Monday, February 27, 2012

Awards Season

The first couple of months of each year are brought in by a host of Award Shows and Ceremonies. We've had the Emmy's, the Grammy's, the BET Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the Oscar's among others. People go through a lot of changes to prepare for "awards season" with the hope of either getting exposure, making money, or just being in the right place at the right time. In the midst of all of this, life waits for no one and keeps on moving. I felt like every week I would turn around and there was another show that gave honor to someone regarding the entertainment industry. Recently we also just had the Basketball All Stars Weekend, so of course we can't forget sports.

Achieving awards can be a good thing, it helps us to measure if we are doing a good job in our chosen profession or field. The dictionary defines an award as a prize or granting a merit due. However, if we do our life's work with an "award" being the only goal, then we need to take a look at our motives and what really stimulates us to get up each day. We should be motivated to be involved with a life's work that is bigger than us. We are all actually pieces of a puzzle and when we find our place, do our work, the award will be the finished product and a legacy that will live long after all of us are gone.

Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against awards (giving or receiving). Coming from a background of event planning, many of our jobs were centered around community events giving awards to deserving individuals and companies. Also with my nonprofit, Forgiving For Living, Inc., we also have an annual PLUS Awards (that will be held on April 21st at the Beverly Hills Hotel), but I just wanted to give a little encouragement to many of the workers that are out in the vineyard that may never receive an actual "trophy or plaque" in their hand, don't give up.

I want to close with a saying I often heard growing up in the Baptist Church, "if I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody, how they are travelling wrong, then my living will not have been in vain." I recently found out that saying came from a song by the one and only, Ms. Mahalia Jackson. Believe in yourself and make it a point to help someone along the journey, they may be your reward and award!

Healing Without Hate: It's a choice. It's a lifestyle. Pass it on!
Visit www.WendyGladney.com & www.forgivingforliving.org. You can email her at wendy.gladney@gmail.com. Also follow her blog: Wendygladney.blogspot.com. Wendy is featured on Radio Free 102.3 KJLH on Dominique DiPrima's Front Page Friday Mornings @ 5am

Monday, February 13, 2012

Miss Whitney Houston

Like so many I was hurt and stunned when I heard the news of the death of Whitney Houston. It's amazing how fast news can hit the streets. Since this tragedy occurred there've been mixed emotions and comments floating around between conversations, television and other forms of media communication. However, the overall sentiment has been that no one can take away the fact God gave her a gift and a voice that we will remember forever.

As I sit and write this article, although the autopsy report has been completed, the results have not been released to the general public. Many say and feel that she died of some sort of overdose or abuse of a controlled substance. Although it is questioned if she ever truly recovered from her substance abuse, she was still loved her, and many wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. I even heard comments on the red carpet at the Grammy's saying "she was trying...give her that."

I feel that at this point who are any of us to point the finger or pass judgment on what she did or did not do, but rather examine our own lives while we still have breath to breathe and can make a change. If you think about it, we may have a different "addiction," but for the grace of God any of us can be taken out in the blink of an eye.

This past week has been a heavy in so many ways. Even in my own life it has been a week of ups and downs, however, each week I try to check in with people who help me stay centered and focused on the big picture, and one of those people is my "Uncle Mack." This week when we talked he said something very simple, but was exactly what I needed to hear at that very moment..."Just Don't Stop Trying!" That simple, don't stop trying. So my closing words this week to you are whatever you are doing, whatever you are going through, just don't stop trying. Tomorrow can be a better day.

"We will always love you Whitney."


Healing Without Hate: It's a choice. It's a lifestyle. Pass it on!

Visit www.WendyGladney.com & www.forgivingforliving.org. You can email her at wendy.gladney@gmail.com. Also follow her blog: Wendygladney.blogspot.com. Wendy is featured on Radio Free 102.3 KJLH on Dominique DiPrima's Front Page Friday Mornings @ 5:00am.