On May 23, 2024, I announced the transition of my position as Chief Executive Officer of My Sister’s Keeper Foundation for Women. Since then, many people have shared how they admired my decision to relinquish my leadership position. The truth is this was not an easy decision. It was made with much prayer, counsel and the collective wisdom of trusted voices in my life. After meeting with the Board of Directors of My Sister’s Keeper Foundation for Women, I recommended that I step aside as our Chief Executive Officer and nominated a successor to my role. The board unanimously voted to accept my recommendation and the announcement was made public at our 20th Anniversary Women of Excellence Awards & Scholarships Sneaker Ball.

May is my birthday month, which can often be a mixed bag of emotions. Since May 28, 2021, I’ve managed mixed emotions around celebrating my birthday, Mother’s Day, and the anniversary of my mother’s passing.

I recently mentioned to a friend, that it seems like yesterday when I celebrated my 60th Birthday and in a few weeks, I be celebrating year 61. Like many women my age, thoughts about the future are more pronounced than they were in my younger years. The things that are important to me at 60 plus, are different than the things that were important to me in my 30’s. One area of wellness that is more important than ever, is financial wellness. As my financial planner, Frank Arnold, Sr. of ICI Financial Services, always says, “the only thing worse than dying young, is out living your money.”

During her presentation at the Harmonize Your Life Women’s Self-Care Retreat, Dr. Anastasia Alvarado made the statement, “Self-Care Says I Love You, Self-Love, Says Prove It.” This was a radical statement that created space for us all to reflect and reconsider the ways in which we are practicing self-love.

For the past 5 days, I’ve been engaged in hosting 94 women who joined me in Montego Bay, Jamaica for the 2024 Harmonize Your Life Women’s Self-Care Retreat. After a few days of being totally unplugged, I decided to read emails that had filled my inbox and noticed an important email from Kaiser Permanente that read “Important Message from Your Doctor.” This email caught attention because of the OBGYN appointment that I had just completed the day before I traveled from Atlanta, GA to Jamaica.

As we close out the year 2023, I’m reflecting on this milestone year. My year began in Aruba, hosting the Harmonize Your Life Women’s Self-Care Retreat with the women who have decided to join me on this self-care journey. In February my husband and I embarked upon a two-week mission’s trip to South Africa. While there we ministered in the cities of Cape Town, Georgia and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It was the most amazing time of ministry, fellowship, and site seeing as we drove along the Western Cape of South Africa.

There are many religions that practice yoga and use the principles found within to remain calm, balanced and to live a healthy centered life.  As a Christian, I find these principles consistent with scripture that teaches me to reflect, think on good things and to walk in wholeness and peace.  While practicing yoga I often reflect on the words of Socrates, “Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and inward man be at one.”  

This year, I hosted a Labor Day Brunch for my family. I went back and forth in my mind about hosting because of a very busy ministry and travel schedule. Prior to the summer season, I began getting my deck prepared to enjoy a fun and relaxing summer. But I have been so busy that I had not taken to the time to enjoy the fruit of my labor. Last week while I was scrolling on Facebook, I saw a post made by my friend, Dr. Monte Norwood. He shared about a friend who unexpectedly lost his wife. A couple months later they were golfing together, chatting about nothing. His friend inquired about his dinner plans and the conversation went as such:

The month of May was a month of celebrations for me! I’m still basking in the birthday blessings and well wishes in honor of my 60th Birthday and 30th Year in Preaching Ministry. In addition to celebrating me, I celebrated my daughter’s Ariel’s graduation from The Ohio State University Master of Music in Choral Conducting on May 7, 2023! I also celebrated with my sister, Yolonda Griffin’s 55th Birthday in a 7 Day Alaskan Cruise which was amazing! 

The month of May is an interesting month for many people. For me, May is the month of my birth which is always a reason to celebrate. May is the month when flowers begin to bloom decorating trees and bushes with beautiful colors and scents. In the South, where I live, many schools and colleges conclude their academic year with parties, proms, awards, commencement, and graduation ceremonies.

Since travel is one of the ways I’m celebrating my 60th birthday, it fits well with my goal to complete the 50-state half-marathon challenge. My most recent half-marathon was hosted in Eufaula, Alabama. We ran a course in the beautiful Yolo Micco, The Creek Indian Trail, surrounded by beautiful trees along the Eufaula River. One of the things I enjoy most about running marathons is the opportunity to meet new and amazing people.