Hardliner aint gon wait for December 31st to call this year jack
As far as she is concerned 2014 has already rolled over
Pulled the covers over its head – and is practically ready
To get its coma on
But dang it – what a year this has been
Sista has been doing her inner work though
Trying to operate in that space of Doing – her Earth Mothers
Have so often spoken to her about
And 2014 has gone down hardcore on girlfriend
With the shit flyin’ helta-skelta –
Like nonstop – freaking helta-skelta
In occupying this space of Doing – Hardliner has also been
Dealing with marriage drama – family drama
Coming into herself drama – and oh – haterism drama
In fact – it aint even been 48 hours since the latest
Attack on her by a slippery snake of a hater

Umph – nevertheless – Hardliner would just like to say –
Thank you to Haters Incorporated for doing her dirty in 2014
Mind you – the year aint officially comatose as yet
But anyway thanks yall – cause your ‘love’
Has squeezed the platinum out of a sista
So right about now – girlfriend gon break out in a Survivor Praise
The soul shaking – shackle busting – tongue speaking
James Brown shouting – ‘getting jiggy with it’ kinda praise
Yes Lawd!

This is all well and good chile
Give God his praise for taking you through
Your gale force transforming winds
But don’t get stuck in the space of surviving
The ultimate goal is to thrive despite adversity

Hardliner’s James Brown shuffle comes to an abrupt halt
With Almah’s timely interjection
Which leaves Hardliner feeling some kinda way
Like the fiery Earth Mother is raining on her celebration
Hasn’t she seen what sista has been through this year?

So what – you want brownie points?

Hardliner has to give it up to the Master
Aint no one can come up with one-liners like Almah

Chile you survived your battles
They bloodied you up but gave you substance
They gifted you testimonials
Shout your praise – but keep it movin’
There is life beyond your testimonial

Umph – that is real talk for you – Hardliner surmises
She looks over at Almah standing a little way from her
And sista is in awe of the Earth Mother’s regal bearing
As if just realizing that this Amazon of a woman
Can also rock sublime grace
One would never guess though – on the account that she
Is always stomping on Hardliner’s earth – triggering
Earth quakes and what not
As always she is decked out in her signature red
With confidence – passion and purpose radiating off her in waves
Ms. Almah embodies the energy of Doing
You know – like that Nike advertisement – ‘Just Do it’
No deliberating – no procrastination – no tomorrow
Just get on with your shit – typa energy

Almah levels her stare – the kind that usually triggers
A steady stream of pee down her leg
Hardliner winces – reminding herself that the Earth Mother
Is intolerant to her profanity – but shit is a problem for sista
Outta all the cuss words – this one is determined
To die harder than Bruce Willis

Like you do not have control over what
Comes out of your mouth?

O.K she’ll admit that she has a soft spot for that word
There are times when the only word that can
Give a sentence soul is shit
Why you wanna take that away from a sista Ms. Almah?
In her plea – the awareness of her pettiness comes unbidden
As Hardliner realizes that instead of focusing on
Doing her inner work – she is here whining about
Having to expunge shit from her vocabulary

It kinda hits home funky don’t it?

Lawd – she is on a role today
One for your side Ms. Almah – Hardliner retorts
Lacking the grace to accept the fiery woman’s real talk

I am just putting up all you stuff in your face Chile
There is no sweetness and light to DOING
DOING is the path to BEING
BEING your best and highest self is your ultimate goal
But it is real easy to get stuck at BECOMING
And at this stage of your self-enlightenment journey
It is so easy to get addicted to your testimony
“How I’ve been through this and that”
Aint nothing as sweet and liberating as a testimony
But then after a while it starts to get stale
Because you have inhabited the space
Longer than you should have
What is next for you Hardliner?

Well why don’t you have a seat Hardliner?
Her sarcastic mumble accompanies her descent to the ground
Another one of those gravity sucking moments

The feeling sorry for yourself routine is tacky
Considering your spiritual fortitude – you are better than this
Almah looks at her charge – sitting on her Earth – looking lost
What are you afraid of baby?

Anything – everything
What if she can’t handle her vision?
And how does she even know that her vision
Is in line with God’s vision for her life?
When she figures that she knows stuff
It always comes back to her like a blank page
Hardliner lays back on her bare earth in deep thought

The victory of the battle is not about the testimonial
Anybody can tell a story Boo
The Victory is in the breakthrough
Using what you have learned about yourself in
In these emotionally grueling experiences
Using what you have been gifted from these painful experiences
Like inner strength – wisdom – courage – self-belief -patience
All these are gifts that enable you to operate
In your life from a place of power
And they are required for purposeful action
You already have the tools baby – use them

Hardliner takes in a deep gulp of air then lets it out
Not even tripping on the fact that
Her earth is suddenly covered in a vibrant purple sea
Of Jasmine flowers – with their scent filling her lungs
Cleansing and invigorating her wary spaces
She is content to lay there
Gazing up at an ebullient azure sky
Soaking up the warmth of her victories – all those mountains
She felled within herself
And so happy that she has come to this place of beauty in her life
This right here is her true survivor praise

So what’s next Chile?
Almah asks softly

I move past surviving to doing again
To starting something new –
Working to achieve my vision

So are you ready to work?

As ready as I will ever be