My life. My world. Love, hope, peace, joy & happiness.
Today, I am sending prayers, love, light and positive vibes to all who are experiencing sadness, depression, heartache, pain and grief. Today, my heart aches with you. Please know that you’re not alone. You are loved and you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love Always,
Shaun
Manifestation: the act, process or instance of manifesting (to make evident or certain by showing or displaying)
Manifestation. Have you ever thought or spoken (written or verbally) something into existence? If you have, then you know it’s like one of the most thrilling experiences ever (even the negative ones). To be able to see what you put into the universe manifested, is pretty amazing.
Yesterday, director, Matthew A. Cherry, took a picture in front of a billboard with his tweet from June 2012 stating, “I’m gonna be nominated for an Oscar one day. Already claiming it.” Well, in February 2020, he actually won an Oscar for the animated short, Hair Love. It actually happened, to include a little extra (the Oscar)! YAY!!
As a young child, I only heard about the negative side of manifestation. My mom always warned us to be cautious of the things we said because they could come true. She had witnessed it and gave examples. I don’t know about my other siblings, but after hearing her stories, I was always mindful of what I said, especially when I became upset.
Well, as I got older, I began to notice positive things could happen.. or I should say, I became more aware that I could actually think, write or speak things into existence. I know it sounds weird, but it’s true. The kicker is – 1) nothing ever happened as imagined; 2) nothing was ever intentional (always a random thought); and 3) I never saw it coming. There are tons of examples I could give but I’ll only give a few (smile).
The very first major moment I can recall is getting orders to be stationed in Germany. I remember as clear as day sitting in the park writing in my journal asking God to take me far away from home. I was sad and depressed and just wanted to get away. If you have been following me for a while, you know I am very random and spontaneous. Well, one morning I woke up, took out a phone book, found an Air Force recruiter, scheduled an appointment and the rest is history. Nothing was planned. Nothing was contemplated. Just done. Well, during basic training, I was asked to select up to five bases where I preferred to be stationed (my dream list). Although I said I wanted to get away from home, I chose stations that were within a 5-8 hour radius. You know, wanted to be close enough to travel home often but far enough away so that no one could just pop up unannounced.
That was what I wanted. But the joke was on me. Y’all, God really does have a sense of humor and WILL give you what you ask for. When I got my orders, I was asked if I wanted to go to the United Kingdom or Germany. Y’all, I was devastated! I wanted to get away but never wanted to go that far. Since I had taken years of French in high school, I chose Germany because it was close to France. Two weeks after I left basic training, I was in Germany. This all happened – from me writing it down to arriving in Germany – in less than 6 months. That was my first major moment of manifestation.
A few other big moments were – me saying I was going to have my first child at 21, and did; saying that I was going to get married before I was thirty and have my 2nd child at thirty (got married at 29 and had my son at 30); also writing a list of names of people I really wanted to meet and meeting the top two – Marcus Samuelsson and Leah Chase at the same event three months after I wrote it down. There are so many more moments I have experienced that have been just as exciting and rewarding. Maybe one day I’ll share them in a book. Of course it will happen spontaneously. Smile
Y’all, my life is very interesting. To be honest, it seems like the things I randomly think, speak or write actually happens, and the things I’m intentional about speaking or writing rarely happens. I’m not sure why, but that’s how things happen for me. Honestly, my most rewarding experiences have happened after I have randomly thought, spoken or written about them, and have always happened unexpectedly. And y’all, I love it!
I am not sure what will happen next. Can’t even remember if I have thought, written or spoken about anything in a while. Right now I’m just living, being present. Hmm… an “Aha” moment. I am already living in my manifestation. Wow! It is nothing like I imagined, but I am here.. in it! Guess I needed to write it all out to see it. Can’t say it enough, God is so good!
Thank you for reading and please enjoy your Sunday!
Shaun
Something NEW for 2022!✨
So, around 2:00 AM this morning, I got this idea to create a TikTok account to document my adventures. Basically, to document my travels, food and fun (actually selfies – smile). As usual, once I get a creative idea in my head, I have to act on it no matter how tired I am. And that’s exactly what I did! And y’all, I’m tired!
At 2:00 AM, I decided to create a new TikTok account for It’s Shaun’s World and rename the current one, Shaun’s Daily Inspiration. The NEW It’s Shaun’s World will now house documentaries of my adventures.
For years I have watched and followed culinarians like Marcus Samuelsson, Guy Fieri, Adrian E. Miller and the late Anthony Bourdain travel the world and document their culinary experiences. Secretly, I always wished I could do the same. Well… I can! Imagine that! I have everything I need to get started. One thing this pandemic has taught me is that life is too short to continue sitting on the sidelines waiting for the “right” time to get started, when the “right” time is NOW! Here’s my introductory video.
Before I end, at the beginning of every new year I choose a word or phrase for the year. This year’s phrase is, “Unapologetically Me.” Last year, on November 14, 2021, Bishop T.D. Jakes told us to mark the date on our calendars as the last time we would apologize for being who we were. Since I have always considered myself quirky, when he used the term quirkiness, I knew the message was for me. Immediately, I began separating myself from people and situations that made me want to apologize for being myself. Since making those changes, I can honestly say it feels good to be me! I no longer feel intimidated or less than. Now I feel free to create.
Okay.. let me end this and take a nap. If you didn’t see my previous blog, I would like to wish you Happy New Year! Enjoy 2022!!
Shaun
Yesterday, as my kids and I opened gifts, I could not help but smile as I realized I received what I wanted. No, it wasn’t a man. Smile. It was what I have always longed for, but until yesterday, had not been able to fully articulate. The one thing I have always wanted is to be loved the way I love. To be loved unconditionally. And yesterday I felt it. It’s not like my kids have not always loved me. However, I always felt incomplete because I believed I needed the love of a significant other. Shaking my head – those crazy, yet wonderful, fairytales. Smile. Well, yesterday, their love was enough. I felt complete. Ironically, I don’t need the love of a significant other to feel complete. I already have everything I need. Imagine that! Y’all, it feels like someone flipped a switch from incomplete to complete. Life is so funny. Advice – don’t bother trying to understand it. Believe me, you will never figure it out.
Oh.. one of my gifts was a new suitcase. I screamed like a little kid when I saw it. My kids know me oh so well. I guess they are preparing me for my next chapter. It’s almost like they are kicking me out the nest. All smiles. I’m ready!
Also, one of my sisters got engaged, yesterday!!! I am so excited for her! God is good!
Thanks for reading and please enjoy the rest of the holiday season!
Shaun
Just published my second blog. Some may read it. Some may not. Either way, I have to keep up what I’ve started. We shall see. With God’s help, it’ll be done.
Amen
That was four years ago on December 19, 2017. In tears because I kept blogging with or without reads. Slowly but surely I am learning to embrace the things I love doing and to stop chasing things others believe I should. Every day I am reminded that life is so precious and to waste it chasing things I do not love, is not living.
Yesterday, I FaceTimed my aunt (mom’s only living sister on her mom’s side) who is recovering from brain surgery. Y’all, she seemed like a totally different person. She said that she’s just grateful to be alive and intends to enjoy every minute of life. I feel her.
Y’all, God is working. Don’t know if you feel it, but I definitely do. It is as if He is truly making everything new, and I love it!
I am not sure what 2022 holds. Honestly, I am not even worried about it. My plan is to live for today while trusting God to handle the rest. Amen
Thanks for reading! Wishing you a wonderfully, blessed day.
Shaun
There is no way I can go into another relationship broken. I must realize there is no knight in shining armor to rescue me from myself.
Journal Entry, December 12, 2014
Whew! What a statement! “. . . there is no knight in shining armor to rescue me from myself.”
Several weeks ago, I watched an Oprah interview with Will Smith. It was about the release of his new memoir, WILL. Y’all, before the interview was over, I had already preordered his book. Much of what he said during his interview resonated with me so much that I just had to hear more!
Like Will, I’m a dreamer and a lover. I have always envisioned my life playing out a certain way. In his book, he mentioned Dallas was one of this favorite nighttime soap operas when he was younger. He said he always wanted to own a ranch like Southfork and imagined his wife riding up to the family house on her horse. Listen, that was me. I had the same dream. I was the wife. I was Sue Ellen. Lol. As we know, real life is not scripted. We have to factor in others’ feelings, desires, wants, needs and dreams. And most of the time theirs are different from ours. I believe when we fail to embrace people for who they are, our beautifully, scripted dreams become tarnished, which eventually leads to unnecessary heartache and disappointment.
When I got married, like Will, I had this picture in my head of how my marriage would be. In other words, I had created my own fairytale. You see, the story began years earlier with both of us in his aunt’s wedding (true story). We were in the wedding picture – he was the ring bearer and I was a flower girl. Perfect set up, right? So when we were reintroduced 20 years later, I was like, “This is it! This is my story.” After two months of talking on the phone and me imagining this 6’3, built dude on the other end, we finally met. He was not what I had imagined. And I am pretty sure I wasn’t what he had imagined either. Sadly, he did not have my heart, he only had my imagination. Instead of me letting go, I felt too embarrassed and obligated to see things through. Plus I was obsessed with my crazy timeline. So I got married.
Even in the marriage, I kept imagining how things could be. I was going to be Donna Stone or June Cleaver (both were homemakers on old sitcoms). Unlike them, I was a professional; however, I still imagined myself as the loving, supportive wife and homemaker. Then reality hit. He kept saying he was not happy. For the longest I could not figure out why he was not happy. I thought I was being a “good” wife. But in actuality I was just playing a role. My heart was not there. Years later, around the time I wrote my journal entry (2014), he told me he always knew I didn’t love him but chose to marry me anyway believing one day I would fall in love with him. Hmm.. sounds like Aaron from one of my favorite shows, Tyler Perry’s Sistas. Anyhoo, it never happened.
Back to my opening statement. There is no knight in shining amor who can rescue Shaun from the fairytale. Only Shaun can rescue Shaun. Will’s memoir was the perfect reminder. Life is not perfect and people are not created to live as characters inside our world. Do I still want a life similar to Sue Ellen (nah.. she was an alcoholic and JR was hell), Donna or June? Honestly, with the exception of Sue Ellen, absolutely! Donna and June weren’t just tv characters. They were Madear and Momma Kate. They were the women I spent most of my time with as a little girl. It’s them that I dreamt of becoming.
Last night, I told the kids that I am already living the life I have always imagined. No, there is no Alex, Ward, Big Daddy (Robert Campbell) or Mr. Sonny Mane (William Moore). There’s only me, my children and God, and I am absolutely loving life. Even without a husband, I am already living the life I have always dreamed. I guess you can say, I’m finally, finally free!
Thanks for reading!
Shaun
It’s Shaun’s World 
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