HOW POWERFUL ARE YOU FOR REAL?

Peace. Power is your ability to effect and change your environment through the work you put in over time. There are many types of power, or shall I say, there are many ciphers in which one's power can be manifested i.e. financial world, politics, neighborhood, community, etc. Within this, you have different levels of power. First comes your internal process...your inner strength and will power. Lots of people, including myself at an earlier point in my life, stop here. I AM THE QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE!!!! is how one may feel inside. For as long as I can remember, even as a child, I felt a certain level of royalty about how I carried myself...walking with my head high like a queen. That's the pride my mother instilled in me, and an inner confidence that I've always had (even though I had self-esteem issues like a lot of lil Black girls do).

I remember I wrote this long ass poem called "Visions of a Superwoman," and it was a long poem about how I was the shit basically (sometimes, in the world of poetry and even rhymin, one can boost themselves up through metaphor...lots of "I" statements). I was feelin' myself that day :-) B.u.t. in order for your inner strength to matter in the grand scheme of things, your power has to start inward and then be applied outside of yourself. You have the power to change yourself, and as important and necessary as that is, that is just the first step, with power.
In our supreme mathematics, culture comes before power, so there are consistent activities that have to be taking place to show and prove your impact on your environment.

So, if I'm not consistently effecting and changing other people's lives am I truly powerful? My inner strength can be a great self-esteem builder, and once I have that strength, I have the ability to act upon it. B.u.t., if I don't act upon it, if I ain't changin anybody's life, then guess what? In the grand scheme of things, I don't have any real power...yet. I know the power I do have which is manifested through tangible activities (my work with children, my poetic, rhyme, and writing abilities, etc.) and that's cool, but being honest with myself, I have yet to change a block, neighborhood, city, state, country, world, and for the billions of people that exist at this moment, the overwhelming majority have no knowledge of my existence!

So I guess this is an ego check for myself and if it applies to you, that's peace too. I can read books, and develop myself, and all that, b.u.t., if it ain't effectin nobody, my power really only matters to me! And if I'm effecting a handful of people around me, that's peace, b.u.t. I know that I can't stop there in order to live out the qualities I assign to myself. One can start small, and do what you do well and thoroughly, before expanding, b.u.t. just think if all of us really did our best to make the greatest impact in this world as possible!

As Gods and Earths (as well as others who use some of this terminology to define oneself), we have a lot of qualities within our worldview to live up to...king, queen of the universe, god of the universe, earth, mother of civilization, father of civilization, ruler, master, etc. All of these qualities cannot stop at us as individuals or within our immediate ciphers (family or home) in order for us to have a large impact in the world. If we are kings and queens, we must have a kingdom (aside from our homes, although that's included). If we are captains and lieutenants, we must have private soldiers right? If we are leaders, we must have a team. So we as individuals, have to make an honest and critical assessment of our impact on others. I know I positively effect a handful of people, but at the moment, I don't have much power in the world. This doesn't mean I can't pursue it and grow and develop, cuz I am and I will, b.u.t., I have yet to "conquer the world" per say. I'm not really runnin' shit all like that.

Reality check...There are so many ways in which power is being exercised over us in our daily lives that we either are not conscious of or seemingly have no control over. And yes, we do have the power to change what we don't like, but just follow me here. We are living in America, and live within this government, and move according to this country's laws, policy, and political decision making! We did not create them, but we live by them and are effected by them every single day. If you see Michael Moore's new movie "Sicko," you will see how much our Health Care System is the reflection of the interests of those in government, whcih matriculates down to people's personal health care. So knowing this, how much do I truly control? Do I even have the money to purchase a neighborhood block and put up a school, right and exact grocery store, movie theatre or entertainment venue, clothing store fit for a queen and other daily needs that are suitable to my culture? Unfortunately, at the moment, my answer is "Emphatically no!"

The sign of a great neighborhood is when you can meet all of your needs within that section. B.u.t., having done the knowledge to all of these dynamics, this is what I am striving for. I know I'm doing a lot of great things, b.u.t. I can't be content with where I'm at. Otherwise, I stop growing, and anything that stops growing is dying a slow death. People knowledge or respect your culture through the power that is shown...through the perceived benefit that one can attain from participating. So I have to take responsibility for striving to produce things that will tangibly benefit as many people as possible to continue to show and prove the power of Allah's teachings.

So whatever it is that you advocate, go hard to positively impact your environment. That's power that people can relate to.
P.owerful E.xamination of A.llah's C.ourageous E.xample (PEACE!)