The View From Here

                          WOKE  Woke: Awakening from SleepThe term woke has evolved from a piece of African American vernacular into a term of global resonance. At its core, to be woke is not merely a slogan but a state of heightened awareness — a condition in which the individual consciously perceives the realities shaping life, power, and society. It is the opposite of sleep.To be asleep, in this deeper sense, is to live life unaware of the structures that bind one’s mind and actions. Sleep is the state of complacency, of drifting with systems of oppression and unspoken rules without questioning them. In this way, sleep is a form of enslavement — a voluntary surrender to ignorance. Chains of metal once anchored bodies, but chains of ignorance bind the mind just as tightly. The enslaved is not only the one captured physically but also the one lulled into unconscious obedience.Awakening, then, is liberatio...

The term 'Woke'moriginated in African American culture and language, evolving from a metaphor for being alert and aware into today’s symbol of social consciousness. Historically, its use connected the idea of "waking up" from ignorance or oppression, echoing the call for Black communities to remain vigilant to injustice. Over time, “woke” came to mean *being conscious*—a state where one sees through the illusions and bondage of the status quo, with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as the tools for collective awakening. ### Historical Evolution of "Woke" - “Woke” began as part of African American Vernacular English, first notably used in the 1930s by folk singer Lead Belly, who advised listeners to "stay woke" in the face of racial injustice, referencing the Scottsboro Boys case. - The phrase became synonymous with alertness to societal and racial inequalities, forming a rallying cry throughout the civil rights movement and reappeari...

*** # The View From Here   *A Journey Through Light, Growth, and Connection*   *** ## Introduction   From the shifting coastlines of our lives to the quiet gardens within, the human journey is both tremendously fragile and fiercely resilient. In this series, *The View From Here*, we explore five unfolding metaphors—lighthouses, gardens, mirrors, rivers, and bridges—that trace the contours of what it means to be alive. These essays invite you to look inward and outward at once: to tend your inner light, embrace your growth, see yourself more clearly, navigate the flow of time, and build connections across the divides that separate us.   Each metaphor illuminates a different facet of our existence, yet together they form a mosaic of hope, courage, and belonging. Whether you come seeking guidance, patience, truth, memory, or compassion, these meditations are a quiet reminder that none of us journeys alone.   The view from here, ...

                                                  The VIEW FROM HERE *** # The View From Here   *A Journey Through Light, Growth, and Connection*   *** ## Introduction   From the shifting coastlines of our lives to the quiet gardens within, the human journey is both tremendously fragile and fiercely resilient. In this series, *The View From Here*, we explore five unfolding metaphors—lighthouses, gardens, mirrors, rivers, and bridges—that trace the contours of what it means to be alive. These essays invite you to look inward and outward at once: to tend your inner light, embrace your growth, see yourself more clearly, navigate the flow of time, and build connections across the divides that separate us.   Each metaphor illuminates a different facet of our existence, yet together they form a mosaic of hope, courage, and belongi...

Sometimes we use the word crazy to explain something that we haven’t the vocabulary to describe, or our lack of understanding leaves us with a blank as to the deeper mechanics of things or the inner workings of creations, if you will. -Explaining the unexplainable-Contrary to my behavior patterns at times, I consider myself to be a religious person. A man of deep thought. A student. A Talib. I try to see every situation in a particular light, destiny if you will. You see, I believe in this concept, I believe that you are where you should be at that particular point in time. "If it hit you, it was never going to miss you, and if it missed you, it was never going to hit you." Being that as it is, even with that point of view, it doesn’t stop one from wondering why this particular event or that particular event had to occur in order for me to be transported to my piece of destiny. By nature, the human mind is inquisitive, we must know how this or that works. Why must we lift up ...