" We cannot be silent on things that matter because we are each a part of the village...We must continue to trail blaze, we must continue to break glass ceilings...we must lift as we climb."--Beverly Bond, Black Girls Rock founder
Hello all...
Getting right into it...The above quote was from the annual Black Girls Rock ceremony that aired on BET on November 3, 2013. Although, there were a myriad of quotes that touched my spirit, this one was, by far, one of the best. This really hit home for me, as I am a firm believer in inspiring, motivating and uplifting others through my personal experiences, writings, readings and spoken words of encouragement. Oftentimes, especially in the workplace, you experience that all too familiar "crabs in a barrel" effect. This is when those in the same position as you feel that the only why that they can get to the next level is to pull (and attempt to keep) you down. They will throw you under the bus at every opportunity, highlight your mistakes while diminishing their own and attempt to outshine you in the presence of managers and anyone that they feel they can take advantage of to get their foot in the doorway that leads to the next level. This is quite sad to me, because I have always been the type to want to be rewarded and/or promoted based on my merits, skill sets and potential and not whether or not someone liked me.
Getting back to this profound quote, Ms Bond really spoke to my spirit with this. It baffles me when I see how close-minded and selfish people can be when it comes to lifting others up as they climb. On one level, I can almost understand how the mind set of focusing on one's self can lead them not to worry about others as they achieve their goals. However, is it necessary to try to keep somebody else down while you try to move up? I think not.
This brings to mind something else that I have experienced. Just recently, a dear friend of mine landed a position that is directly related to what he studied in his bachelors and masters programs. He had been trying to get into his field for many years and after a lot of disappointments and dead-end jobs, he finally achieved his goal. For me, as I'm typing this post, a line from a song by the old school rapper, Biz Markie, comes to mind. "Damn it feels good to see people up on it." My boy is doing the doggone thang and has advised me to not even think about hesitating to call on him should I ever need his help to reach MY next goal. This is the the message that Ms. Bond was trying to convey with her statement.
Lift as you climb, people. The experience in doing so will truly take you higher than you ever imagined.
Lift as you climb, people. The experience in doing so will truly take you higher than you ever imagined.
Miracles and Blessings,
TL
