When, we are out there

alone, on our own – exploring a whole new world

far from home

a new day arises

when the education of life

opens our eyes

to new ways of thought and energizes new visions

of ideology which uplifts the mind’s biology

with new ways of  finding truth.

But higher learning, the quality of which, is not

just about creating genius,

it is about the friendships that bond,

the religious freedom

of the heart, the politics of independent transitions

and it is about finding ourselves

within a society that has to find its own way

to adapt to our difference.

Higher learning is that need to define

our knowledge and take it to new heights

of understanding

who we are,

who we are to become

by celebrating the history of who we were

and although we are taught to embrace

our dreams and capabilities, it is

the higher learning of life that guides us

to rise and conquer the many possibilities

out there, in a world

that is ready  for us to make our own and take hold.

(c) 2013

Tarringo T. Vaughan

There can be no progression in this world if you keep allowing yourself to fall.

It was one of those days that the reflection in the mirror wasn’t someone I wanted to see. Everywhere I went I saw someone who kept holding me back; someone who tripped me over and over onto the grounds of complacency. There was no escaping him as he followed me lurking as a shadow in every possible position around me as I walked. He laughed at me through car windows as his glaring smile reflected into my eyes from the strong rays of sunshine beaming through cloudy skies. I was blinded from believing; my vision was crippled so bad I couldn’t see any way out of my own maze of diminishing confidence. Simply, I had a stalker that was my own being; a stranger who was defining me by knocking me down over and over again.

To acquire victory one must be willing to embrace challenge.

On this day I got tired of his manipulation. My mind was scraped up from all the falling and I just picked myself up and refused to be knocked down again. I refused let wounds remain scars and told this bully controlling my growth to “fuck off”! I wasn’t having it no more. He continued to laugh and throw his invisible weight around but my new ears didn’t not hear him, my new eyes didn’t look his way and my new mind blocked him out. And on that day I found a friend named Confidence leaning against the silhouette of that bully named Doubt who abused me for so long. Mr. Confidence was too strong for Mr. Doubt and all his treachery and deceit diminished into something that became transparent in my mind. That day I started to travel again.

When there is doubt we lose focus

of who we are meant to be.

© 2010

Tarringo T. Vaughan

Public Journal