0 SMALL MERCIES 2

I forgot my lunch on the train!! Spinach basmati rice, BBQ chicken, apples 🍎 🍎 and tangerines 🍊 🍊.

I sat on the streetcar fighting nausea and a headache. I took slow shallow breathes letting it out slowly. I didn't have any water to sip on, but I remembered I have apples in my lunch bag. Apples are juicy, so am thinking smalls bites and it juices may help. I reached for my lunch bag, it is then I realized, I forgot it on the train. I exclaimed, 'Oh no!' The TTC driver (bus driver) travelling as a passenger asked, "what's wrong?" 

" I forgot my lunch in the train. How can I get it back?" 

He looked at me sympathetically and said, " sorry, you can't, they just throw it away." 

I felt so disappointed. Then just said a prayer and ask God to please let a person in true need of a meal get it. I stayed hungry all day. 

At the end of my work day. I waited on the streetcar for over 49 minutes. Frustrated I decided to take an alternate route as 4 streetcar had already passed in the opposite direction. Obviously something was going on and I simply have a clue. A young Afro-Canadian wiman of Grenadian heritage was waiting at the stop as well but left and then came back. Remembering her I mentioned that no streetcars were coming. She asked, "how far are you going?" 

"Oh I am going to the subway." I answered. 

"We'll, I just called an Uber and it will need here in 3 minutes, she said consulting her phone. I can give you a ride to the subway, if you'd like." She offered. 

I looked at her and smiled saying, "oh that would be lovely, thank you." We talked, boarded the Uber, she was off to celebrate with her friend who just finished her PHD. I shared my cousin just finished hers and she said she was working on hers. I reached the subway. Thanks her and wished her a fabulous weekend and told her to enjoy the celebratory PHD completion party. 

I thought, not a bad end to a lunch starved day. Small mercies, makes all the difference. I reached home and promptly warmed up my leftover spinach basmati rice and BBQ chicken. It was damn good.

0 SMALL MERCIES 1

The train stops 🚏, people exit and board. One South Asian elderly gentleman boarded and turned around to hold the door for his wife walking with the walker and the door closes. He looks at her helplessly, as she looks at him just as helpless. He extends his right hand and points up ☝🏽, as if to say 'ill wait for you at our stop. She shrugs her shoulders and nods her head in agreement. They looked at each other longingly resigned to the situation when suddenly, the door opens. The old man ready to jump out while she simultaneously moves to enter. Both realizing that the subway driver was actually holding the door open for her. He reaches for her as she quickens her pace and steps in. He immediately holds on to her and maneuvers her to a seat 💺. I smile thinking, 'small mercies '.

©D.S.B.S.Rhapsodyphoenix

2 RESPECT THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Everyone you meet, young or old woman, child, cisgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, non-binary, all have the right to be respected and to have self-governance. Yeah, I know, you're probably stuck on "child". You will be surprised to know even children can communicate when they are uncomfortable. When the are too small to speak, they use their cries to convey discomfort. 

Simply put, everyone has the right to choose, who they want in their lives, to share a little, to share a lot or nothing about themselves with you. The degree is is not a determinant of your value or worth. Rather, it is about their personal choice to share or not to share. To set boundaries and parameters of comfort. In point, the same rights allotted to you. 

The truth is, we should All have boundaries that determine the depth and width of our relationships. Healthy Boundaries is a great thing.  Each of us needs to know what is and is not okay with the people in our lives. 

Boundaries teaches us the importance of our value and when conveyed to others, it teaches and establishes to the self and to others, what is acceptable, what is not acceptable, what will and will not be tolerated and how we want to be treated. 

Written by D.S.B.S Rhapsodyphoenix

©D.S.B.S Rhapsodyphoenix

1 ABANDONMENT HAS MANY VERSIONS

Sometimes....

The child abandons the parent.

-D.S.B.S.Rhapsodyphoenix

©D.S.B.S.Rhapsodyphoenix

1 SELF TRUST IS EVERYTHING

When you don't honor your word to yourself. You are teaching You, not to trust in yourself. You are saying, "don't trust me, my word is not good". You are saying, "Your word have no value."

Keep your word to yourself. Follow through with your promises and commitment to yourself, for your own benefit. 

Trusting in yourself is one of the key navigational tools for moving through life. Don't afraid to be wrong. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. To err is human. The things you are wrong about, the mistakes are the lessons necessary for learning and growing designed to elevate you to your best self. 

Be true to you, even when you cannot be true to anyone else because, the one person you are always with, is YOU.

-D.S.B.S.Rhapsodyphoenix

©D.S.B.S.Rhapsodyphoenix