Yeah, so remember how excited I was about practicing Kwanzaa? I had plan to go to a Kwanzaa festival and everything. Well, things did not go as planned and this little introvert flaked out. It was too cold, we still had to eat and I just got used to being in the house all day.
I celebrated Day 1 (Umoja) and loved it, but what happened on the other days?
Day 2: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
On the second day of Kwanzaa I was determined to create and adopt my own personal cleaning schedule and that I did. Being a working mom can be overwhelming at times and time management is something that I am working to improve. Cleaning took a hit during the pregnancy and three months post baby I had yet to get it together. Thank God for a husband that was doing the daggone thing. Love you, babe! I even wrote this on our kitchen chalkboard for all to see.
Day 3: Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
Nope. Nada. I did nothing related to this. Ujima does however align with the theme of this blog – to support our sisters. I did not update the chalkboard this day.
Day 4: Ujaama (Cooperative Economics)
This was supposed to be the day of one of the Kwanzaa festivals and I had set intentions to purchase a few things (like my first Kwanzaa candle set) at the festival. It didn’t happen, but I did order some black soap that I love. In retrospect, I am already practicing this principle as a subscriber of the Vitamin M Box and having just changed my dentist to an African-American woman. Ow! Say cheese dahling! Over the course of this year I will be looking for even more opportunities to practice this principle.
With Kujichagulia still on the chalkboard, my husband kept trying to pronounce it in an African accent and he then started walking up on me proclaiming, “Let me see your Kujichagulia, girl”. LOL! I love that man. LOL!
I am going to conclude this post here because in all honesty I did not practice Kwanzaa in the way(s) in which I thought I would. I am now challenging myself to get more familiar with the principles and work to apply them to my life regularly – practicing Kwanzaa.
Peace.
