Maywood / Broadview Neighborhood Organization

Something To Think About....uhm..............................

Contributor Trustee Audrey Jaycox......'The Good Life:

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist
complimented
the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long
it
took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican. "But then, why didn't you stay
out
longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his
needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a
siesta
with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my
friends,
have a
few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs . . .I have a full
life.

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help
you!
You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the
extra
fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.
With
the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one
and a
third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.
Instead of
selling your fish to a middle man, you can negotiate directly with
the
processing
plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this
little
village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City!
From there you can direct your huge enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the
American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can
start
selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really?" And after that?"

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the
coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a
siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying
your
friends."


Know where you're going in life... you may already be there!

A Good Black Man........by Larry Terrell

Good Black Men are indeed all around us. We pass them on the streets, In the malls and the halls at work. Mostly we can't see because we don't know what a good black man really looks like.

He usually isn't flashy enough or rich enough to turn our heads. He might not wear a suit or drive a Lexus. He might not have a 'body like Tyson with a Denzel face.'But, as you mature, you realize it's better to find someone who's got your back than someone who turns your head.

A good Black Man doesn't agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. He doesn't just tell you what you want to hear and do the opposite. He doesn't declare how sensitive, sweet, caring, sincere, yada yada he is, he won't have to because it shows.

He has his own opinions and you may clash, but he doesn't have to degrade you to prove he's right. He even admits at times to being wrong, especially if you are willing to do the same.

A good Black Man is not going to meet every item on your checklist. He is human with frailties and faults mixed in with all of his wonderful, strong attributes. He needs your love and respect. He needs to feel that you don't live to 'catch' him doing something wrong so you can declare, 'aha! I knew you were a dog!'

A good Black Man doesn't necessarily give you a huge birthday or valentine's gift. He shows his love in the ways that are comfortable to him. Don't judge him by TV standards. No one is really living a fairy tale. You'll miss out on your own fairy tale by buying into the myth that our men are no good. It's just not true.

Black Men, we salute you, and thank you for who you are and all you've done. Pass this along to all 'Black Men' you know and to the women who would appreciate it.