Uncategorized – Page 2 – Greatness is a Choice

Happy 2015

The wonderful feeling about a new year is the energy and idea that we can create a new day. Personally, I’m so thankful to be here and still standing. Last year for me was truly my most challenging year to date.

The death of my mother came as such a shock! My mother was my rock and Bestfriend and when you experience that type of loss, words can do no justice! However, I’m picking up the pieces and moving forward.

Time is so precious and every experience just makes us better and more equipped for the world. Death is very cruel and sometimes comes without warning. Therefore, I kindly suggest all who read my blog, reflect and think if today was your last day on earth, how would you spend it?

Each day is a gift and no matter what our circumstance are, we can all make a difference and do something great! Even if it is simply offering a hello or saying thank you. At the end of the day, if we were all blind and material things didn’t matter, we would all realize we are made of the same ingredients and basically desire the same things. So let go of negative people, places and things and start celebrating your gift of 6ft up everyday!!!

Thankfulness

Last year, I purchased a extra Valentine’s Day card for my mother because I assumed she would be here so why not be practical and be proactive for next year.

Silly, I never imagined my mother had other plans! My mother passed away on April 26, 2014 and my world instantly changed. Nothing is quite the same! Death is a beast sometimes! Although, I had experienced death really close before, this for me was on a whole new level. It felt like the world stopped and everything shifted into an order of importance.

My mother passed away at the age of 69. Dorothy Mae was healthy and simply died in her sleep. For years, my mother would always say, I want to go first and in my sleep. Well unfortunately, for me she got her wish! My mother was everything to me and one of my greatest cheerleaders! My mother understood me and I could always go to her for anything! She knew how to solve any problem and what she couldn’t fix, we knew to solve it with prayer!

Last year was so hard for me and my mother because we both experienced many losses in the past few years! So many that we almost became numb. My mother was the anchor as usual and the first to say life goes on and get over it Sharon!

She would say do something for you and get out of that house. Just the week before, I took my mother’s advice! We had the best time of our life! I took her on a shopping spree and got her a no chip manicure. If I only knew, that would be our last girls day!

After all is said and done, I feel very thankful. It’s a blessing to know love so closely for 43 years! Always receiving me with a smile and a word. Not many in the world can say that! I learned from my loss, that each day is special. No need to wait for a holiday to say I love you! Everyday 6ft up is grounds for a celebration! If you love someone tell them, show them and spend some time with them.

Learn from me, people die and leave off schedule and even when they are not sick. So if we all treat each day, like it’s our last, we will have a better quality of life and live to the fullest!

Love hard and pick your audience carefully!

Be thankful everyday and know God is always in control. Love never dies and is the only gift that can transcend heaven and earth. As long as our loved ones legacy is kept alive through us, their spirit lives on through us!!!

Relationship Blues: Poor Decisions

I believe the biggest problem for men and women is poor decisions!

Unfortunately, in my opinion too many people including men and women select partners or mates for ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG REASONS!
Overall, I think women focus on finding stability too much and men focus on physical attractiveness too much.

As a result, both usually end up in a troubled relationships because the motives or goals in the first place were way off. People should focus on character traits that mean something at the end of the day like the following: loving, spiritual, goal orientated, focused, intelligent, nice, friendly, integrity, hard-working, visionary, a giver, CLEAN, Funny, Nice, mentally stability, consistent, excellent cook, no sexual hang-ups, family focused, risk taker, spontaneous and finally honest.

As a result, I truly believe if the selection process was based on substance, those things, relationship would improve 95%. In addition, please know that I agree that it is nice to have a man who is financial and physically stable. But I believe in first possessing what I want. If a woman want a stable man with good credit, well by all means in my opinion she should come to the table with the same things to offer! Likewise, I believe if a man want a top 10 super model, he needs to bring the eye candy to the table as well.

The nerve of some men that want a super model, that personally possess 3 extra stomachs and a spare. That is so funny to me. I truly believe that men and women have to learn the art of being an asset and not a liability.

Finally, I believe relationships are meant to be like cake and icing. Icing make a cake taste better, it enhances the cakes favor. But let the truth be told, cake still taste very good on its own! Being your own happiness to the relationship table😊.

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Cheaters

Unfortunately, most people who have been cheated on, are 1000% AWARE! Likewise, there is no such thing of blindsiding a sane stable person. Often we select to put on our blinders because we are simply not ready to deal with the truth.

We all learned as children that hiding from a problem never solves anything but prolongs the issues. Prayer, honesty, open communication, forgiveness, respect and addressing all the Core Issues is the only real solution.

Since communication is now 90% non-verbal, almost every person I have ever spoken to who has been cheated on, knew, who, what, when, where, why and even sometimes how. All this non-sense of not knowing is just foolishness.

Body language is almost involuntary, so everything a person really needs to know, is usually right there looking them dead in the face. Regardless to not having concrete evidence. However, if more people accepted the naked truth facts around them, we would be a lot better off.

If something, looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, smell like a duck, then by all means stop all the analysis and just accept it is a DUCK! If your significant other displays any of the following red flags you may want to accept the duck status for sure!!!

1. Indifferent towards you!

2. Inattentive to your needs and wants!

3. Working late unexpectedly or all the time!

4. Bathes or shower as soon as they hit the door!

5. Never want to spend quality time together!

6. Refuses to communicate with you!

7. Has become a stranger in the house!

8. No connection intimately or concern for your satisfaction!

9. Unsupportive of your dreams or aspirations!

10. Negative towards your goals & vision for your life!

11. Has guy or girl trip plans to travel to Brazil or the Dominican Republic. It’s not for fishing or golfing of the normal sort 😜.

12. A sudden change in their physical appearance, dress and demeanor!

13. Excessive talking on the cell or texting frequently! Locks it too!

14. Obsession with their personal computer or laptop!

15. An absolute change in attitude and perspective!

16. Wear cologne or perfume all of a sudden!

17. Never affirm their significant other or compliment them. Plus suddenly stops complaining!!! Normally a back up has been hired 😉! The website Ashley Madison has made millions by setting up marrying individuals who still like to explore.

18. Take, Take, Take & Never Give!!!

19. Unexplained STD😑.

20. Loves Porn, No discipline or integrity!!!

21. Feels unappreciated, neglected, taken for granted, resentment, stifled or unattended, is a great recipe for a side piece invite.

Enough said already!

http://www.greatnessisachoice.com

Getting Past the Pain

Yesterday I was inspired by Monique Spence😍. I also like to tell my stories of faith & God, because I truly remember all to well a very shy girl from the south side of Chicago with not too much but with a lot of love and a great family. When I hear about all the violence in Chicago and discord going on, I remember my mother saying God is the same yesterday, today & forever! I remember being afraid of going back to grad school and then the day came & I had to bury my son.

I just had a child by C-Section, 19 staples, chest in pain from the milk, and my son passed away! I’m in the maternity ward & babies are everywhere except mines. Thankful, the Staff at the University of Chicago had a heart. Put me in a private room & took me off that ward. I remember being in that room, alone & thinking God, if I can live through this, getting my Masters will be a breeze! It was! I graduated from Spertus College in 1999 with a Masters in Human Service Administration with a GPA of 3.8. Thank God for his Grace, that was 19 years ago on 6/25/95. I will never forget Deloris Foster, Jacqueline Glass, Tiffany Roberson, Michelle Davis, Chris McMorris, John Williams, my Parents & Tamla Jarrett. God Grace & the love & support of friends and family is how we make it to see the sun again!

National HIV Testing Day

Today is National HIV testing day! As a HIV/ AIDS, Program Coordinator it is very important to know your status! Black women are being effected by the disease the most! Knowledge is power and can save your life! So many advances has been made with medications and practices to treat the disease.

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Service
STI/HIV/AIDS Evaluation
The following CDPH clinics are drop-in specialty clinics that diagnose and treat sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and others. They also provide information about condom use and other prevention methods. Services are offered at no cost, and on a first-come, first-serve basis, no appointment is necessary.

Free clinic hours and locations:
Englewood STI Specialty Clinic
641 W. 63rd St., Lower Level
Phone: 312.747.8900
Fax: 312.747.5275
Mon., Wed., Fri.: 8 am – 4 pm
Tue., Thu.: 9 am – 5 pm

South Austin STI Specialty Clinic
4958 W. Madison
Phone: 312.746.4871
Fax: 312.746.4637
Mon. and Wed.: 8 am – 4 pm
Tue., Thu.: 10 am – 6 pm

Lakeview STI Specialty Clinic
2861 N. Clark, 2nd Floor
Phone: 312.744.5507
Fax: 312.744.2573
Mon., Wed., Fri.: 8 am – 4 pm
Tue., Thu.: 10 am – 6 pm

West Town STI Specialty Clinic
2418 W. Division
Phone: 312.744.5464
Fax: 312.744.5516
Fri.: 8 am – 4 pm

Roseland STI Specialty Clinic
200 E. 115th St.
Phone: 312.747.2831
Fax: 312.747.2841
Mon.: 8 am – 4 pm
Thurs.: 9 am – 5 pm

Services eligibility:

Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for services. No one is turned away if unable to pay. Fees are on a sliding scale basis.

*Additional locations are available by calling 1.800.AID.AIDS

Services provided at the clinics:
Evaluation, testing & treatment for sexually transmitted infections & HIV
HIV Counseling
HIV Rapid Testing (same day results)
STI & HIV Education
Partner Notification
Treatment Services
Free Condoms
On site lab testing and dispensing of medications Early Intervention Services for persons living with HIV . Services are provided at the Englewood and Uptown Clinic Locations. CDPH Clinics test for the following sexually transmitted infections:

chlamydia
gonorrhea
genital warts
herpes
HIV
non-gonoccocal urethritis (NGU)
syphilis
vaginal infections (trichomoniasis, yeast, and bacterial vaginosis)
Testing and treatment services are available for many less common STIs

such as:
chancroid
crabs
lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)
molluscum contagiosum
mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC)
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
scabies
HIV Primary Care Clinics hours and locations:
CDPH’s HIV Primary Care Program provides care for persons living with HIV. These programs provide integrated, life-sustaining services that include primary medical care, HIV treatment, mental health assistance, and comprehensive support to promote healthy living for our clients. Our caring teams of HIV specialists include physicians, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, case managers, and medical assistants who provide comprehensive, integrated, multidisciplinary HIV specialty care services tailored to individual client needs. Services are offered by appointment.

Englewood Primary Care Clinic
641 W. 63rd St., First Floor
Phone: 312.745.0667
Fax: 312.745.7753
Mon., Wed., Fri.: 8 am– 4 pm
Tue., Thu.: 10 am – 6 pm

Uptown Primary Care Clinic
845 W. Wilson, 2nd Floor
Phone: 312.744.1935
Fax: 312.744.1308

Mon., Wed., Fri.: 8 am– 4 pm
Tue., Thu.: 10 am – 6 pm

Greatness is in Everyone

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson

Communication is Vital – 5 Great Examples

Greatness is a Choice

Communication

Is it possible to have great relationships? I think so if we make choices that are in agreements with our vision for our life. Yesterday, as I was reviewing one of my favorite sites it dawned on me why do so many people in relationships ignore extremely obvious signs of “Disaster”? Is it not common knowledge that communication is 80% non-verbal? Likewise, non-verbal communication is not sign language or letter writing because those forms would still require the use of words. Non-verbal communication is body language…which happends to be the things that your body does without any conscious thought that always tell the real story.

For example, if someone simply asks me “How are you Sharon” and I reply wonderful yet sound very dry, my eyes are looking down and worst of all, my voice tone reminds everyone of droopy the dog. Who in the world will I convince…

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Life ABC’s

Hello family and friends,

I just saw a great note online and wanted to share:

The Present is a Gift, that is why we must always look at our glass life handed you and be GRATEFUL!!! Someone at any given point will always admire and would like to switch if they could. Life is simply about learning how to dance in the rain and remain positive while the storm is coming down. The good thing about rain storm is that we all know eventually, they all come to an end!!! I’m simply so thankful and absolutely loving life and appreciating all of God’s grace, mercy and blessing!!!

God is always on time and the Lord is always there! So thankful that we loved us first and he is soooo forgiving!!!

Accept differences; Be kind; Count your blessings; Dream; Express thanks; Forgive; Give freely; Harm no one; Imagine more; Jettison anger; Keep confidences; Love truly; Master something; Nurture hope; Open your mind; Pack lightly; Quell rumors; Reciprocate; Seek wisdom; Touch hearts; Understand; Value truth; Win graciously; Xeriscape; Yearn for peace; Zealously support a worthy cause.

Happy 4th of July Weekend!!!

My Salutatorian

When Jared was 2, his father and I divorced and my son blessed me by showing me at the tender age of 2 that fathers are very important!!! I remember the first difficult task was meeting the girlfriend while my child was in the emergency room and they had just revived my son from being the color blue because he had stopped breathing. The second was going to my ex-husband’s girlfriend house for my son’s birthday party. I remember saying Jesus keep me and put on my happiest face! My sister Tiffany came with me and it felt like I was literally going to Hell! But, for Jared I was willing to do anything to help put a smile on my child’s face. As I walked out of that house, I knew, that I knew, that God was real! My ex-husband’s girlfriend family was so shocked at how nice I was to everyone! It was so obvious that they thought drama was very possible. The Lord was able to let my happiest face remain throughout the party and my son was so happy! That was the only goal and I knew the Lord was going to give me the strength!

Jared has been such a blessing to me! I have to tell you a story about Jared when I was single. One day when Jared & I was walking out the grocery store a man spoke to me and said hello. I looked surprised and when Jared and I got into my car Jared said, “Mommy are you going to be single forever, why didn’t you speak back to the man?” I looked at Jared and said to myself, wow out of the mouth of the child speaks the truth.

I will never forget the day my life changed forever on 8/24/2003, on the track of Morgan Park High School in Chicago. I met my husband officer Joseph Rowe and he is absolutely one of the best things that has ever happend to me! Joseph & I were married on 8/14/2004, and he has been absolutely key in my son Jared’s success and upbring! Joseph is a man’s, man and means BUSINESS!!! Joseph’s standanrds is EXCELLENCE and BELIEVES only the best will do! Anyone who knows him, knows what I’m talking about. It was very difficult sometimes as a mother to change and to let go of my ways and follow his path. Jared knew what Joseph said was not negotiable and he was firm! I have to say, Joseph taught my son how to ride a bike, that straight A’s in college is possible, that he means business and that love is more than just mere words. Love is all about actions! Thank You so much Joseph Rowe for being the man that I need as well as want. For being the Right man that Jared, Corey and Ashley need! For I have to acknowledge that our combine efforts will continue to bring forth great leaders and citizens of the world, that love God and know what their purpose is in Life! I might not say it everyday, but thank you for walking into my Life and Staying here through Everything! You are the blessing that God intended just for me!!! Plus for cooking each and everyday day!!!

Fast forward to the present, at Jared’s graduation was almost the entire blended family. Jared told me that he wanted to share his moment with everyone that played a key role in his life. Therefore, we explained to his teacher that was had to have additional tickets to accommodate all sides of the family. My husband Joseph, and daughter Ashley, My ex-husband Byron and his son Byron Jr. (his wife had to work), my parents Roosevelt & Dorothy, my ex-in-laws Marvin & Lilly, my sisters Tiffany, Jacqueline & brother Roosevelt Jr. and last but not least my best friend from high school Michelle.

In closing, as my son Jared walked the stage and received his 14 awards, I now know all of Joseph and my sacrifices and hard work is starting to paid off! This is just the beginning of more great things to come! My ex-father-law said Sharon you and Joe did an excellent job and I corrected him and said we all did!!! Each and every last one of us contributed to Jared’s success and I’m very thankful!

Thank God and the Lord, Jared was actually listening and he believes personally that “Greatness is a Choice”!!!