Watching the Oprah’s master class made me thing about my purpose. People often ask when I started singing. What made you want to sing? How many years? I give a similar answer to many singers, “I started singing as a young girl.” Usually, we start in church….and so on.

My life changed four years ago. I went through an awful shake up in a relatonship in which I was able to forgive and made it through that trench. For some reason, that made me feel like I had a new reason to sing. It felt like my first year singing. It was then I renewed my voice and began to take my life experience and not only add them to my song, but bring my new self to each song. Each month of singing since that time, felt brand new. I love it. There is never a dull moment in song I write and sing because my life is that song.

My purpose on this earth is to use my voice to inspire, touch and bring people peace and joy. I feel most comfortable opening my mouth and singing! It can be in the studio, in a club, before a congregation, with a band, acapella, in a circle, with a group, on a plane, in a car, for my children, ANY where. I feel comfortable speaking in front of people (mostly youth), teaching them new knowledge, and telling a story that I know very well. I am a teacher at heart. That’s why I decided to change my blog to The Classroom.  The school building’s classroom was a little too square for me, so I had expanded it four years ago as well.

I am a firm believer that our lives are not meant to live alone, but your life is all your own (to live.) I put that in one of my songs, “Broken Wings.”  For the last few years, I wrote a series of songs that happen to turn be pages of my life. “Out of this World” I wrote in hopes of… “Nobody Told Me”, I wrote a year and a half before my divorce. I recently learned how to take a moment of excitement and create music from it during the time it happened.

This year is the year for not holding back. I think this is the year for loving back. I think this is the year for easily opening arms to receive all the good for you. It is a year of courage and faith again and again.

It is the year for Songs for Janie, my new song that has yet to be written.

I am taking this time to give thanks.

Yesterday, I met with a singer who’s been in the business for a long time, whose son went to school with me. I had a flashback of me sitting in the Wiseman Center at Bowie State University, talking to him about whatever was good for the day. It was something about his spirit that I adored. I remember him telling me about his mom, who happens to share a birthday with me! Life is amazing and if you follow the Divine Spirit, it will truly make for an exciting journey. I am so thankful for that reaquaintence and new union.

This morning, I danced with my children to Pat Metheny. Ever since I saw Diana Ross on Oprah, I have been inspired to be the sweetest mommy. So now I wake my children up to music and make morning routines light and spiritually grounding (for me and them.) Children are a blessing to this world.

I burned my sage and lit my candles and was reminded this morning of how precious life is and how at times situations seem unbearable. It is during these times when I felt the comfort and presence of God the most.  I was reflecting on my crowd diving experience last year (not literally). And I actully feel like that now. I have jumped and the hands of my fans are keeping me afloat. All ten of them. Faith. I am so thankful.

As my friend told me this morning, “Its a New Chapter”

Indeed it is.

Today I learned that the reward of accomplishment and achievement comes as soon as you hit the simple start button on your dreams. Of course, a task complete leaves a feeling on relief but its nothing compared to getting started, actually. Hitting the simple start button on your goal can make a world of difference.