“Average at Best” — RIP to the “Godfather” — Kevin Samuels

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

“Average At Best”

The comment that broke the internet and shocked the world, thereby catapulting the name of Kevin Samuels into the homes of millions

Though criticized for his “tone”, his words often rang true

His content sparked a catalyst, forcing Black men and women to engage in open and honest conversations surrounding dating and relationships

He told brothers to work hard, develop skills, increase competency, and to build something of importance

He told sisters, desiring a family, to marry a solid brother and build together with her husband

His goal, to restore the Black family and community

RIP to the “Godfather”

Revered by some

Hated by many

Understood by few

Misquoted by most

Known by all

Kevin was polarizing, standing firmly on his convictions and speaking unwaveringly to the masses

Though his detractors troll his untimely death with “he died alone” memes, his supporters mourn his passing by taking up the mantle left behind and continuing the work where he left off

The Day Insurrectionists Stormed The U.S. Capitol

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

We are literally witnessing domestic terrorism in the form of an attempted coup d’etat.

What happened to “Law and Order?”
What happened to “Blue Lives Matter?”

Yet some of the more vocal people, who were calling for “peaceful protests” when it came to Black Lives Matter, are now silent as Trump supporters lay siege to the U.S. Capitol under the protective cloak of Whiteness.

Trumpers are literally doing whatever they want; destroying and looting federal property, inciting violence, and intimidating Congresspeople.

And they are still ALIVE despite their actions.

Having all that Privilege must be nice because not having it has been proven to be deadly.

But of course, they’ve known that all along and have chosen to stand tall in their hypocrisy.

Because ‘Merikkka

2021

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

I’ve set my intention to sever all tethers and to embrace freedom.

No Reservations
No Retreats
No Regrets

Here

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

I didn’t write Saturday.
Neither did I write Sunday.


But I am here today, and knowing that I showed up today feels good.
Life happens and things don’t always go as planned.
We try despite uncertainty and make adjustments best we can.

I didn’t write Saturday.
Neither did I write Sunday.

But I wrote today.
I am still a writer because today, I showed up.

I am here.

Sculpt

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

We used to view the process of creation as bringing to life something new from nothing.

And some of us still think this way.

We were wrong.

It is impossible to create something from nothing, for a sculpture is not created, but revealed.

The artisan holds vision within and releases it to communicate her most authentic self.

Art is an expression of “I am” for the individual, our ability to show who we are in that moment.

We inherit this from “I Am”, and as mirrors we reflect, His brilliance!

Be encouraged by every strike of the hammer to chisel.

Your masterpiece will be placed on display before you know it!

Discipline Isn’t The Answer

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

Discipline is hard.

Discipline is not easily maintained. 

It is easy to fail when we pursue discipline. 

What then are we to do when we want to improve or simply change?

The answer is to pursue lifestyle, not discipline. 

Lifestyle is easy. 

Lifestyle is who we are and what we do each day.

From seed to sapling, to a mighty oak, so too is lifestyle. 

Lifestyle is maturity. 

I am a writer not because I discipline myself to write x amount of words each day or to write x days per week. 

I tried that before, and it was hard.

I am a writer because I write every day, and it is easy.

There is no pressure with lifestyle nor failed expectations, only living. 

Lifestyle is fulfillment.

Spike Lee

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

The Knicks are wrong.

Period. 

The organization has been running on entitlement, which explains the dysfunction. 

Fans hope that the organization will one day get it right, but their dreams continue unfulfilled. 

Maybe the Knicks will learn one day, but I doubt it.

I Don’t Know

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

I sometimes run from things that I do not know.

And I know that I’m not alone.

We often feel a self-imposed stigma when it comes to being a noob, with the bulk of our frustration coming from feeling that we should be much farther ahead, simply because we’re a certain age.

But starting at the beginning to learn something new isn’t an indictment against character

Rather, it’s a genuine reflection of the process

The crazy part of all of this is that we can still learn new things

Ignorance is not an excuse. 

And what we don’t know will kill us. Morbid, yes, but not any less true. 

We become less afraid of the unknown as we learn more about the subject matter or develop in our skills

Let’s move beyond what we’ve been doing

“I don’t know, but I will find out.”

A Step

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

Today is Monday.

It is also day 4 of my most recent attempt to cultivate a daily writing practice.

But today did not begin the way I envisioned the night before.

I did not get out of bed at 4 AM to write the way I had in the past 3 days.

No.

It’s well after 9 PM, but I’m here. 

I’m committed.

This chain formed from links of consistency remains unbroken. 

I’m a writer, now and forever.

And though I came close to making excuses, I still showed up.

I am here.

And today, I took a step.

What do we want… really?

Kelvin T. Wells Thoughts & Reflections

Straw, stick, and brick — A different pig built a house out of each.

The need was for a home.

But the types of homes, based on differing internal value systems of priorities, led to the varying approaches made by the three. 

The two pigs of straw and stick knew that a home was something that they should have yet they did not fully comprehend the significance of the building.

They did not know what a home was for, nor what a quality home could offer. 

Straw and stick homes are easy to build but are lousy when it comes to providing a safe haven of protection.

And while brick, on the other hand, requires great planning, time, and effort to build, it is a fortress not easily breached once complete.

Many of us have read the fairytale, and “understand” the proverb, yet if we’re honest, we often identify more with the pigs of straw and stick than the pig of brick. 

We pretend to want the results of the pig of brick, but our actions demonstrate otherwise.

Maybe it’s our relationship between time and circumstance, which leads us to react impetuously to our situation rather than by responding with minds of peace and clarity. 

Nevertheless, a storm is coming that each of us will inherently face — the wolf of adversity, hardship, and pain, who seeks to devour and destroy. 

Let us prepare. 

So, the next time we are tempted to bypass “the process” during which we would be developed and become strong, let us individually ask, What do I want… really?”