Hi SOUL Hi! Lovianhal!
How you? I’m glad you’re here. I’m here too! I love you.
Ananda Lewis went on to glory y’all.
When I heard she passed, I was so pissed off I went down a whole rabbit hole for more insight into what happened. I was clamminging for understanding about how somebody my age would be shuffled off the mortal coil in a similar way that my father had. Cancer. I was pissed at my father’s passing too– if only because I was so close to his death. My father at 76 was as stubborn as any other cratchedy person who was set in their ways and had no real interest in changing or growing or shifting at all– even if it meant saving his own life. Or rather, staying in Earth School longer if he wanted. Clearly he didn’t want to. And so as I walked my father to the portal of life after life, effectively ending his incarnation, I let my anger about the choices he made in HIS life, be like bubbles in the wind. I let them sparkle and pop as the light hit them. And I watched with abandon as I was able to make peace with my own triggers. My own fear of annihilation. My own stuff.
But when I heard the news about Ananda, I started to feel the familiar buzzing in the back of my skull. The remnants of the rage I thought I had already released and burned in about 50-11 fire ceremonies, a few water ceremonies and some air ones. But alas, that anger was still there. I didn’t cry. I didn’t even want to. Part of it is that I’ve been crying for all sorts of other reasons. Part of it is that I’m still processing everything that’s happening in this country and the world. The other part is that I actually do not know. And that’s fair.
Ananda was a brilliant, gorgeous person whose career I have often felt mirrored my own– except TV rather than radio. I graduated from Hampton around the same time she graduated from Howard. I applied for an internship at BET that I didn’t find out I got until after I accepted an internship at Disney. I auditioned for MTV a half dozen times and was up for shows here and there that I ultimately didn’t get. When radio and I met, my show, On the Real with Envy was the only talk show on a commercial radio station in a major market created for 18-35 year olds of the Hip Hop mindwave. Ananda, of course, was the icon host of Teen Summit and centered a similar mind wave throughout her career in TV. I have never even thought to compare our career paths before. Like ships passing in the night, we’ve never met. But in my rabbit hole on the night of her passing, I was trying to understand why her death felt so close. Like a piece of fabric on my skin.
I grew up with her. Seeing her. Knowing about her. In college, I hung out a few times with Harry Smith (come to find out in my rabbit hole she was married to him)–we went to Hampton y’all, calm down. She had one kid later in life. I had one kid later in life. By now we’re well past 6 degrees of separation. And all of these points of similarity with someone I’ve never physically crossed paths with that I’m aware of, is something. I don’t know whet in the what it is, but it’s something. Do you know what I’m saying?
I want to be clear that I’m not really comparing myself or my career to Ananda Lewis. She was in a stratosphere all her own. From what I could tell, she was a beautiful soul who contributed to Black culture in ways that will be revealing themselves in the coming years. I didn’t know her beyond news bits and bites. But it doesn’t erase the fact that her death feels close. I don’t know if it feels like a warning or a warm up. What I do know is that death is coming for all of us. We don’t know how or when– we just know that none of us are getting out of here alive.
Which makes me ever more activated to juice my dreams
and gulp them like cocktails
whilst dancing to the rhythm of my own drum
on the dance floor of my life
until my very last breath…
Like there are haints at the gate
feet tapping to the beat
waiting on me
to finish my drink…
But I ain’t finished yet…
You?
New month, new shiftprompt. The art of BEing WORTHY–Waking Original Reality Through Honoring You
Tonight’s Starfolk University staff:
Kitakya Dennis– Dean of Art, Artistry and Creative Expression
Rhonda Wildflower the Astrologer–Dean of Astrological Arts
Eisha Mason– Dean of Radical Spiritual Connection
Dr. Fearless Smith– Dean of African Diasporic Studies
Of course, Jordan is in the WuWu Metaphysical Studio with me, so Join us tonight 7-10p on WURD! Bring a journal, pen and 3 frens…
#starfolku #starpeopleish #comegetfree
“There are legends of people with the gift of making music so true, it conjures spirits from the past and the future…” -Annie, sinners
You can listen live with this link and/or on the WURD App. We ARE Live on the FB Live OR Twitch too tonight!
Per usual, in EVERY single thing we do, the intention is transformation. And well moisturized legs.
Pssst! This month our #shiftprompt is:
The Art BEing AIR
Acronym:
Waking
Original
Reality
Through
Honoring
You
(Worthy is the vibe…)
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The WuWu Metaphysical studio begins Friday night at 7p EST on WURD 96.1FM Philly + The FB LIVE (worldwide). See you then yes? Oh! Bring a journal, a pen and 3 frens! WuWu is best done together. 🙂 #comegetfree
Lovianhal,
-e-
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