"Demonstrate Your Love"

I can tell you what you want to hear and just, leave it at that.

I can verbalize every intimate detail of every encounter, perceived or realized and just, leave it at that.

But all of that verbiage would fall short and eventually onto deaf ears if I were to never follow that talk up with a demonstration of Love to the one that I Love or the one that I call myself in Love with.

At some point, you need to "Demonstrate Your Love" in grand fashion.

At some point, you need to seal off any and all entrances where ambiguity or doubt can seep in, disrupt the flow and eventually infiltrate and destroy what is attempting to be created, all in the name of, Love.

Recognizing Love is key. Allowing Love to enter the premises is not optional if Love is what you truly seek. Knowing what to do with Love, is EVERYTHING!

Love will always demonstrate itself to you, even when you're not watching.

Love will always talk to you, even when you're not listening.

Love will never fail you, even if you've yet to succeed at Love.

Love is just waiting for you to "Demonstrate Your Love" to the one that you Love or the one that you call yourself in Love with.

Do not TALK about your Love, BE about your Love! Clarity will begin to take form as soon as you start to "Demonstrate Your Love."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Until We're Gone"

Entirely too much of the time, we do not appreciate or we are not appreciated until it is too late, "Until We're Gone."

Your window of opportunity has just slammed shut, to never have again.

Why do we do that? Why do we wait until it is too late to make it right, to do it right, to be right and lastly, to live right?

We should all make a concerted effort to know our history, so that we're not predisposed to repeating the negative aspects of it. Those components fall into the "Lessons Learned" category and should be filed away and used for references only.

From time to time, I refer to that material and do my very best to keep it all in perspective. It serves none of us any purpose if the appreciation is posthumously deposited into our Life's savings account. Even though others may be able to withdraw from it, we should all be so lucky to hear those words, feel that Love and rejoice in the fact that we did our absolute best.

Do it while we're still here. Do not wait, "Until We're Gone."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"100%"

Before you ever walk away, know within your heart and soul that you have given your all and not one tenth of a percent less than "100%."

If hindsight has proactively and positively influenced your vision to now be 20/20, then forgive, forgive yourself, heal, heal yourself and happily afford yourself the opportunity to now give yourself and OF yourself, "100%."

There is zero redundancy in your efforts and no replication of the mistakes of the past. "100%" IS ALL ANEW! You're not simply picking up where you left off. You ARE the living representation of every reason why from this day forth your "100%" will always add up to be no less than "100%."

Not even one tenth of a percent less than "100%!"

May GOD's Grace continue to soften the hearts of those that have wronged and those have been wronged. No less than "100%!"

May GOD's Love, wisdom, knowledge and understanding be imparted among all of us to reveal the need to acknowledge those "wrongs" and open up our hearts for "Reconciliation." No less than "100%."

May your heart be troubled no more with the permanent presence of GOD. No less than "100%."

May you recover, renew, replenish and rebuild. No less than "100%."

Accept no less than "100%."

In EVERYTHING that you EVER do, make sure that it is done at no less than "100%."

Love with every rhythm of your heart. Move to every beat of that rhythm. Live to Love for the "Reconciliation" of Love. And do it, no less than "100%."

I Love You, "100%!"

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"By Their Actions"

Always wondering what the deal is and why you find yourself in a perpetual "spin cycle" that habitually leaves you wet? You're STILL wet!

Soaked in ambiguity, drenched in a bunch of "could've, would've, should've" and immersed in EVERYTHING that represents NOTHING that you stand for, what you want, who you are and your purpose and goals in Life.

How do we find ourselves in these situations?

From MY experience, GOD was left out of the equation! And when HE is subtracted out, nothing will EVER add up! We can forget about multiplication because zero times anything yields you absolutely NOTHING! We are divided by the lack of having exercised the fundamentals of Life.

Put GOD first, in ALL, that you do!

GOD is a man of action and anything less than represents contrary, disguised as primary, when in all actuality is secondary, at best!

Keep GOD first, in ALL, that you do!

For what you attract should be representative of the GOD that dwells within you.

The true intentions of people should be easier to discern. For they will not lead by their words, they will lead "By Their Actions."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Other Than Yourself"

You ever want to experience something so liberating that it winds up bringing you to a place that you have never been before? Try being of service to someone "Other Than Yourself," and marvel at what is about to be revealed to you after you have given OF yourself TO someone else.

Somewhere along the way, someone HAS picked you up when you were down! Somewhere along the way, someone HAS scraped some of us off the bottom of the barrel when we were put out with the rest of the garbage! That someone was being of service to someone else, "Other Than Themselves."

And now it is OUR turn. Spiritually, we are obligatorily bound to be of service to anyone "Other Than Ourselves," especially when our knowledge is directly on the pulse of what they might be going through.

How can I eat, when my neighbor is unemployed and his children are hungry?

How can I partake in my Blessings without sharing with the one's that ARE without?

One at a time, make a single difference. Be that spark that ignites that flame that burns deep down within the soul that gives Praise and Thanksgiving to all whom need it and do not have it and to those that need it and have yet to even realize that they are in need OF it. They do not know what they do not know, until you tell them!

Mentor that young boy that has no father!

Teach that young girl how to be a lady!

Show that absent father how to be present!

Demonstrate Love to that Mother that is on the brink and about to break!

Allow the revelation to take place within you, by being of service to someone, "OTHER Than Yourself."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Identity"

One of the most important things that every relationship needs is an "Identity." Specifically the "Identity" WITHIN the relationship in addition to the "Identity" OF the relationship itself.

What I mean by this is that "HIS" "Identity" should not be defined by "HER" existence. Likewise, "HER" "Identity" should not be defined by "HIS" existence.

We need and are entitled to having our own individual "Identities" in addition TO the "Identity" of our relationships.

I have learned that it is of the utmost importance to continue to be who and what we are and who and what we were when we initially garnered the attention of our now significant others.

Losing yourself in someone else's "Identity" will only end tragically. Their "Identity" is theirs alone.

Someone losing themselves in your "Identity" will also end one way, tragically. Your "Identity" is yours alone.

Keep your "Identity" for yourself. That is why it was given to us in the first place. It IS us and represents who and what we are, who and what we will be and ultimately who and what we will become, whether we are in a relationship or not.

Avoid an "Identity" crisis by being true to yourself. You will Love yourself for it in the end.

It's time for me to start Smiling again. It is a BIG part of my GOD given "Identity."

Be Blessed!

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Out the Window"

Driving down the highway, I had the windows on the drivers side, the passenger side, the two in the rear and the hatchback closed tightly. While the iPOD was hooked up to the auxiliary blasting my latest playlist, I popped the sunroof.

The symbolism of sharing the fact that all of the other windows and orifices were closed is simple. You ever think that you have flicked something "Out the Window" only to realize that Mother Nature was watching and whatever it was just flew back into the vehicle? Not this time!

I stripped myself of all of my pride and tossed it "Out the Window!"

I did not even look in the rearview as I'm sure that the image of that once big and bad pride got smaller and smaller as I drove farther and farther away, as fast as I could!

Never to be a passenger, a piece of garment or an ornament dangling around my Life again, pride is gone, "Forevermore."

I rolled the windows down and let the newness overtake the space that pride once occupied. Newness has never looked so beautiful in all her Life.

She's riding shotgun from this day forth now. As a matter of fact, I think I'll let her drive on the way home this evening. Be cautious of the Smile should you happen upon me. It is highly contagious and I might otherwise infect you from ear to ear.

Go ahead and strip yourself down and toss IT, "Out the Window."

But make sure that Mother Nature's not watching.

Prideless!

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Forevermore"

Even though I now know what it feels like "To Be Humbled," STILL, "My Time Is Now!" Time to renew myself, renew relationships, renew the passion for companionship, renew those important friendships and take back EVERYTHING that the devil EVER stole from me!

Sometimes in order to rebuild, you have to completely destroy by permanently purging the old. The old habits, the old ways, the old actions, the old attitudes, the old thought processes, the old philosophies and the lingering ignorance that always told you "Yes" when it clearly should have been "No," at least half of the time.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the realization followed by the acknowledgment is current.

My personal realization and public acknowledgments are not a solicitation for heroism, yet they are a testimony for someone or anyone to witness the Blessing within the Blessing. Within that Blessing lies the UNDERSTANDING that no one is an island to him or herself.

Nothing but the Love of GOD precedes our ability to coexist and our responsibility to Love each other in the process.

No matter what, unconditionally and "Forevermore," I Love You!

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"To Be Humbled"

It is a humbling experience, "To Be Humbled."

I knew that I should have been backing up my laptop on a regular basis so that I would not lose all of the valuable data that I had created and saved over the years. I thought of it and referred to it as valuable, but my actions or lack thereof would lead you to believe contrary to that.

So when my laptop crashed, I tried in vain to retrieve what I once neglected, that same valuable data that I should have been backing up to begin with and all along.

Everywhere I went I was met with a look of disdain since they were already in the know with respect to how much this data retrieval was going to truly cost me, yet all I had to do was back it up. "That's a mistake that you will only make once Mr. Ford." Believe me when I tell you, IT IS!

I received countless "you should have been backing up your data" lectures. So much so, I was able to recite their speech prior to them ever administering it to me.

I was finally able to retrieve all of my valuable data and 100% of the contents of my laptop. But not without a cost that I found myself unprepared for and unable to afford, at best. Oh, how I wish I was talking strictly monetarily.

There is zero glorification for being the poster child for what not to do. But as long as growth is appended to the lesson learned, I do believe that it is ok to accept the position as "example," in order to prevent others from making the same mistake(s) that you did.

The data retrieval experts treated me kindly, thank GOD. Perhaps it was because of the "not so shy" price tag of the data retrieval process or because they knew that I had been humbled due to a stupid mistake that I made along the way. They as well as I knew, that I had learned my lesson and that I was ever so gracious they beat me up no more than I had already beat myself up for making such a huge and costly mistake.

Life has a way of reminding you that "YES, your shit stinks too and NO, you cannot use an air freshener!"

Data is represented in many formats: documents, pictures and files. But most importantly and for the purposes herein, data represents PEOPLE. Yes, the same valuable data that I should have been backing up to begin with and all along.

Boy I tell you, it is a humbling experience, "To Be Humbled."

Suffice to say, I've learned my lesson! And since I now know what it feels like, "To Be Humbled," count on me to back up my data tonight and every night going forward. Always.

It is a humbling experience, "To Be Humbled."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"My Time Is Now!"

I finally got all of my "Ducks in a Row" and they are in an impeccable single file line.

I finally got my Spiritual prowess in tact and it advises me of every step of every way, constantly keeping me on the straight and narrow.

I finally got Corey out of the drivers seat so that Jesus can take the wheel.

I said, I finally got Corey out of the drivers seat so that Jesus can take the wheel!

I finally know my purpose, am aware of my strengths, embrace my temporary weaknesses and have acknowledged my faults and apologized for my shortcomings.

I finally spoke the desires of my heart out loud, pledged my Faithfulness and have decided to let GOD direct my path.

I finally arrived at a space and place within my Life where I know and like who and what I am.

I am finally comfortable with the outcome even though I am void of its knowledge, for my walk is that of Faith and not that of sight.

Finally, I know who the hell I am, what I am supposed to be doing, my purpose in Life and what I ultimately want.

Here I am! This is me!

"My Time Is Now!"

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Look of Determination"

Would you recognize it if you just so happen to see it?

Would you know how to interface with it if you had to conduct business looking at it?

Do you even have it yourself?

That "Look of Determination" can be deceiving to many people. Some might even mistaken it as an attitude, a chip on a shoulder or outright arrogance. But make no mistake about it, that "Look of Determination" will indeed get your attention.

That "Look of Determination" will INSPIRE the fearless, TRIUMPH over the naysayers and FUEL the motivational drive taking you roundtrip from "Point A" to "Point B" and all points in between.

That "Look of Determination" is the bridge that connects the gap between "wanting" and "having." So, do you "have" everything that you "want?"

Learn how to recognize it!

Learn how to interface with it!

Should you not have one, it would behoove you to get one!

And if you're not sure, just look in the mirror. Do you SEE a "Look of Determination?"

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Be Ready"

I remember when I first saw this complete stranger, a young lady, dressed very nicely. I gave her a onceover from head to toe and I thought to myself, "why is she wearing those running shoes as beautifully dressed as she is?"

Nevermind the tote bag that she was carrying or the fact that her dress shoes could have very well been in the office, exactly where she "intentionally" left them.

Every morning we get up and come to work in our dress shoes only to find out that TODAY, we are running a marathon. And in order to run that marathon we need to have on the appropriate attire so that it will be able to sustain our efforts along the 26.2 mile trek.

In other words, we need to "Be Ready!"

That complete stranger might not have been running a marathon on that particular day, but she was ready in the event that she did or if her dress shoes were indeed the appropriate attire for the day. Either way, she was more than prepared!

Years later, I have been witness to many people who's attire might have appeared to be in conflict, or in turmoil, but they knew to prepare themselves with the appropriate attire just in case they had to lace up their shoes and "Get On Their Mark."

My Momma always told me about judging a book by its cover. Dare I say she was right?

The message within the attire resonated with me long after the fact, but the relevance cannot be denied.

No matter what we go through in our day to day lives, it is imperative for us to ALWAYS, "Be Ready."

The story on the outside is not always synonymous with the story on the inside, so look beyond what the eyes can see and focus in on what cannot be seen. We just might wind up becoming better because of it.

Truth be told, her running shoes were probably more suitable and comfortable for the purposes of walking. But I do know for a fact that if she had to "Get On Her Mark," she was prepared. On that particular day, she chose to "Be Ready."

Whether you're running, walking or talking about running or walking a marathon, "Be Ready."

Life is that marathon that requires all of us to "Be Ready."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"First Breath"

Through adversity, opportunity takes its "First Breath," from its virgin experience.

Our very first encounter with something of zero familiarity is the initial step in a multiple step process that will determine how we navigate through Life, covering places we have never been and faces we have never seen.

How we lend ourselves to the "Process of Life" has a direct impact on how Life lends itself to the "Process of OUR Lives."

Opportunity is littered throughout the highways and byways of Life. But our "Virginity to Opportunity" tells us that the litter that we see is garbage, when in all actuality the litter that we commonly refer to as garbage is merely disguised as opportunity. The same opportunity that would have us "pick it up" and do something with it.

Even a new born child seizes the opportunity when it is first born to take its "First Breath." It does not have to be told to breathe. Yet somewhere along the way, we forget to do so.

Seize the moment!
Seize the opportunity!
Make something out of nothing and then be bold enough to share the ingredients!

Perhaps someone around you forgot to breathe. But by watching you from afar, they are no longer afraid to take their "First Breath."

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"The Right Decision, My Voice of Reason"

One of the things that I miss most about My Mother was her ability to innately be my "Voice of Reason." Whenever I felt like it was "me against the world" or that "they were out to get me," she would always reassure me by bringing it back down to reality with the magical words that emanated from her lips, to my ears.

Whenever tough times are upon me, I am constantly reminded of her absence in the physical form, yet I am calmed and Blessed as my umbrella, my Smile, continuously shields me.

My Mother taught me that we never really stray too far from home. Not necessarily in the physical, but in the emotional, within the mental and definitely the Spiritual form.

That fact alone allows me, affords me and provides me with the remembrance of everything that was right within everything that My Mother ever taught me.

With the trajectory of a sharp pain, I grimace at the realization that my "Voice of Reason" has been silenced. But like My Mother once said, "we never really stray too far from home." And since home is where the heart is, the heart WITHIN my home resides with my "Voice of Reason," My Mother. And although I can no longer HEAR that voice, I still listen TO it, I still listen FOR it, as I open up my umbrella and Smile.

Whenever I ponder whether or not I am making "The Right Decision, My Voice of Reason" brings it back down to earth, brings it on home, exactly where my heart is, with My Mother.

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey

"Inside/Outside"

Sometimes we already know the answers to our questions, but for some reason unbeknownst, we seek "Outside" verification for something that we have already confirmed on the "Inside."

Who we are on the "Inside" is what is projected to the world on the "Outside." Perhaps "what you see is what you get," is so appropriately justified.

A crash course in "Demeanor" is what I once needed even though I initially took offense at that suggestion. But years later, I am Blessed that someone cared enough about me to tell me the TRUTH and not what I WANTED to hear! I am better for that and am grateful at the behest of their brutal honesty.

What I once was on the "Inside" was projected to the world on the "Outside" and since "what you see is what you get," perhaps that explains why I got little to nothing at all.

But NOW, what I am in the "Inside" is ILLUMINATED to the world on the "Outside" and because I know who I am and what I am, no "Outside" verification is needed. "What you see is what you get," and I know that My Mother would be proud!

If the "Outside" is not even attractive to you, then change the story on the "Inside."

"Demeanor 101" has offered me exponential ROI. If it was not for that wealthy deposit, I would not have healthy withdrawals.

My "Inside" IS my "Outside." For what you see, is TRULY, what you get!

Love and My Mother are My Inspiration!
Love and My Mother are My Motivation!
Love and My Mother are My Celebration!
Love and My Mother are My Dedication!

All the Best, All the Time!
Corey