Black girl do you know how to love? Do you know how to take your joy and make it sing to your soul? Sometimes you feel like you don't. You only take love and joy in change. Saving it up to spend later on a rainy day. Or for when you feel depleted and all you needed is a sip to know it's still real; just unattainable at the moment.But remember, you still can feel. 

Black girl do you know how to thrive? Me, I know I don't. It's a chore I have made a career out of. To thrive is a task on my list that I need to revisit day after day. Checking a box that lets everyone else know that I am ok. Being it's not for me, but I need to be the superhero I'm destined to be.

Black girl do you know how to cry? Not the cry that's few petty tears on your cheeks as you collect yourself to face the world. But the deep earth-shattering cry that wrecks your soul and makes you feel your grief. Do you know that you are allotted as many of these that you may need? You do not have to save up your tears for one big break. You will have many letdowns, some you think you can't take. Releasing your tears is a step towards your healing, are you ready to be free? 

Black girl do you know how to BREATHE? I mean inhale and exhale without inhibitions. Does your livelihood serve as a reminder to be you? Do you know how to breathe through your insecurities like you breathe through your triumphs? Please let yourself breathe your truths. A steady in and out after you've cried and raged. You can return to your equilibrium and gain more clarity and wisdom to light your fuse. 

Black girl do you love yourself? Your beauty, your strength, your brokenness, and your healing? From your head to your toes you do you love you? Do you breathe for you? Do you cry for yourself? Do you thrive on your energy, your wins, and your losses?  Did you check your boxes today? Did you take a moment to pause, if you realized you weren't ok? Did you take a moment to smile for yourself? Please, please don't leave your gratification of self, forgotten on a shelf. 

BLACK GIRL. Love yourself today. Not just the beauty you always are on the outside, but the knotted mess on the inside. The parts you try hard to hide. Are you finding joy in discovering yourself? Your thoughts your words your dreams? All the idiosyncrasies in between? What you long for and your truth. I'll ask you again, DO you LOVE YOU? Pat yourself on the back if you accomplished any one of these.

Because black girl YOU DO.