"SHANITA" MEANS A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FROM GOD

When I awake in the morning, I make sure to start my day off with gratitude and prayer. It is what sustains my day and provides mental preparation for how I handle my external environment. Meditation proceeds, but I’m still working on how to clear my mind longer than ten seconds. I stay dedicated. I drink a glass of water before I exercise, and complete my other recreational tasks, so that around 11 am my day begins.

I saw an article where it asked others to write down three values for everyday living. My three values are to live a purposeful life, stay balanced, and put myself first. These three things are going to self-fill me so that I live a fulfilling and self-fulfilling life. Every single person on earth who fulfills themselves, then in turn attract others to support their passions.

Purposeful living is more than just appreciation for life, and the knowledge that you were meant to be here. My brother put it in words so delicately accurate and congenial, I had to take a few moments to let his words resonate and penetrate not just my brain, but my soul as well. Whatever conversation we were having, it had something to do with life. I quote:

“It is not by accident you are here. Millions of sperm cells competed to get to that one egg…. And you were the one who made it. That means you were meant to be.”

I’d like to add:

Not only did you beat out all the rest, but during the birthing process, with the help of your mother, you traveled through all the obstacles again to be born.

In both cases, the conditions of the vagina and birth canal were uncomfortable and challenging, but each and every one of us fought through it, willing ourselves to be here.

If you’ve seen the movie “Soul” you’ll know what I mean when I say we “will ourselves” to be here. “Soul” deals with the before life process. It deals with you as a soul in “The Beyond/Heaven.” The movie casts its light on a middle-aged man who is a music teacher, with the goal of being a night club musician. When he finally gets his big break, an accident occurs and his soul travels up to the Beyond. He fights so hard for his life that his soul winds up going back to the before life process. In this realm of the Beyond, he must earn a chance back into his body. While there, he meets a soul who describes the beauty of being “a soul.” You have no name, just a number. You have no feelings, no taste, and no smell, but you have you. The most important piece is, there is no judgment. The movie suggests in a warm and friendly manner, the life you live on earth is one of trial and error. You have a name that works for you or doesn’t. You have things to taste. Either you like it, or you don’t. You have a sense of smell. Sometimes you’ll like what you smell and sometimes you won’t. You have the sensation to touch things. Some things you like to touch, other things you don’t, or shouldn’t. You are even given the opportunity to feel (emotions) happiness, sadness, pain, etc. You have opportunities to live the career you would like, but some choose not to. Every person on earth gets a chance to experience what the soul cannot. As a soul, you are free of responsibilities. There are no roles to play, but there is order and structure in preparation for you when you’re ready to be sent to earth. In the movie, one of the characters did not want to return to earth due to unfulfilled past lives. It was almost as if the previous life was more filled with trial and error than happiness. By accident, they both went back to earth at the same time, but the musician’s soul went into a cat’s body, and the friend, into his body. It was only here where the friend was able to experience the joy of living. The friend’s name was “Twenty-two” (Just a number). The voice over was female, but in the movie, “Twenty-two” was neither male nor female. After the trial and errors experienced in the musician’s body, “Twenty-two” was no longer afraid to live because there was also pleasure experienced as well. Twenty-two learned the famous quote “Life is what you make it.” The musician, on the other hand, learned from Twenty-two life has nothing to do with dreams or goals, but the pleasure received from living. The musician felt like there was something more he wanted to accomplish. When he accomplished a lifelong dream, it wasn’t that meaningful to him any longer. He learned life is fulfilling when you make life count in every moment. It is the simplest things that make life more meaningful. I took away from this movie the concept, “Be happy with life and live everyday purposely.” Yes, we all have talents, but they are not to be abused for our pleasures (ego). They are simply to share with others. Receiving the joy from talents or the things you love, is a plus. Life is simply an experience of what the soul needs to shine.

The movie also shed light on staying balanced. There was a guy able to reach “The Beyond” through meditation. He was responsible for opening the doorway in which the musician landed in the wrong body (the cat). The “meditation man” in every scene was helpful, in tune with himself, and looked so peaceful with life. He didn’t have an extreme role in life, or this amazing recognizable talent. For most of the movie, he meditated. Life was made simplistic through his character. This is where I’m headed.

One might ask the question, So why meditate to reach the “Beyond,” if we will ourselves to be in this life? My answer is simply, this is what creates balance. You come into this world for the experience. So, experience all that you can or want, but don’t forget your roots. Your roots are what keeps you grounded. As the body (the human being/ person) connects with soul through meditation, this space is now non-judgmental, peaceful, whole, and at ease. It also helps you to connect with your higher self so you do not lose yourself in this world, and are able to accomplish fulfillment with ease. Distractions can be seen as creating obstacles that cause you to fight so hard to get to a certain place, instead of appreciating where you are. Whatever is meant to be, will be.

My third value, -putting myself first -is a task for me in this lifetime. I am an Aquarius, which means “water bearer,” and humanitarian of the zodiac signs. Within this overwhelming responsibility, there were times where I would pour my entire bucket into others, which left mine empty. Now I am pouring the bucket over me, replenishing my spirit first, so that the excess water falls onto others. I can only give, after giving to myself. I nurture and feed myself, through the life I give to myself. This is the only way life can be fulfilling. In the movie “Soul,” I mentioned briefly above why “Twenty-two” was afraid to live. It was so overpowering, that the soul stayed in the before life process. There comes a point in one's life where we must value our own soul and perception of who we are. One scene in the movie showed “Twenty-two’s” battle with self-worth. So much negativity was within Twenty-two’s spirit, that it was hindering the process to experience all that the soul could be. When healing takes place, and we release negativity placed upon us by the world, we then in turn can see our true selves (the soul) and learn to shine for the world.

I shine through the music I write, sing, and share with others. I shine through the pieces of art I draw, the therapeutic programs I write for youth, the books, and stories I write for the world. I shine by the motivational, encouraging, empowering, and enlightening words I give on my YouTube channel. I shine by counseling relationships, being in tune with myself in nature, and connecting with animals. My energy, my white aura, naturally heals. These are my passions and beautiful pieces of myself to share with the world. My first name, Shanita, means a beautiful gift from God. I nicknamed myself Beautiful Intelligence because this is what and who I am. Other’s will organically see my beautiful gifts and support because I am giving my knowledge to the world. The number of people it touches, doesn’t matter. The world doesn't owe me anything, but I owe everything to myself while I live in it. I am honored for the opportunity to just share.

Nevertheless, I only have one desire. That is to live life happily ever after. I only have one goal. That is to give the world knowledge pertaining to mental and physical health. Lastly, I only want to express one emotion. That emotion is gratitude to all those who experience the talents I share.