My American Idol

Just when my 34.9 year old mind starts to doubt my potential and puts me into a funk, this glorious image to the right reminds me of just why the Creator put me here on this earth. Today I'm going to devote the next several paragraphs to our First Lady Michelle Obama. Oh how I marvel at this woman and see so much of myself, my mother, my mother's mother and hopefully what my daughter will evolve into later on in her life. Not so much the obvious of being married to the President of the United States, but just being an undeniably awesome, fearless, dedicated, headstrong, humble and a fiercely beautiful Black woman. There, I said it. For the first time in my life I can see myself in the image of the woman living at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue. I must admit, just glancing at her as she graces counts of magazines (the May issue of "Essence" being my all-time favorite) brings chills over my whole body. Just the thought of Mrs. Obama being not only the face of the First Lady of the United States, but the face of Black women projected to the rest of the civilized world...I can't stand the magnitude sometimes. Look up "strong Black woman" in the dictionary - oh wait, who am I fooling - it's 2009...google the phrase "strong Black woman" and I'm sure this picture will be staring back at you. She is just one more example of the type of woman my mamma groomed me to be that I can add to the pantheon of strong Black women in my life: my mother, my nana, my nana's sisters, my mother's cousins, my cousins, my Sista-Girls, the list goes on and on. She makes it all look so easy; motherhood, marriage, career, Mom-In-Chief. She reminds me that on those days when my daughter is just a tad reluctant to get out of bed in the morning for school, my clothes haven't been ironed and my husband can't find his keys - I need to chill out, take a deep breath and HANDLE MY BUSINESS! I'm sure Michelle has her melt-down moments, but the presence of her mother right upstairs, the undying love and devotion of her "Pumpski" Barack, the giggles and hugs from those two angels Sasha and Malia along with a tail wag from Bo are all she probably needs to get back on track and keep it movin'. Thank you Michelle for just being you.

MIND: Elated. Plain and simple. Ever since 1/20/09 I have a new appreciation for myself and my role on this earth. My head is held a bit higher. My shoulders arch a bit further back and instead of letting life and all the negativity get the best of me I've learned to take my Michelle Obama vitamins for a good day's supply of energy, optimism, humor and "ride or die-ness".

BODY: Still on this whole Atkins plan. But looking at Mrs. Obama reminds me that no double cheeseburger from Mc Donald's is gonna taste as good as I'm gonna look by the end of this summer just doing what I know I need to do and not making excuses for my horrible eating habits.

SOUL: Probably 50% of my newfound motivation is coming from the little Black girl I brought into this world almost 6 years ago. She's very perceptive and she and I share a bond that's as air-tight as mommy and daughter can be. I want her to be able to look at me the way I look at my mother (and the way I am sure Sasha & Malia look at Michelle)...with complete confidence and certainty that Mommy can and will handle anything that comes her way. She'll do it with style, grace and wit. She might occasionally be the underdog but NEVER the victim. Mommy holds herself accountable but doesn't beat herself up for being an imperfect being. Mommy learns from her mistakes and poor choices and at the end of the day Mommy can only love and support everyone else if she does those very things for herself first.

ETC: I'm just dying for the day when I see a pic of Michelle with Malia sitting between her knees getting her hair "twisted up" with a jar of Dax and a cup of water on a hot summer's afternoon. Now THAT will be classic!