I am free. I am me.

I can breathe. I can feel. I am free. I am me.

I can laugh. I can cry but I am free because I am me.

I can hurt but I can fly because I am free. I am me.

I can fall down but get back up because I am free. I am me.

I am not perfect. I am flawed but I am free because I am me.

I make mistakes - lots of them but I am free. I am me.

I am not a prisoner of who you want me to be because I am free. I am me.

I can jump and be afraid but I am free. I am me.

I can feel lonely but I am not alone. I am free. I am me.

I am unchained from my past. I am free. I am free.

I know a lot. I don't know it all but I am free. I am me.

I have scars and bumps and bruises but I am free because I am me.

I can now look ahead with clarity because I am free. I am me.

I can be open. I can be vulnerable because I am free. I am me.

I can move any hurdle or mountain because I am free. I am me.

Would you agree that you can see that I am free because I am me?

I do not care because I am here because I am free. I am me!


Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

Maybe, Just Maybe

People come into our lives
Always for a reason
Maybe just for a lifetime
Maybe just for a season

Maybe just for some heartache
Maybe just for some tears
Maybe just for a second
Maybe just for some years

Maybe just for our safety
Maybe just for a lesson
Maybe for us to learn
Maybe just for a blessing

Maybe just for a downer
Maybe just for an upper
Maybe for a quick dinner
Maybe for the last supper

Maybe for an ah-ha moment
Maybe to come full circle
Maybe for family matters
Maybe just for Urkel

Maybe to weather storms
Maybe for outer layers to shed
Maybe to appreciate the now
Maybe for our journey ahead

Maybe for us to teach
Maybe just for a laugh
Maybe our cup is half empty
Maybe to fill us like a carafe

Maybe we are lonely 
Maybe we need a friend
Maybe, just maybe
For our life's ingredients to blend

Maybe for some fright
Maybe just for a thrill
Maybe we'll figure it out
Maybe we never will

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013.

Fatherless Parenting

To Father (from Mother of Child)

This wasn’t in my wildest dreams

Raising our child all alone

Playing both mommy and daddy

Paying this mortgage on my own

How could you sleep at night?

Knowing that your child needs you?

Knowing that they need food?

Knowing that they need shoes?

Knowing that it takes two to tango

You’re just repeating what your dad did

He ran in and out of your life for years

You never understood as you were a kid

But now that you are a grown adult

I thought you’d never act this way

Doing the same exact thing he did

You hit rewind and pressed replay

You weren’t cut out to be a parent

I wish back then it was apparent

But it’s true, you live and you learn

You can continue to be transparent

Because we will make it without you

You are the one who’s missing out

You were trying to get back at me

But me is not who it’s about

To Father (from Child)

Since I have talked to you last

It’s been forever and some days

I prayed for you all the time

Hoping that one day you’d change your ways

What is it that I did wrong?

I went to school and got straight A’s

I took care of mom when you were gone

All I ever wanted was some praise

All I ever wanted was your love

All I ever wanted was a father

All I ever needed was for you to be there

But now, please don’t bother

Because I’ve made it this far without you

There is no doubt I still have a void

You were supposed to be a role model

And you have no idea what you destroyed

You have destroyed my self-esteem

You have destroyed so much more

But I have regained my control

So destroy me, you will no more

The damage has already been done

And I made it through as a result

But no matter how old that I get

Remember I’m the child, you’re the adult

To Mother and Child (from Father)

I’m so taken aback by these words

I did the best that I could

Well, with what I had

I think you both misunderstood

See I was raised by a single mother

My dad left me when I was young

He would promise to come and get me

So his words is where I clung

He was never a role model to me

Where was I supposed to learn?

I never wanted to be like him
Where did I make the wrong turn?

The truth is that I was scared

So I ran because it was painless

I never wanted it to be like this

I wish that I could make your pain less

But please use me as a teacher

I have taught you to be strong

I have taught you to overcome

I can’t admit that I was wrong

You both may think I’m a coward

But I am still a man with pride

If you are ever feeling down

Read Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise

Because life will throw you lemons

Making lemonade is up to you

Whether you forgive me is the same

That is totally up to you too

To All (from Me)

Single mom and fatherless child

Consider it a blessing in disguise

Because you can learn from every time

That your eyes and heart cries

You both should forgive him

I’m glad that you wrote these letters

I want you to know that he was right

If he knew how, he would have done better

Just know that it’s not your fault

His absenteeism has to do with him

Making lemonade is still your choice

You can sink or you can swim

To the father that is missing out

Still I Rise is a great poem

But how can you go through life

When you have a child and do not know them?

Having no father is not an excuse

But what it does is help to explain

Why you stepped out on your child

And then went and did the same

As an adult you had a choice

Repeat history or be a man

Because a real man raises his child

And every addition to his clan

Please let this be a lesson to all

While no child asks to be born

Whenever “life happens” you have a choice

Either learn and forgive or be scorned

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.

Success...

You should dress for success

Put on your suit and your tie

Or your heels and your skirt

Then reach for the sky

That’s all we have to do, right?

Put on our best attire?

Then up and up we go

Until the day that we retire

We all wish it was that easy

But success is something else

We can aim for the stars

But can’t do it by ourselves

We need someone to push us

We may not like to be pushed but

Without a little push and shove

Then push comes to shove, then what?

You should stop right here

Before you can continue to read through

You have to define what success means

While standing on your own two

…………………

…………………

…………………

………………..

When you are done reflecting

You can follow your own dreams

Just know that as much as you climb

Success is not what it seems

If you think it’s just about you

Success encompasses a lot more

How many people have you inspired?

Or helped pull up from the floor?

How much money you acquire

Really doesn’t mean a thing

If instead of being selfless

You’d rather go and buy some bling

Surround yourself with the right people

Keep your inner circle tight

Because if one snake exists

There will be a venomous bite

Go ahead and impact the world

That would be magnificent

In getting and gaining you become successful

But only in serving do you become significant

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012

Golden Rule

Treat others the way you want to be treated – not the way they treat you! What’s wrong? Does that sound like it doesn’t make sense? If someone does you wrong, why should you do right by them? Well…

 Read in between the lines
 It’s not as complicated as it seems

 This has nothing to do with revenge

 Nothing to do with schemes

 Everything to do with karma

 A little about being polite

 As we learned at the age of five

 Two wrongs don’t make it right

 If two wrongs doesn’t make it right

 Then that should be all you need

 To never intentionally cause harm

 Your pride should not supersede

 What you know is true already

 Don’t stoop down to being petty

 Just be real with yourself

 Don’t fake it like Machiavelli

 When a person does you wrong

 You know karma is coming to them

 But as soon as you retaliate

 Just know it’s coming around again

 Then the vicious cycle begins

 Round and round it goes

 Until everyone is worn out

 Now who delivers the last blow?

 Someone has to stand up

 Then throw their hands up

 And realize it’s not worth it

 Most places we call that “man up”

 Manning up is for men and women

 Don’t focus on that and get offended

 This is intended to open your heart

 And if it’s broken this is to mend it

 What’s done in the dark

 Will one day come to light

 So take off your gloves

 There’s no need to fight

 Because you’d be fighting yourself

 And the karmic forces

 Think before you act

 Is the motto I’m endorsin’

 If it’s too painful or shameful

 To not attack the attacker

 Then ‘ready, set, hike’

 Go ahead and be the linebacker

 But know that’ll get you no where

 You can act like you have no fear

 You can even turn a deaf ear

 So exit right off my blog if you don’t care

 But since you’re here I guess you do

 There’s not much more for me to walk you through

 One last thing and it’s not new

 Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

 Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.

Virtue Is...

What is virtue?

Is it doing something good?

Giving to the homeless?

Have I misunderstood?

Is it rescuing an abused pet?

Wait, maybe it’s a lot deeper

Only follow along

If you are a deep thinker

It’s principle

Morality

Doing better

Mentality

It’s facts

Reality

Higher power

Spirituality

It’s freedom

Liberality

What it’s not is brutality, irrationality, or partiality

It’s altruism in totality

Unselfish acts and respect

Wanting to grow and affect

The lives of those who aren't as pure

Knowing the world is not perfect

We were all born with a clean slate

But what happened as we got older?

We took pleasure in sin

And the media tried to mold us

Still we are responsible for our choices

Our actions, our voices

No one opened up our mouths

We chose to drink the poison

That lifestyle is worthless

Deters us from our purpose

The more we strive towards excellence

Perhaps we’d be closer to virtuous

Excellence without selfishness

Excellence without ego

Excellence with moral responsibility

Excellence with oswego

That means “the outpouring”

An outpouring of goodness

An outpouring of uprightness

An outpouring of righteousness

But not of uptightness

Loosen up a little bit

Morality is fundamental

Virtue is instrumental

Let’s not be judgmental

Of those who are not like us

Lend a hand and pull them up

Remember you aren't perfect either

Aren’t you a faithful believer?

That’s happiness at its best

Putting chastity to the test

Be as virtuous as possible

Because you my friend are blessed

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.

True Friendship

Sista from another mista

Brother from another mother

No matter what you call it

The bond is like no other

Maybe you met in college

Maybe you met at work

Or maybe at the bar

But it feels like you met at birth

They always know when something’s up

And when you’re feeling a little blue

You can try to tell a lie

But they know it’s not the truth

The moment that you met

You knew the friendship would last forever

Trust came naturally

And you’d disrespect them never

Well, not on purpose anyway

But listen to what they have to say

If you crossed that line

Then apologize right away

You can go months without speaking

But when you finally do

You’ll pick up where you left off

Nothing like their point of view

You could talk all night

Where the hours pass on by

Sometimes you cry until you laugh

Sometimes laugh until you cry

Either way they’re here to stay

That’s how you’d like it to be

You can call them at odd hours

Midnight, one, two, or three

And they are always there to listen

To help you pick up the pieces

Nurture you during break-ups

And as your connection increases

They’ll open up your fridge

Be there for your kids

Without even asking

That’s just the way it is

They’ll laugh at you when you fall

Take your keys if you’re drunk

They encourage you to be better

And then go back to talking junk

They know your favorite meal

They know your favorite track

They know your favorite this

They know your favorite that

True friends are hard to come by

Cherish them until the end

After all, they are more like family

Much deeper than just a friend

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.

Birthdays and Getting Older...

"Another candle on the cake

Make a wish before you blow

Another year filled with life

More wisdom added to what you know

The days seem to fly by so fast

24 hours is never enough

Yet the years go by so slowly

It feels like your life is in slow-mo

Until one day fast-forward is pushed

And you look in the mirror wondering what happened

Where did those precious years go?

Those gray hairs make you mad and

Your kids are growing up

Nieces and nephews in college

So you tell them the lessons you learned

Just to kick a little knowledge

And you wonder if they'll listen

Or will they just roll their eyes

Do they think you are too old

To give advice about their lives?

The truth needs to be told

Look back in the mirror at your face

You may be a year older

But you still live your life with grace

Youthful like a child

Tons of laughs to get you through

Genuine friendships and strong family ties

How can you be so blue?

That you gained another year

Because you have gained so much more

Another year filled with faith

So much strength added to your core

Embrace this new year

You have much more to learn

A lot more to teach

You should have no concern

Because the longer you are here

The better the world will be

Remember that love costs nothing

And the best things are free"

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.