I’m known for my peaks and valleys 

This winter, I decided to take an unexpected break from this site, because I needed to focus on adjusting to a new job and getting my body to perform better than it used to athletically. During this time I’d been dependent on my rhymes since I had less time for long-form writing. My life, however, was not just restricted to these few things of course. Nature had called me into some new experiences and new feelings that I had yet to partake in.

I’d turned 25, and the reality of my responsibilities dawned on me. The responsibilities I have to my loved ones, my work, and ultimately myself. This reality, unexpectedly, erased all the tenderness I had left for my emotions. The patience I have with myself is fleeting, and this may very well be the entrance into my very own self-discipline. The spiritual work required to achieve discipline can only be described as a practice of self-care and self-love.

I’m that time, I’d realized that even though I’d release several articles in the first quarter of the year, I’d neglect this column specifically.  I felt that I maybe lacked the appropriate language to best articulate the chapter in my adulthood I’ve been starting. It’s quite an awkward, but incredibly interesting place to be. Journaling has become a bit difficult for me lately, and sometimes I think it’s just a result of how much more time I’ve been spending living my life instead of writing about it. I haven’t actually written about ‘me’, in a while. I’ve been enjoying many things and people outside of myself, however, it may be time that I gather my elements and touch base with myself, take care of myself, and tend to all my deficiencies. This includes updating my personal journal, burning holes through paper, and striking a keyboard. This also gives me an opportunity to break bread with you in this column. 

I’m also excited to introduce the video content that I’ve been working on to add to and enhance the lighthearted storytelling and essay writing I’ve been dabbling in since I started Confessions and Reflections of a Cultural Zealot in 2018. I now have scheduled posts for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday and will be welcoming a new chapter for us as a community and a platform, and hope to see us grow as a result of it. I look forward to your reactions to the announcement of this African spring. 

Love Wasabi/Thobe