Roots & Hope

Soulful Reflections on Faith, Healing, and Young Adulting

Category: Uncategorized

  • Day 19: I Will Be Present

      I can spend so much time in my head, imagining and over thinking. I want to be more intentional about living in the present moment: being attentive to the beauty and intricacies of my surroundings, actively listening to others, meaningfully doing one thing at a time rather than trying to do everything at once,…

  • Day 18: Gifted and Talented

    While waiting for seating in a crowded restaurant, I talked to a friend about my dormant talent. Poetry. It seems like I haven’t written a poem in forever. Though it was an activity that once brought me joy, it’s been to put to rest in the past. So it seems. I’ve blamed writer’s block, not…

  • Day 17: Celebrating Rest

    Sometimes, I feel uneasy when few or no commitments are on my agenda for the day. I wonder, “Could I be doing more? Is my life not exciting enough?” There is this tugging pressure I feel to maintain activity and be “productive”. Yet, when I don’t make time for rest, I don’t feel like my…

  • Day 16: A Note on Knowledge

    Growing up, I was a Nerd. I loved learning, thoughtfully and accurately completing my homework, and getting all the right answers on a test. Even though I was never the popular kid, I had “smart cred” 😆. I was one of the kids that people went to for help on assignments. I’m not proud of…

  • Day 15: I Will Advocate for Myself

    Since I believe in myself, I will advocate for my dreams, humanity, and well-being. I will accept love and respect while treating others the same. I will reject toxic thinking whether those thoughts emerge from my own mind or others’. I will stand in my own corner, rooting myself on.

  • Day 14: A Take on Kindness

    Yesterday, I had a Tough day with my students. The capitalized T is necessary. When things don’t go according to plan, I can dwell on everything that went imperfectly, and wonder what all I could have done better. After work, I was exhausted and still feeling down for a bit. Yet, I challenged myself to…

  • Day 13: I Am Not Alone

    I am not alone. I am surrounded by God’s love, and that will sustain me through everything. I’ve been blessed by particular people throughout my life that encourage me, hold me accountable, and cheer me on. Just as they uplift me, I feel fulfillment when I can do the same for them. Many times, too,…

  • Day 12: Brand New Day

    I have never experienced today before. The moment I opened my eyes at 6:47am, yesterday’s tears and triumphs settled into the past. Today, I look forward to stepping outside into nearly 70 degree weather. I’m excited to eat my leftover shrimp scampi for lunch. I will come home to my apartment with all of my…

  • Day 11: Masterpiece

    Thank you, Jazmine Sullivan. Last year, I attended an event about self-care and self-love for Black women in Detroit. It was everything. During the talk, the hostess played Sullivan’s song, “Masterpiece”. The song concludes with a freeing realization: And now I see the pretty colors on my canvas I’m a work of art, a Mona…

  • Day 10: It Gets Better

    “Back to the Future” is my favorite sci-fi movie series, with the exception of Pt. 3 (smh). If I could be like Marty McFly, I would hop in my DeLorean and travel back in time to high school. I would tell ‘teenage Jessica’ three words: “It gets better”. “It”, back then, encompassed my self-esteem, confidence,…