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Real Strength

There's a saying, we've all heard it, and if you were a child of the 70s you rocked and bumped it loud to your parents disdain. It was one of the many famed lyrics penned by LL Cool J. You remember. At least I do,

"I take a muscle-bound man and put his face in the sand".

Now I don't claim to be bad because I'm not, but I do claim to have more insight into that lyric as I have matured. We are so used to being strong and fit when it comes to bench pressing or lifting weight. But that isn't the only strength that's needed in life. How about the strength it takes to have good moral character or the strength to love in opposition. Let me say this, the weight I can bench press is nothing to sneeze at even when I've not conditioned. But that's not my claim to fame. I love the softer side of being woman. However I recognize the importance of having a balance. I realize that people have the hardest time with being honest and direct. For example, this morning I said, today I need to go for a walk. I have the strength needed to do that. But I also have the strength in character to say, there's something not quite right in this relationship and I need to address it. Of course you do it in love.

How does this relate to strength. Ever completed an obstacle course or done any activity with barriers, climbing, and swinging? I have and it takes strength. Ever swam a lap or two, done a rock climb, I have and it takes strength. Ever taken your strength for granted I have and I didn't like it. I was rock climbing and realized that wow, the weight I use to be able to pull with my arms and the strength in my legs going from one tiny post to the next is not the same. So what do you do, increase your cardiovascular and strength training. Well your relationships is the same. It takes strength to address those issues that may be an obstacle in your path. Which is why it takes strength to say, hey, how did we get off course and what (or who) got in the way of this relationship. It's like driving a car and you see a pothole or rock in the middle of the street, if you can, you go around if not off to a mechanic. I had a friend who hit a raccoon and it tore up the front of the car. They took it to a mechanic and he said what did you hit. Relationships are no different. Besides there's a freedom in relationships that occur when each party can be open and honest. To do otherwise is like bondage and that's not friendship at all.

So today I say got strength? Real Strength?

* Look for more on this topic as we celebrate Black History Month.

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