When it comes to marathons

Look for the Kenyans

They have dominated

This long distance sports

Where thousands participate

A marathon is 26.2 miles.

It’s an endurance race

That calls for stamina,

Skills, and endurance

Kenyans have competed

In Boston, London, New York,

Berlin, Chicago, Paris, Amsterdam,

And Tokyo among other places

Kenyans hold the world records.

Eliud Kipchoge sets the men’s record

In Berlin in 2018 with a time 2:01:39

The International Amateur Athletic Federation

Recognizes Brigid Kosgei 2019 record

Of 2:14:04 in a race contested by men and women,

And Mary Keitany in 2017 for a “Women Only” race

That she won in London with 2:17:01

So, hats off to the Kenyans

They have shown the world their mettle

When it comes to being champions

In a very international and competitive field   

O behold the green aloe with succulent stems

It’s Godsend

And people see this plant as an angel

Strangers – ordinary folk, gardeners,

And farmers do their part to grow this plant

They are sure to care and nurture it the right way

And that’s the love they share with nature

Aloe Vera must be watered infrequently to discourage rot

So, its caretakers have to be sure the soil is dry before watering it

The aloe needs six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily

And there must be sandy soil if the plant is grown in or outdoors

If the tips of the aloes become brown

It’s a problem with too much watering

This plant even grows well indoors with indirect sunlight

But still growers must check the soil

To remove roots that rot

Aloe Vera is an angel because of its life-generating properties

And it’s a popular ingredient in Indian and South Asian dishes

It can be eaten cooked or raw

But what else is this plant good for?

For centuries it has been used as a tropical skin cream

It’s a laxative that helps with constipation.

The meat inside its leaves treats skin conditions like psoriasis

And aloe creams have a calming effect by reducing itchiness, and inflammation of the skin

“God, thank you for Aloe Vera – the flourishing plant that provides us with an abundance of health benefits.”

Amen

Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration is a compelling work. It won the national book critics circle award for nonfiction. In its acknowledgement she expressed the greatest measure of gratitude for Ida Mae Gladney, George Swanson Startling, and Robert Pershing Foster, the people who gave so much of themselves to a book they did not see.

Wilkerson captured what it was like for Blacks to live in America. She focused mainly on the living conditions in the Jim Crow South and their experiences in the North and West. Her antagonists had previously lived in Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Florida. With the great migration they moved to New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, and California among other places.

Many of these migrants worked in the cotton belt and or picked fruits in Florida. They were abused, worked extremely long hours, feared for their lives, and witnessed lynching. They escaped such brutality of extreme pressure as trains brought them to their destination in northern cities. Robert Foster was somewhat different because he had a medical education, and decided to drive to California to establish himself. His trials were just as bad as the laboring class because it was difficult for him to find lodging at hotels, set up a practice, and to have getaways to Las Vegas.

Although many Blacks who migrated from the South were better off from those that were left behind, still they were faced with opposition from whites where they settled. This was because of the color of their skin. The jobs they were able to get was the lowest on the totem pole. This was particularly hard for Black women. Often, white workers at factories refused to work with Blacks. Housing was also a problem, so Blacks were mostly crowded in the less desirous districts of northern cities.

These conditions led to riots in the North. Undoubtedly, there was a caste system that favored whites whether they were Western or Eastern European immigrants. It was NAACP that took up the cause of Blacks and were fighting for their rights. Gradually, Civil rights leaders emerged like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., the Kerner Commission was a landmark decision, [ET1] and President Lyndon Johnson’s Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964 that paved the way for social change.

It was estimated that over six million African Americans migrated North and West. They accounted for America’s diversity of mayors, politicians, actors, singers, teachers, business men and women, musicians, sportsmen and women, government and non-governmental professionals, and workers of all sorts.   

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 [ET1]

As we grow older

It’s wise to learn to move slowly

That’s because people age,

And they have to watch their steps.

People should do so for their own safety.

As young adults we’re on the move.

We walk quickly to do our chores.

It’s as though we’re always in a race.

But, later in life our pace diminishes.

This is because people tend to slow down.

So, when you’re taking a trip

Be sure to do so sensibly.

Take your time climbing stairs.

Watch where you’re walking.

For, the ground may be uneven.

At night make sure that paths are lit.

If they are dark use a light.

It’s a good idea to have a companion.

A friend can be a good guide.

So, make the most of your adventures.

These simple joys depend on

How you care for yourself,

And by the precautions you take.