The Reunion
Now I decided to share with a friend that I was going to The National Black Family Reunion with a cape on. If you are Black or from the South or maybe even of a conservative slant, you may know the significance of showing up to anyone’s family reunion with a cape on. If you are all of these things you probably aren’t even reading this post! LMAO! Anyway, not to stereotype, but to stereotype, I wore a cape to the National Black Family Reunion. Now my friendszzzzzah, had told me that people would think I was a bit touched, but I also know that a person surrounds themselves with people of like mind. Of course the friends of an anal-retentive, judgmental Capricorn would say that! Duh, Cassandra, duh! So now, on my way out the door, I start second guessing myself. I’m like, “Well, should I put it on now and ride my bike down there with it on or should I put it on when I get down there?”
The whole thing was getting ridiculously mental. That’s when I knew I had a problem. How could I promote self-empowerment if I was being such a weenie! Furthermore, this wasn't even the first time I had worn the cape in public!!! Yet, I was still totally disempowered by the thought of what other people would think of me, which is nothing more than what you allow yourself to think of yourself. But that wasn’t what led to wearing the cape on the bike trip down to the National Mall. I had convinced myself that following a dream meant doing what you think you can’t do. MPWR is my dream, so therefore, I must don the cape. Yeah, donning the cape was really the least of my worries as it turned out. Why? Because no one said a damn thing about the cape the whole time I was wearing it. Sure, people may have thought things, but actually expressing these thoughts in some way I could comprehend? Nada! I was left with the realization that my own limitations were limiting me.
The Great Blue Caper
A funny thing happened on the bike trip down North Capitol. I envisioned myself as being my own superhero. My blue cape flowing in the wind behind me, I imagined I must be some sight to behold. Eventually, passing by the reflective windows of an office building confirmed this. However, nothing compared to the feeling of having conquered the first lesson of self-empowerment—try it. Riding my bike wearing that cape made me feel like I was soaring. I strangely had more confidence in myself, not less. I was ready for the National Mall and the reunion.
The whole thing was getting ridiculously mental. That’s when I knew I had a problem. How could I promote self-empowerment if I was being such a weenie! Furthermore, this wasn't even the first time I had worn the cape in public!!! Yet, I was still totally disempowered by the thought of what other people would think of me, which is nothing more than what you allow yourself to think of yourself. But that wasn’t what led to wearing the cape on the bike trip down to the National Mall. I had convinced myself that following a dream meant doing what you think you can’t do. MPWR is my dream, so therefore, I must don the cape. Yeah, donning the cape was really the least of my worries as it turned out. Why? Because no one said a damn thing about the cape the whole time I was wearing it. Sure, people may have thought things, but actually expressing these thoughts in some way I could comprehend? Nada! I was left with the realization that my own limitations were limiting me.
The Great Blue Caper
A funny thing happened on the bike trip down North Capitol. I envisioned myself as being my own superhero. My blue cape flowing in the wind behind me, I imagined I must be some sight to behold. Eventually, passing by the reflective windows of an office building confirmed this. However, nothing compared to the feeling of having conquered the first lesson of self-empowerment—try it. Riding my bike wearing that cape made me feel like I was soaring. I strangely had more confidence in myself, not less. I was ready for the National Mall and the reunion.
Like I said, no one said anything, even at the reunion celebration, and even if they had, the whole point of the endeavor was now less about passing out info and more about conquering my own fear. At that moment, I had a vision. I would not don the cape for the cause of MPWR, but for the cause of me. The cause of becoming what I was telling others they can achieve—profound self-empowerment. I would wear the cape to symbolize courage, small wins, healthy challenges, self-growth, and any number of triumphs over the crippling affects of fear itself.
After a year of progressive soul-searching, after months of immobilizing rants about not wanting to deal with marketing my own business, I had arrived. I had arrived at the current answer to what it would take to manifest my own dreams. I, yes I, had to be empowered. Long held notions about my own level of empowerment had been challenged head-on by a seemingly harmless symbol of power itself—a cape. I have to prepare to be empowered in ways I can’t possibly imagine. I must face my own limitations as they are revealed and conquer them. At this moment, in order to realize my own personal greatness as I define it, I must seize personal empowerment. MPWR’s very mission--which is the whole purpose of my vision.
What I asked to come into my life has presented itself because of my own persistence. Yet, when it arrived, I wanted to retreat behind the scenes. “How” I thought, “will I be able to humanize MPWR? MPWR needs a spokesperson, someone who can connect to people at the twilight of the human condition. That place in the human spirit where this kind of work is done. That place between what we are currently manifesting in our lives and what we are really capable of manifesting in our lives.” The place of dreams. Not me! But who else, if not me? I am the person for whom I've been waiting. Perhaps, my greatest challenge is as simple as wearing a blue cape in public. Perhaps, wearing the cape is my greatest act of inspiration, which goes far beyond anything MPWR can achieve as a vision with no humanity of its own. Perhaps, the greatest inspiration is a vision made manifest. And Cassandra, isn’t that the whole point of MPWR? Duh!
After a year of progressive soul-searching, after months of immobilizing rants about not wanting to deal with marketing my own business, I had arrived. I had arrived at the current answer to what it would take to manifest my own dreams. I, yes I, had to be empowered. Long held notions about my own level of empowerment had been challenged head-on by a seemingly harmless symbol of power itself—a cape. I have to prepare to be empowered in ways I can’t possibly imagine. I must face my own limitations as they are revealed and conquer them. At this moment, in order to realize my own personal greatness as I define it, I must seize personal empowerment. MPWR’s very mission--which is the whole purpose of my vision.
What I asked to come into my life has presented itself because of my own persistence. Yet, when it arrived, I wanted to retreat behind the scenes. “How” I thought, “will I be able to humanize MPWR? MPWR needs a spokesperson, someone who can connect to people at the twilight of the human condition. That place in the human spirit where this kind of work is done. That place between what we are currently manifesting in our lives and what we are really capable of manifesting in our lives.” The place of dreams. Not me! But who else, if not me? I am the person for whom I've been waiting. Perhaps, my greatest challenge is as simple as wearing a blue cape in public. Perhaps, wearing the cape is my greatest act of inspiration, which goes far beyond anything MPWR can achieve as a vision with no humanity of its own. Perhaps, the greatest inspiration is a vision made manifest. And Cassandra, isn’t that the whole point of MPWR? Duh!
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