student is clear on the direction they are headed in from the start. They will now have a better chance at success. These are just some of the things I wish someone

sat me down to tell me when I jumped head first, into the shallow end of the world of publishing. I know that not every book is going to be a best seller, but I do believe that every book has a reader and if that book has the best start possible then the faster it will find its readers. If you believe you have a book in you, and your ready to set it free and make residual income through it, then contact me today to learn more. Classes will begin soon. In the meantime, please enjoy the writing challenge below.

E I S RA EG M GOAL

M REASON

HA 'S NE

H ?

HEN DO I

AN I ?

?

HO

BAD DO O AN HIS?

5

Tips to Small Business Development

By: Tangalayer “Tan” Oates, CEO The Entrepreneur Prerequisite Planning: 5 Tips to Small Business Development "Simple yet practical recommendations before creating a business”.

T

here is a plethora of Small Business Development training and resources to broaden an entrepreneur's role in creating or maintaining successful business ventures.

I referred to "Prerequisite Planning" as the initial framework to build your passion or vision.

Simply put, "this planning will decrease some stressors during small business start-up."

Although research concluded there is no standard template for small business success other than required legal specifics, this article discusses "general lessons learned." Those five tips include: Personal Support Team I call this "the family, friends buy-in conversation."

A must conversation.

Determine who will be your most extensive support team and explain and discuss ideas,

dreams, and purposes. Quite frankly, your support team may ultimately be your initial investor, whether by time, money, or resources. By no means do I implying to "announce this to the world"; however, sharing with your support team may help them understand the other four lessons learned in this article.

A key point, you don't have a "rock-solid plan," but you have to have a "mini-plan."

Ensure when you have the initial "buy-in conversation," include the who, what, when, why (problem or issue to solve), and how; the goal is to present your seriousness to move forward.

Personal Money Management Successful management of your finances is an excellent indicator you will successfully manage your company's finances. I recommend creating a plan of action to eliminate or reduce as much debt as you can once you have finished reading this article.

The proof is your credit score, debt to credit ratio, or inquiries listed on your credit report.

If you seek outside funding to support your business, a loan officer may request your finances for review. The best place to start is www.annualcreditreport.com to request your free annual credit report.

Generally, creating a budget is the next step; however, establishing SMART goals will include specific about when and how you will decrease any excessive debt. For example, pay close attention to your debts interest rate(s); rate debt highest to lowest based on your goals, and determined which action plan would be beneficial. There are several budgeting apps; consider your bank they may have a free budgeting class available.

A key goal is to increase your investment for the development and sustainment of your business.

Personal Brand Management Let's be reflective; quite often, views change over the years! If you have social media pages, it is imperative that you "review" what you have posted.

Remember, once you clicked the "send" or "post" button, a deletion can occur; however, some crafty individuals may have a snapshot or photo of your response from years ago. My point is "be prepared to clarify or discuss a topic that is perceived controversial." Your personal and business brand will always begin and end with you.

My rule of thumb; "not everyone truly wants my opinion."

Represent With Integrity, Honest and Transparency Regardless of the type of business, service, or product your company will provide, many organizations operate through shared spaces, collaborations, or coordinated actions.

Essential resources or vendors often represent a community larger than you can imagine.

Therefore be honest and reflective, build a transparent team, establish policies that encompass a culture of respect and dignity, keep individuals and outsourced companies accountable, including establishing and monitoring internal audits.

Simple reminders: “reduce your biases, maintain your integrity, have transparent actions even in difficult decisions, fair does not always look the same to everyone and remember you never know who knows who."

Family and Friends Wellness Planning In my opinion, this topic is rarely addressed and can create to initial or maintain a harmonious balance between work and personal life. Several small business owners disclosed due to long hours, they have not been truly present in family function or had a family vacation in several years. To elaborate in my collection of notes, several owners admitted; "that they attend functions; however, depending on time, place or location they had to admit they were not fully present and engaged."

I suggest creating an integrated work-lifefamily/friends-life calendar with the assistance of those you love, admire or respect. Each quarter or yearly planning should include at least two main dates; one for family, friends, or self-vacation; you determine the length of time and don't forget your daily personal time.

Consider this as a goal; "create success that reduces or solve issues, is legal and accountable to communities and stakeholders, and will provide you with a peace of mind regardless of outcomes."

Disclaimer: This is information based on personal experience, workshop, and feedback received over the last three years. This article is for informational purposes only, and Transcending Borders Corporation does not necessarily reflect any specific organization's views, missions, or policies outside of our company. Reproduction of this article can be used for free based training or distribution; otherwise reproduction is illegal unless you request and are granted approval from Transcending Borders Corporation at toates@tborders.com.. If you would like to learn more about free and cost-based services, please go to www.tborders.com.

Tangalayer “Tan” Oates, CEO www.tborders.com April 2021 The vision of Transcending Borders is to make global business consulting and training programs user-friendly, powerful, resultsdriven and affordable to federal agencies, for-profit and non-profit organizations and communities. We pledge to provide innovative training programs and precision-tooled consulting services that will yield remarkable organizational results.

Our multi-facet programs are designed to increase organizational core competencies, develop and mentor business and community leaders, create responsive highperformance employees, supervisors, and managers with communication team building skills, promote cultural diversity collectively with the quality of work and life for all employees.

ComINg SOOn

The Red Ballon

by April Thomas

A

gony tore at her heart as her eyes

searched the playground wildly. She diligently searched for her four-year-old daughter's clothing, especially the red balloon tied on her tiny wrist. "Please, please, please," she murmured to herself.

Her heart was pleading for God to help her find her little girl. The sun was getting ready to set, and she knew she was running out of time. She screamed out her name again.

"Chloe!" She sobbed deep in her heart; she knew she would not hear her daughter calling back. She immediately searched out a stranger passing by.

"Sir, excuse me. Have you seen a little girl?

She has two long braids tied with pink ribbons. She's wearing a pink and white dress, and she has a red balloon tied to her wrist- Sir, please!"

Her eyes are bewildered by the stranger's rudeness, but hope returns as she sees a lady with a child passing by her. "Ma'am!"

She calls out, waving at the young mother and child, but a man calls out to her. She turns to see a man with long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore casual clothes, and she could tell that he was Native American, like her. She ran to him as he began to speak to her.

"Are you missing a little girl?" He inquired as he looked her over. She was disheveled and seemed confused.

"Yes," she answered, stopping before him.

"She has t-two long braids, and-"

"Where did you last see her?" He questioned quickly.

"I was sitting right there on the bench, watching her play on the playground. I must have dozed off or something because when I woke up, she was gone." She answered.

"Are you in any pain?" He asked as he observed a bruise above her left eye.

"No, I'm not in any pain. I just need to find my little girl." She answered, not concerned about herself.

"I will do my best to help you," he returned.

"How can you help me?"

"My name is Nathaniel Eaglefeather; I'm a detective."

"Yes, please, thank you. My name is Alice, by the way."

"Alice, what a sweet name." Nathaniel offered her a handshake. Alice took his hand and shook it, feeling that finally, her prayers answered. "Okay, Alice, let's trace your steps. How did you come to the park, did you two walk, or did you drive here?"

"We walked; I live a few blocks from here.

My husband and I had a horrible argument,

and I needed to cool off, so I took Chloe for a walk. I wasn't feeling so good, but I didn't want to go back home, so I decided to let her play at the park while I rested for a bit on that bench."

"Did you notice anything strange on the way to the park, anyone you may not have normally recognized in the neighborhood, possibly driving around?" Nathaniel asked.

Alice thought for a while as images from the day strolled through her mind. Her memory felt fragmented, but she did remember a man driving a dark blue van with no back windows. "There was a man, but he didn't stop or look in our direction," Alice answered.

"Blue van?"

"Yes, no back windows." Alice finished, her blood now running cold.

"Please stay right here; I am going to make a quick call," Nathaniel said, stepping away.

Alice nodded as she turned her back to gaze at the children playing on the playground.

"How could this of happened," she whispered to herself.

"Ma'am, can you take a ride with me?"

Nathaniel asked.

"Do you know where my daughter is?"

"I might if you would just come with me; we don't have much time," Nathaniel insisted.

"Yes, should I call my husband?" Alice questioned. "I tried to call my husband, but he keeps hanging up on me. I think he's still angry."

"No worries, let's just get going before it gets too dark."

"Wait, Sir, I am sorry. Can I see a badge, proof that you are, who you say you are?"

Alice requested.

"You are very wise to ask for ID," Nathaniel replied while pulling out his badge.

"Thank you," she nervously smiled. She took a good look at the badge and nodded in approval. "Let's go."

"So tell me, Alice, if you don't mind. What did you and your husband argue about?"

"Oh, men...he thinks I'm stupid that I don't know about all the women he screws behind my back. I'm just sick of it. I gave so much of myself for him, and he doesn't value me, and I'm done."

"What made you think that he was cheating?"

"He suddenly started working late and having extra business trips that would last longer than just a weekend. Then I saw the text messages while he was in the shower, and I overheard him talking with a woman on the phone. I would do anything for him to talk to me like that again. He would give them money and pay their bills. He doesn't know that I know all of this. That's why he disregards me, calling me crazy." She took a deep breath, realizing that it took a weight off of her to say. "But I could care less if staying with him meant having my daughter in my arms again. I would do it in a heartbeat."

"My heart goes out to you," he returned. "I can tell that women, like you, are not appreciated in today's world. He will regret losing you; I am certain of it."

Alice sobbed once more at Nathaniel's words. "I wish that were true."

"I am going to reunite you with your little girl-" his cell phone rang, and he had to answer it. He quickly shoved his blue tooth earpiece in his ear and answered the call.

"Detective Eaglefeather. Yes," he replied.

"Damn, okay, send me the new address now," he ordered.

Alice had anxiously listened to the one-side conversation. "What's wrong?"

"We may have found your daughter or a little girl who fits her description, but it's a threehour drive to get there. Your husband has already been contacted, and he will meet you up there."

"Why won't he answer any of my calls?"

"Let's just focus on reuniting you with your daughter; everything can be figured out after," Nathaniel advised.

"I just don't understand what's happening," Alice murmured.

Nathaniel could find no words to comfort her and felt it was best to leave her alone with her thoughts. There would be a lot she would have to deal with soon enough. To Alice, three hours seemed to flow by timelessly, but he felt every agonizing minute of the drive to the detective.

They drove to a remote part of town and parked near a worn-down old home. A few police cars were there and a dark blue van.

Some officers looked over in the detective's direction, but he had given them strict orders before his arrival. Nathaniel took a deep breath as he turned off the car's engine. "Is

there anything else that you remember before you passed out?" He questioned.

Again blurred images flooded her mind; she did her best to get a clear vision of what took place, leading up to her daughter going missing. "I can't seem to remember anything clearly. Why are we here?"

Nathaniel stepped out of the vehicle and walked around to the passenger side. He opened the door and offered her his hand.

She took it and stepped out onto the pavement. "I haven't been candid with you," he began. "My name is Nathaniel Eaglefeather, and I am a detective, but I work mainly in special cases." He said as he leads her towards the house.

"I-I don't understand, was my daughter sexually assaulted?" Alice didn't wait for a response, she began to shout out her daughter's name as she ran towards the house.

"Mommy!" Chloe shouted back as Nathaniel struggled to keep up with the mother. His heart seems to explode with a pang of great sadness and joy as a beautiful little girl in a pink and white dress with two long ponytails ran towards her mother. Both mother and daughter collapsed, embracing each other as tears flooded both of their faces.

"Oh, baby, where have you been? I've been searching for you everywhere."

"Alice, there is something that you need to know. Nathaniel struggled to come out with the words. However, it did not matter. Alice's eyes locked on a gurney carrying the body of a small child. She bolted towards the stretcher with Nathaniel close behind her.

She reached ahead of him and yanked the white sheet back, revealing the bruised and discolored face of her little girl.

"Whoa," shouted the coroners.

"Yes, it sure is windy today," Nathaniel yelled out as he did his best to catch his breath.

Alice looked back down at her daughter, who was standing beside her. She could not breathe; she had no clue what to think; she felt like the walls were closing around her all at once.

"Alice, please... stay with me," Nathaniel pleaded. He daughter her as she fell. He was

placing himself on the floor and allowing her head to rest on his lap.

"Mommy, mommy, come back!" The little girl demanded.

"We have to give mommy a minute, sweetie," Nathaniel said to the little girl.

Alice's eyes fluttered open, and she grabbed her little girl and squeezed her, and tears streamed down her face. "Who did this to us?" She questioned the detective.

"Your body was found at the park. You were injected with a substance that caused you to pass out, but it killed you with your medical condition. Your little girl was taken by that man in the dark blue van. He lied about the location where he buried your little girl. So, I was called in. I work with unusual cases involving the supernatural. I knew that I would find your spirit in the park. I needed to help you, hoping that we could have saved her in time. I'm sorry we failed." Nathaniel spoke compassionately.

"You told me that you would reunite me with my daughter, and you did; you didn't fail us," Alice said as she cried. "Who did this to us?"

"The man was hired by your husband's mistress. Your husband has nothing to do with this; he is on suicide watch as we speak."

"What do we do now?" Alice asked, looking down at her little girl.

"You and this sweet angel are going to stand up," he began getting to his feet as he helped her to hers. "Turn around, and you see that bright, beautiful light?"

Alice nodded, unable to speak."Leave all that pain and suffering here and take your daughter's precious hand and walk into that light. I will make sure justice is served for you and your daughter."

Alice looked back one last time and mouthed. Thank you to Nathaniel, and then she and her daughter disappeared into the numinous light.

An officer tapped Nathaniel on the shoulder.

"How did you know this was the right little girl?"

"I dreamt of a red balloon," Nathaniel answered.

~The End~

Behind The Book In 2017, I lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and I was working as a restaurant manager for a well known restaurant chain. I think I was just itching to write at the time, but with work and caring for my daughter, I was exhausted by the end of each day. I was picking up my daughter from the babysitter when she started talking to me about a red balloon she got. I put her into the car and into her car seat, and she mentioned that she did not want to lose her red balloon. I finished strapping her in and making sure her balloon was okay. As we drove home and my baby girl went on about how she almost lost her red balloon, my mind began to wonder by the time I made it to the street that leads to my complex. I had a story in my mind, and thanks to my daughter’s non-stop conversation about her red balloon, we had a title.

Writing for me is a profound joy. My love for writing has brought me a lot of pain, rejected and even abuse. When I first set out to write, my husband at that time hated it. His psychological abuse turned physical, and soon after, I found myself homeless, confused, and scrapping to get back on my feet. Yet, the one thing I did not stop doing was writing. Almost eighteen books later. I am here to tell everyone and anyone to not give up on their dream. If you are with a person who refuses to support and encourage your passion. Don’t let them stop you. Don’t give anyone the power and ability to prevent your dream. My name is April Thomas; I am a mother, author, co-owner of Greenleaf Health LLC, and co-founder of Pandem Magazine.

If you are an author, please join my Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/647565515253966

https://www.V2FosteringChange.org

Like a Chameleon

By Travis Carlise

I

t is rare you compare a person to a reptile that rarely gets noticed. And this reptile in particular can represent this specific group of people in more ways than just one. A chameleon often goes unnoticed but when found, is marveled and looked towards to adapt and define the environment they occupy. The same can be said of foster children throughout the country. Foster children in the United States are currently one of the most disenfranchised groups in the traditional American class system and are often overlooked like a chameleon.

The departments that uphold the system often are stretch too thin to truly provide the best resources for reunification between the families and children, while the toll is truly taken by the children that often grow out the system. Adversity and strife have a continuous effect to the lives of many foster children throughout the country, and while some would stumble, foster kids continue to rise above. Like a chameleon, they adapt to their environment and impacts that path they travel as they occupy their own habitat and sometimes others.

Like how a rainforest assists the living of chameleons, non-profits that choose to be an asset to the foster care system. V2

National Association of Foster Youth Inc is designed to serve -1ages 13-23 nationally and YOUTH locally through Mentorship, At A Leadership, Education, and Community Service for current Time and former foster youth rise above challenges of growing up in the foster care system. The support a chameleon needs is essential to their life span and quality of life and the same can be said with the foster care system/children and the nonprofits and public systems that uphold them.

If you would like to be part of the change please visit v2fosteringchnage.org or https:// www.facebook.com/V2fosteringchange/ community/?ref=p age_internal.

For additional information please feel free to contact Ms. Veda Brooks, CEO by email:

vbrooks@v2fosteringchange.org

-1- YOUTH AT A TIME

Email us anytime! info@V2FosteringChange.org 470 Commerce Dr., Suite 505 | Peachtree City, GA 30215

Follow V2 Fostering Change on Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube

Email us anytime info@V2FosteringChange.org 470 Commerce Dr., Suite 505 Peachtree City,GA,30215

Follo

CARIBBEAN DELIGHTS

FOR EVER ONE!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

You gotta try this recipe!

This will be the hit of the week, if it makes it 24-hours. Please send in pictures to april@s2Live4.com and we will post it to our social media platforms and websites.

Ingredients overripe bananas cups flour cup sugar tsp cinnamon cups of melted butter tsp baking soda tsp baking powder tablespoon vanilla extract eggs cup chocolate chip semi sweet I cup added to flour mixture salt

Method Mash ripe bananas with a fork Add sugar eggs vanilla and butter Mix together and set aside Next sift flour baking powder and baking soda in a bowl combine the salt and cinnamon into the flour mixture Next add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir till well combined Do not over mix Pour in a greased baking loaf pan and bake for minutes at degrees degrees C Stick a toothpick in the center to see if it s done The oo h ick ho ld come o clean Take o f om he o en and le cool Enjo

Thank o Delicious recipes for the whole family from the caribbean

G EE LEAF HEAL H LLC

Hoping for a holistically healthy world.

What does it mean to be holistically healthy?

What does it mean to have a holistic magazine? Typically when people think of holistic, they only think of physical health and well-being. However, holistic health is so much more than that. Holistic health deals with bringing into balance every area of your life. Here are the eight regions that holistic health focuses on; Physical, Emotional, Social, Spiritual, Mental, Financial, Environmental, and Nutrition.

EADI G A HEA H IFE E G d i i a d h ical ac i i a e i a a leadi g a heal h life le. A bala ced die ca hel each a d ai ai a heal h eigh , ed ce i k ch ic di ea e , a d e e all heal h.

The overall goal is to bring each part of your life into balance. The end goal is a wellbalanced, happy and peaceful life. In Pandem Magazine, we aim to bring together individuals and businesses that can offer insight and hope to those seeking knowledge in those areas, for example, Nutrition, eating right, and finding a diet that works for you. Financial and your work life.

We search for businesses and people who share wisdom on managing money, making money, and anything to do with getting your economic life in balance. That also includes understanding taxes and how to improve your credit.

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We say all of this to help everyone understand what kind of magazine we are and our purpose. We also want our readers, supporters, and partners to understand our reason “why” we created this magazine.

2020 has been an eye-opener; we saw that people in horrible situations learn to either sink or swim. Many have found a way to swim and are doing a lot better than they have just a year prior. We look for those people to share their stories, tips, and advice to help others trying to find their own footing.

We are creating this platform to help people find and connect with other like-minded people. Sometimes all a person needs is a point in the right direction. We want this platform to be a place where people can use it as a resource to help them accomplish

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their dreams. No matter if you just want to grow long hair or start a business. We have people ready to point you in the right direction.

John and I hope that you enjoyed our debut edition of Pandem Magazine. Our next edition will be a special dedication to our military veterans. If you have a business or a story and would like to submit an article, please send it to. april@s2live4.com. If you would like to advertise your business or books in our magazine, please send a request to the same email address above, and we will send you all of the information that you need to get started. We also have marketing packages for independent and self-published authors. Get your message out there and be heard. If there is a topic you would like to see in our magazine, please let us know.

Either in comment or review. Or you can again email us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you all who contributed to Pandem Magazine TaMMy ONEAl

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