Be Inspired by Miss Stone

‘In the chaotic rubble, she still remembered who she was.’ - R.M. Drake How easy is it lose to yourself when the world around you makes no sense? When the windows shatter and the walls cave in. When the ceiling collapses and the foundation you thought was solid enough to survive countless earthquakes starts to crack. And when you are surrounded by nothing but rubble and dirt. Will you get lost in it? You cannot get lost in the fire when you know that your soul is ignited by the fire that lives within you. You cannot get washed away in the rain, when you allow it to cleanse you of the dirt that envelopes your body. You cannot drown in the ocean when you have submerged yourself in it, willingly, to heal the wounds that have covered your flesh. You, my dear, cannot sit in the rubble and become a part of it, when you know who you are. When in the depths of your soul, you have experienced pain and managed to heal yourself. When you have lived with pain and manag...

I was asked the other day ‘Toya, what does it feel like to be a woman?’ This question did catch me off guard for a while, but it made me think too. What is it to be a woman? What does it feel like? As part of my answer, I responded with a Maya Angelou quote and stated ‘Most times, when I walk, I feel like I have diamonds at the meeting of my thighs.’ I continued by saying being a woman is both majestic but so real. Painful too. God made us soft but also so strong. I walked away from this conversation feeling there was so much more I could have said. Yet, I could have said less too. And so, I turned to what I know best. Words. And I started writing. When I think of women, so many images come to mind. I think of my mother who raised so many children, both hers and that of others, but never once discriminated or gave her biological children special treatment. She sacrificed many of her own dreams so that we could live ours. Therefore, when my mother comes to mind, I thi...

Ever sold your soul to the devil for a quick buck? For a minute of pleasure? For some desire that only mortals need? Ever sold your soul to the devil?  I once believed in fairytales. I mean, haven't we all? But as we grow up, reality becomes more of a, well, reality. We realise that the plans we've made to get married and have children by the age of 30 seem nothing more than candy coated dreams; dreams that might take a few more years to come true. We realise that other things become more important. Yes, marriage and kids are still on the cards, but then work starts bringing you more pleasure, more satisfaction, more money, just more of what other things cannot bring you. Family members start needing you more. Other things require your attention. And your plans, they kind of get put on hold. Because they're plans, and they will develop, just not now. I have had quite a few sleepless nights these past few weeks. Wondering if the plans I have made need some alterati...