Is my living in vain?

Posted on by JustAskMaia

In the midst of this dark cloud lingering over my head, I am forced to work through tears shed.

No matter what I am doing, in the blink of an eye, I will find myself crying. I snickered to myself appreciating the fact that I do not wear make up. What a waste it would be right now.

Funny, no matter what we go through as parents we still must be sure our children are living their best life. For me that is forcing a smile with uncertainties lingering like a lone cloud on a sunny day.

Isn’t it ironic how we do so many good deeds and it feels, sometimes, as though they measure up to nothing? I remember when I was a young girl, my mom told be to be sure that my good far outweighed my bad. I literally live by that staple. Yet, I now find myself perplexed as to why.

Why then, do I still endure such unbelievable pain? Why is it life seems a constant test? When the heck is the exam so I can pass already!

I don’t know everything there is to know about life, but I do know this, its yours to live. Choose happiness and pass it on.

I’ll tell you what. When my daughter passed away I no longer took each moment I had with my children for granted. Not that I ever did but every breath seems even more previous to me. That is part of my reason for homeschooling. I always say that God has given me a charge (or 10) and I take that charge very seriously. These are little people who will soon try to find their own place in the world. It is my job to assist them as much, and as early, as possible.

Does my heart hurt every morning? Absolutely.

Do I have butterflies since this incident. Always.

But it will not stop my unwavering love and care. I push through, as we all do.

Am I always going to get it right? Nope.

Is my living in vain. Of course not.

The pause.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

So this week has been pretty hectic, If I calculate properly, it’s been hectic these past few weeks. In the midst, I had so many great things to blog about. I would pre-process it in my head how I was going to start off, the fluff in the middle, and the spectacular ending.  At this moment that I had to take a pause in the craziness of it all, I forgot. Every single detail, gone. Just like mommy brain. So many great ideas to implement and when you get the time, crickets, every dang time.

Although I am slightly saddened my this mush memory of mine, I love blogging so I decided to free flow like I usually do.

Let’s start with the bad decisions I made.

I threw out my last pair of contacts (from my eyes). As I dropped them in the toilet ( I found that this is best so #9 doesn’t try to eat them) I can literally see me doing it in slow motion as I realized a second too late that I did not have another pair to replace them. So now I am forced to wear these bottle cap glasses until I find time to get a new prescription. The plus side to this is I have noticed Oprah has been wearing her thickumms glasses so I am just going to go with it as if she inspired me to do so too. Embrace your blindness honey!

This next one is a pro and a con.

I overpaid my credit cards. The good in this is, well, I overpaid my credit cards. The not so good is, I could have used that money to go shopping. I know you may be thinking, just use your cards to go shopping but that’s counterproductive to the goal of eliminating debt.

A good thing that happened is I was asked to speak at the College of Charleston. It was kind of last minute so I was a little nervous and felt ill-prepared. The most nerve-wracking part was, I was talking to a bunch of teenagers. Now, I can talk business with adults all day long but teenagers always give you this look like ‘ I really don’t want to be here, listen to you, or care what you have to say’. I must admit, it’s a little intimidating but in the end, they were going with the flow and I felt less like I had to pull teeth or interact with myself.

I hosted a Stay at home mom event at my home. Those who know me are aware that I do not host at my home but I am stepping out of my comfort zone and I am glad I did. I had a wonderful time and was able to interact with families which is always awesome.

Family wins.

I bought six school desks for $5 a piece and they are pristine condition. My babies leveled up this week in their academics.  We scored more books for our home library. #1 got his drivers license (I don’t know how excited I am about this one). #8 is very close to being potty trained. And McRush is going back to school. And I have decided to slowly pick law back up, and I do mean slow. Like one class a semester, cash. Remember the eliminating debt mentioned above.

That’s just some of what has been going on in the Rush house.

What’s going on in your neck of the woods?

View More: http://foreverinamemoryphotography.pass.us/rushfamily2017

 

 

To beat their butts or not…..

Posted on by JustAskMaia

I’m not here for a debate so I will just jump right into it.

As a mother to 9, soon to be 10, children, I assure you that this is the most asked questioned we get. It is usually dressed up nicely by those who try to be politically correct or just plain nosey. “How do you get them to behave?’ or “What do you use?”

The answer in my head is, none of your dang business, but I play nice and smile and say “Love.”

Believe it or not children do respond well to it. Now, please do not be misinformed, they CAN get it but it doesn’t resort to that.

I have my days when I want to pull my hair out or simply state to my husband, ..”and we have NINE”. I get headaches and I fuss. Most times I put myself in time out which is usually the attempt to hide in my closet from the littles who have not yet learned my moods and patience level.

Every time, and I do mean every time, we are out in public we are approached with statements like, “I can’t even get my two children to behave, I cannot imagine having nine”. The truth is, if you cannot get your two children to behave then you probably should have stopped at one. I know, that was harsh but you are the parent.

As for me I am the most impatient person I know and I do not accept anything less than your best and that goes for my children as well. If they are wrong, I tell them they are wrong. If they are not doing their best, I tell them that too. If they are acting like a jerk, I let them know that as well. I am really bad at sugar coating things and that goes for my children as well. I pretty much treat my children like I treat my clients. I am not here to feed you fairytales about how wonderful you are and how great the world is. I am here to tell you the truth and prepare you for an even harsher truth called life.

So I suppose by now you are like, answer the question already! So, No. No I do not beat my children into submission otherwise my life would be much simpler. My children are very well behaved in public but let me tell you something, they are absolutely barbaric at home! I mean really, flipping through the house, jumping down the stairs, running around like loose weirdos, but in public, not a peep.

There really is no secret to it at all. Do I believe children should get their butt beat? Yup. I have seen some children that I just want to beat on site, old school with an extention cord but they are not mine so I digress and mind my business like I would like people to do about mine.

Again, I definitely have my days, especially trying to work on my businesses and homeschool whilst continuing to be a good wife and mother. It is tiring and oftentimes stressful. I recently spoke with someone about this issue I have about feeling like I was going to go crazy and she suggested I, get this, get organized!!! What, the nerve! But I took her advice and spent the last week in June creating a slew of schedules that I implemented starting July 1st. And although it is only the second of July, my life has never been so smooth sailing, even before the RushBunch. We stick to those schedules like my life depends on it (because I think it does). This is the second night where nine o’clock hit and all of my children are asleep. This feels like heaven! If I keep this up, this may not be the last Rush out of me yet [LIES].

I am so grateful for her and her wise words to me. Now I am like a child in a candy store; excited to get to bed before one a.m.

Slacking

Posted on by JustAskMaia

I really am trying to stay on top of blogging and keeping you all up to date on the happenings of the RushBunch but you know me, I just get so slack when it comes to blogging or sleeping, I oftentimes choose sleep. As crazy and chaotic as that sounds, I sometimes will grab a nap instead of my laptop.
As I am typing this I am literally drained and all I want to do is go to sleep however today is a birthday and the house is all the way live, not that its any different from any other day But they are wired on mini cupcakes and ice cream.
I believe I am truly out to sabotage myself. Every since I have started homeschooling and running my business from home, my home simply has no structure. I am hoping that this move will assist me in re implementing things like early bed times, hair days, general house cleaning day, and the like instead of me deciding on a whim what I am going to do that day.
I remember the days when I got up at 5:15 to prepare for my daily prayer/motivational call at 5:30 and my days flowed so smoothly because the night before I had sat down to schedule out the entire day all the way down to the littles bedtime at 7:30. Oh how I miss those days. Its funny when you break a cycle its hard to get it going again. I am glad to have known such structure and have something to work towards because if not, I would not know life could be more relaxed and thus not lose my mind!
Anyhow enough rambling, although that is pretty much what my blogs are…
Today was supposed to be a lounge around day but yes, we forgot we were going to do something for the birthday girl. The good news is our children are very easy to please so when we asked her what she wanted to do, she said have a pizza party and watch a movie. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she replied, “flowers”. DONE! the downside is whenever we leave the house we are oftentimes gone for hours because we remember something else that needed to be done. Needless to say we didn’t get home until after 7:45 so the whole 8 o’clock bedtime is surely out the window. I have learned to be okay with that.
it is 10:01pm and we have just started the go-to-bed process with the littles so we are looking at a 12:30 bedtime… sigh.
One day I will get to bed by 10 pm. Today is not that day…tomorrow isn’t looking to good either.
-Rush

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Come ‘gen say whet?

Posted on by JustAskMaia

So I had always be known to say things like speak those things as though they be so, and you have not because you as not and even go as far as things happen for a reason. What I had never taken into consideration, as lame as it may sound, is the depth of those words. How ignorant I felt towards myself. I mean, obviously the words mean something and obviously it is in your best interest to speak life into your life, I even tell my children all the time. I had begin to feel like that preacher from Left Behind (the first one) who was left here on earth after the rapture when he realized he was just repeating words and quoting scripture with no spiritual backing.

I believe that is what many of us are doing. We quote something because it sounds good but what does it mean really and are you actually applying it to your life? As a motivational speaker I know that it is extremely important to be sure you are maintaining a positive mental state as often as possible in order to ‘manifest’ what you are aiming to achieve, but what I am now learning about is vibes. Yes those same vibes from the eighties when it was hip to say, “we’re vibing” or “You’re killing my vibe”. Yes it is a real thing.

It is also very important that you rid your life of toxic people and relationships. This is one of the more difficult things you need to do in order to align yourself with greatness. We oftentimes feel as if we have to keep some relationships active and prominent in our lives but none of this is true. People are in your life always for a purpose, once this purpose is served you have no obligations to them. No matter what the connection, it is not necessarily a life long connection, yes even your parents. Parents serve a purpose to raise you. In raising you, they are expected to nurture, embrace, encourage, and support you. In addition to teaching you about life they should prepare you as well. Now, some parents fall a little short of this but I believe that the majority of the time, parents do what is best for you. There are some people who are incapable of being selfless for someone no matter how much they love them and unfortunately that is what causes the disconnect. But it is okay to sever ties, it really is. It doesn’t mean you love them any less, it just means you have now evolved and are learning to love yourself.

Loving yourself will only be possible when you know what and who is healthy for you and who is not.

You know I normally do not go on these types of rants but today i felt compelled to pass on, well, Good vibes.

So lets recap… 1. Speak good things often… VERY often. 2. Seperate yourself from people who do not assist you in doing #1 (bringing up your past, telling you you can’t, talking about you, etc). 3.Keep up the good vibes.

-Rush

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A boring busy day

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Today has been a continuation of packing and cleaning. I added the task of conditioning and detangling the girls hair as well as my own and for all of my natural hair sisters you know how tiresome this can be. But alas I managed to get it all done in a record breaking 3 hours. I will not make mention the fact that this did not include ‘doing’ their hair, we all went puffed out today.

As you already know my family has embarked on a journey in search of truth as incorporated in our homeschool academics but it has taken on a task in itself. Today we sat down with a wonderful friend of mine and her family and we broke bread together as they enlightened us on some facts while debunking some myths on their religion. It was absolutely amazing to converse with her, her mother and father, and her husband whom is in a position of high authority (If my research serves me correctly). I am so enlightened. It is a rare thing for me to find an end to my line of questioning because answers usually have me in a position to pose a follow up. But why do I feel like my whole life was a lie growing up, or shall I say a shadow. Anyhow, the research will continue but I was given plenty of literature to halt me on the journey for the moment as I study and show myself approved.

As far as homeschooling, today was a very light work day indeed. We worked primarily off of tablets and our index card system. I got a little bit of packing in and a little bit of cleaning. Did I mention how much I hate packing? how about cleaning? yeah, oh, okay.

I am beyond exhausted but I am grateful any how. Let me tell you how I just KNEW I was going to win the $198 million powerball yesterday! In all my knowing and believing I did not pick one single number NOT ONE! Why is this happening to me? I don’t ask for all the money in the world, just $198,000,000 I mean dang. I wrote out a list of all the awesome things I would do with it too ya’ll. Pay of debts, buy out our mortgage, charity, my shelter, savings, college funds, the works! But noooooooo, God says I need to work a lil’ more. I’ll be obedient and keep pressing on but I just want you all to know that I am not to holy for a few million dollars. Going to work on my positive vibrations. iRush
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I never knew.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Hello Gems!!!

It has been a couple of weeks since I posted and a little more than that since I had a rant but….here it goes.

Did you know that I was not light skinned or skin, or skint (smh). Apparently a few women whom deemed me unqualified to speak out for people, my people, because I am brown skinned and therefore I am somehow in a category that places me in a realm of privileged.

Now, I do not necessarily refute this but being an entrepreneur I have not had to endure this in the working world. A young lady posted about light skinned people basically carrying their privilege around with heads touted  in the air  proudly. I made the mistake of commenting on her post stating that we need to stop allowing the divide within our race and stand together. I gave an example of my cousin and the trauma she went through and ultimately spilling my own beans out of frustration and bewilderment as to how they just did not get it. Well, let me tell you, these ladies had a field day demeaning my complexion (or my thoughts of it) as well as my character, views, intelligence, etc. I looked on in amazement that the fact that I was speaking in unity and NOT dark skinned was an issue. I HONESTLY do not know how what I was saying was taken so far out of context in a matter of minutes. Now, I LOVE my extra dose of melanin people, their complexion is so very beautiful to me but these particular ladies attitude… straight horrible. I never one time demeaned anyone or their views, I was even agreeing with them but please do not get it twisted, I am still black. I was raised to not speak to people in a manner I did not want to be spoken to. This conversation had my heart beating so fast and my palms sweaty. Why do we scream out BLACK LIVES MATTER yet continue the divide within our own race? No. One. Else. Does. This. Not like we do. but we want equality and justice but we continue to rob, kill, and destroy one another. We cannot even respect ourselves to stand united. What are we going to do with equality? Yes I am aware it exists but don’t blame me for it. I did not Write a memo to God stating I will only go to earth if you make me…..smh.

So, I open up the dialogue for advice and conversation. I am posting the conversation below. But first this:

“You must use the dark skin slaves vs. the light skin slaves and the light skin slaves against the dark skin slaves” -Willie Lynch

post on facebook: ‘Okay so I’m still mad, how does a person deal with opression everyday and then still fix their mouth to say someone else’s opression doesn’t exist because it’s one form they don’t experience? I’m calling out all light skin people, do fucking better. If I catch you I will come for you, with all of the fury I have stored in this short fluffy body I swear!’ (I left the typos intentionally as to not tamper with her words)

My (along with everyone else’s reply. ( I will try to remove names because I do not want anyone confronting these ladies because they are still my sisters)

Me:

Maisha Rush 👀 the biggest problem, in my opinion, is how WE as black women choose to seperate our struggles! We are all black no matter what the complexion. We all have issues that we shouldn’t have to go through but intead of supportinng one another we try to demean one another in attempts to exemplify how our light skin isssues are bigger than our dark skin issues and vice versa. I watched as my dark skin cousin was constantly told that she was pretty for a dark skin girl girl. Meanwhile I was being rejected because I was so called light skin and proceeded to have a nasty attitude by thinking I was better than someone else. I have seen the problems from both spectrums and her problem was not bigger than my problems and my problems were not bigger than her problems, but collectively WE had a problem as black women. There is too much division. Smh it is time out for this, like literally, we are being killed in drones and here we sit sulking and complaining about complexion issues. #PettyMinds
Like · Reply · 2 · 11 hrs

 

Hide 51 Replies
Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root ‘Both sides’? Nah
Like · Reply · 5 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush ????? My point exactly. You’re focusing on a statement I made that you do not agree with instead of seeing my point… smh. I digress. You’d rather be argumentative than objective. We have to do better.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs · Edited

 

Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root Maisha Rush So does racism go ‘both ways’ too?
Like · Reply · 5 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Nope. Black people aren’t racist, they are defensive.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush We can only be biased in reference to the initial comment I made.
Like · Reply · 11 hrs

 

Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root Maisha Rush Same with dark-skinned black women.
Like · Reply · 5 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush I get that. I cried with my cousin. Defended my cousin. FOUGHT for my cousin. I get it, hell, I almosted hated light skin people in the midst of it. It is sad. I love her melanin, even more than she did. Our relationship was cut off because she one day decided to hate me too, even still not loving herself. So yes, despite your opinion, I have seen the pain from both spectrums ( light vs dark).
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Ebony Murphy-Root

Ebony Murphy-Root Maisha Rush There is no ‘both spectrums’.

And colorism is not the result of ‘low self esteem’ and ‘even still not loving yourself’. I can understand why she stopped talking to you though, if this is how you talked to her. Would you be friends with a white person who told you racism was a result of not loving yourself enough? Can you truly not hear how obtuse that sounds?

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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush What are you even talking about? I’ve never once mentioned how I spoke to my cousin all I did was uplift her and encourage her and tell her how beautiful she was and how she didn’t have to listen to the things that people were saying about her. I only speak now about knowing botj spectrums because I seen the pain that she went through and I know the pain that I went through and my bottom line is we are black women, we need to uplift and encourage and Inspire one another learn to be there for each other. I have no idea what you THINK you read but I impore you to re read. I never said one was better than the other or she should not feel the way she felt after suffering the name calling. I just reminded her. How beautiful she was. She will even tell you that. Tje reasom she atopped talking to me is because she could not see past the pain and she apologized to me for that. So please do not come for me because you misinterpreted what I said. All you had to do was ask for clarification instead of attacking my opinion.
Like · Reply · 2 · 11 hrs · Edited

 

Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild *rolls eyes at folks who purposely miss the point*
Like · Reply · 7 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Furthermore it would. Seem you are being argumentative for the same reason. #JimCrow got us by the balls.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs

 

Kio Shaala Sapey
Kio Shaala Sapey I agree with you coming from a 3girl household with 3 extreme variations of skin tones. Thank good my mother called out every ignorant comment directed and it taught is to love our differences and embrance them. ❤
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Ebony Murphy-Root

Ebony Murphy-Root Maisha Rush LOL I’ll take definition B

Ebony Murphy-Root's photo.
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush @ Heather Lovechild I totally agree. However society says otherwise. I have been arguing about it all my life. But thanks for the verification.
Like · Reply · 2 · 11 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Getting tired of being told I am too light to know the real struggles but too dark to reap the privileges.
Like · Reply · 2 · 11 hrs

 

India Camille Viguerias
India Camille Viguerias Sigh lightskin privilege is a thing, it has nothing to do with being “division” just as much as talking about racism isn’t divisive. Being too light doesn’t bar you from jobs. It doesn’t make you a target for violence among other things. You will lose nothing by confronting your privilege to help our darkskinned sisters in their struggles. Light skinned people are told they think they are better because of their light skin, dark skinned women get compared to animals and insects and dehumanized completely the struggles aren’t the same. Just like it’s not the same when a black person calling a white person cracker as the white person say the n word.
Unlike · Reply · 14 · 10 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Thats what everyone thinks (referring to jobs) but plenty of my friends (purposely taking myself out of the equation for aforementioned reasons) who did not get a job because they were black. Regardless the complexion, you are still black. Thats what they see. The biggest division in the color scale is our own. But you are correct, affirmative action would pull the lightest brightest
Like · Reply · 1 · 10 hrs

 

India Camille Viguerias
India Camille Viguerias Again it’s been proven that if they believed you are mixed you are twice as likely to be hired then those who don’t come of as such. Your reply is Ill informed
Like · Reply · 6 · 10 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush My reply can’t be ill informed when it is my experience and opinion…
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Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals Erm pardon me for interrupting but uh Maisha.. you ain’t even light skint. 🤔
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Andrea Seals I am aware of that and have already stated and agreed. However I have not always been this tanned and I was speaking of my younger years. Thanks for the dig though…. smh
Like · Reply · 2 · 10 hrs

 

Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals I think we need to start remembering there is the third category of being brown skint. 😂 Not being dark isn’t automatically light. Seems to happen a lot lately.
Like · Reply · 8 · 10 hrs

 

Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals Not a dig I promise.
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India Camille Viguerias
India Camille Viguerias Lmao opinion can be ill informed look at white people. They also voice from their opinions and experience, due to their privilege they are also more like to miss judge the severity of an issue.
Unlike · Reply · 9 · 10 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush I promise I did not come on here to argue (or be reminded I am not light/dark) just voicing my opinion like everyone else.
Like · Reply · 2 · 10 hrs

 

India Camille Viguerias
India Camille Viguerias So duly noted
Like · Reply · 2 · 10 hrs

 

Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root Andrea Seals Yes, but there is being dark and ‘not dark’. Being ‘not dark’ is the privileged category for skin color.
Unlike · Reply · 6 · 10 hrs

 

Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals Definitely Eb. Dark skint here. Lately just too many folks love claiming light when it’s not true. Even looking at the 4 of us here, India is the only one actually light skinned. The rest of us would all be “dark” because people are too lazy to think otherwise. But you and I actually are, Maisha is somewhere in the middle. All relative.
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush How bout we work together so its not a privilege category. It seems I am being attacked because I am brown skin and now know no struggle.. my initial comment was said to say we have to unite ourselves so we can stand together instead comments were made inside and outside of this post about how I was not light skinned to which I never said that I was. I believe that is a big problem because instead of unifying we are still dividing. But thats fine, maybe not you and me. But one day we will. Be blessed my loves.
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Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals No ones attacking you for being brown. We don’t care, you’re brown. Just stating the right category lol. Have a nice day.
Like · Reply · 3 · 10 hrs

 

Rachel Chance

Rachel Chance Her problems are bigger than yours, when she is at an increased risk for abuse and discrimination. You’re being ignorant, stubborn, and obtuse.

It isn’t about separating struggles, but acknowledging the nuances of oppression.

Like · Reply · 8 · 10 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush I have 9 children of every complexion and I will disagree because when I moved to a new neighborhood when I was younger I was beat up everyday for being lighter. My daughter used to Come home crying because people would tease her because she isn’t black. You beautifully melanates sisters don’t know my stories. Being gang raped and called white girl. Not being dateable by dark skin men because I cannot connect with the struggle. Light and brown skinned girls get it too.. When I said her problems were not bigger than mine and vice versa I meant in the realm of coming together and not pointing fingers at who has it worse but what we are going to do to make it better. Instead I got this. Name calling. Its time we understand one another. Grow from there. Unite from there. Thats all. That was all.
Like · Reply · 1 · 10 hrs · Edited

 

Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals Some folks do this shit on purpose to make themselves the victim. 😑 I don’t even bother anymore. Can see racism but colorism… no speaka da English.
Unlike · Reply · 12 · 10 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush But do see it everyday. Every single day. I choose. Not to play victim, but fight and build and uplift. I take no pity and I offer none. Thats why I started my business to help black people have their own so we are not subject to scraps.
Like · Reply · 1 · 10 hrs

 

Rachel Chance
Rachel Chance Your exceptional experiences aren’t representative for the majority.
Like · Reply · 4 · 9 hrs

 

Rachel Chance
Rachel Chance No one is saying you can’t experience oppression. We’re saying dark skinned women have a bit harder, and the stats speak for themselves.
Unlike · Reply · 7 · 9 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Not a bit harder Rachel Chance a LOT harder. A whole lot harder. I never refuted that. All I was saying was instead of increasing the divide by pointing out who has it worse which ultimately results in conversations much like this thread, we bond toget…See More
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs

 

Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals The marginalized are not the divisive ones. The ones who wanna keep their privilege, are. They don’t get to be comfortable at our expense. Interesting since the OP is doing her part, checking her privilege while calling out others then you come along trying to get her to stop doing the right thing? Ok den.
Unlike · Reply · 11 · 9 hrs

 

Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush I never did though. I understand you are angry at the injustices, but what did I do? Say we need to stand together as sisters and fight for one another? That was th only point I made. I speak at functions, I rally and protest. I have been in meetings with government officials, non government officials, travel speaking on the injustices but to you guys, because I am not dark skin, I am no better than the enemy? I did not ask to be born this complexion or this race. I can fight for US just like any other brown skin person can. Who says I never stopped someone from using their privilege? some of you made an assumption from my face and barely bothered to read my words. At no point was I creating a divide, calling people out of their name, or telling someone they were wrong.. it was unity all along but I guess I cannot call for unity.
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Lacey So
Lacey So Heather Lovechild, I was about to say the same thing. She’s not even light skinned……
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Andrea Seals
Andrea Seals Now you’re just making shit up LMAO stop calling us angry anytime we speak up. If anything, my comments are snarky at the most. Now you think we are calling you the enemy? You just wanna be the victim here while claiming you are above that mentality. I’m gonna go enjoy my Saturday, enjoy yours and cut the bullshit please. Stop using words like unity and division in these discussions when you ain’t about the former and the latter is gaslighting.
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Andrea Seals what did I make up? I never called *US* angry…again taking words out of context. I was talking to you directly about being angry about the injustices as we all are. You are making it to imply I am just calling black women angry and I wasn’t. Please do enjoy the rest of your day. I apologize my comment went left. It was never my intention.
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs · Edited

 

Tisha Tyacke
Tisha Tyacke You sound like a poor white person who doesnt understand they have privilege too
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Rachel Chance

Rachel Chance Pointing out colorism isn’t “increasing the divide.” The divide IS colorism. How is confronting the problem the issue to you?

When has pretending problems don’t exist ever been the solution? Dark skinned women are hurting, and they are rightfully angry… and we have people telling them they are the problem. Tuh. We all should be angry.

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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Tiffani Dowell where did I go wrong?
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Tisha Tyacke
Tisha Tyacke ^your very first sentence sis
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush Thank you Tisha Tyacke not sarcastically either.
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Tisha Tyacke
Tisha Tyacke No problem. It was problematic from jump. It definitely rubbed me the wrong way. We live and we learn 🙂
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Maisha Rush
Andrea Seals
Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild Makes a post about problematic light skints. Problematic light skint hops on with tears
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Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root Always
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Maisha Rush
Maisha Rush *but I’m not light skin*
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Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild Nah. You aren’t.
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Tisha Tyacke
Tisha Tyacke Typical
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Chantal Monique

Chantal Monique Come awn. My mom and sis are darker than me. My mom is black skinned. I know DAMN well/ my light skin was/is a privilege. I’ve suffered from discrimination and oppression- but not like them and not in that area. I KNOW- ignorant folk think I’m “safer”. I saw it. I saw their pain & it’s not my job to compare it to mine. My job it to be their voice. My job is to use my privilege.

I cannot understand why some light skinned folks wanna complain about “I got picked on for being light.”

My FAMILY- picked on me for being light. And SO?? So what?? What the hell?? How does that really hurt me/ besides hurt feels (as a little girl).

I feel like it’s a game of oppression olympics. Some of us have privileges that others do not. Just admit it – do what you can to help & hush about the woes – regarding being “lighter”

*ROLLS EYES*

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Mae West Washington
Mae West Washington Not at all!!!
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Maisha Rush
Write a reply…
Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild Also, she ain’t light skint either. Lmao
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Ebony Murphy-Root
Ebony Murphy-Root Not at all
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Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild When colorism is so firmly rooted that she attempted to convince folks she was light
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Maisha Rush
Write a reply…
Sharon Wood Thorndike
Sharon Wood Thorndike I am definitely aware of my “light skinned” privilege and try to always be mindful of that. I ALWAYS check assholes as well that ever DARE have some negative shit to say about my darker hued brothers and sisters!
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Constance Johnson
Constance Johnson goodness. I’ve seen thin people tears and NOW light skin tears. I’m getting off before I see able people tears and white people tears
Like · Reply · 11 · 9 hrs

 

Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild Man I saw the thin tears about an hour ago. I had to walk away from that
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Constance Johnson
Constance Johnson so disgusting. no one wants to admit their privilege. always pointing fingers and we’re all one, and we all have problems, see i’m just like you, i don’t have privilege, i have to suffer too. just shut up! everyone has problems, but people have privileges too
Like · Reply · 6 · 8 hrs

 

Heather Lovechild
Heather Lovechild Right. Girl I’s is tired
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Maisha Rush
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Mae West Washington
Mae West Washington I see it to often dark get played to the left for light shit. The moms from fresh prince, how Paula Patton is glorified for being light, but Meagan good still have to prove herself. I’m light and I see how most dark skinned women a treated as if she isn’t as sexy or beautiful and I’ve always noticed it. I hate it I’m tired of it and as long as I breath air I will stand up for my dark skinned goddesses because y’all/they deserve it. Our race deserve it.
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Shanythia Cook
Shanythia Cook Marginalized people can still be bigots.
*End of post*
Sigh. I am so confused and this negative energy had my vibes all off. I was angry all day. I cannot even with some people, I  wasn’t mad at the name calling, even though it was childish and showed lack and inability to have a grown conversation without attitude I was mad at the fact that they could not look past my complexion. Like you took an OPINION and turned it into ‘tear Maisha Down day’. But some will say I am again trying to play the victim but for those who know me I, that is not even in my DNA, like foreal, don’t touch me, don’t sympathize, nothing.
What are your thoughts? Do you think I spoke incorrectly or am I just expecting unity too soon, because THIS, this is not it.
*decided to leave the names, they may want the fame.
-Rush
me002

Family vacation my FOOT!

Posted on by JustAskMaia

So I have been off of here for a few days and there is so much that I would like to share with you guys, my thoughts, interactions, and goings-ons, that I am going to have to post a few blogs tonight just to catch up.

Let us start with this “family vacation” we have recently gone on……..

I do not even know where to start but let me first say that whoever came up with the term FAMILY vacation was obviously delusional in every aspect of the matter. At no point during our trip to Myrtle Beach did I feel or have the remote inkling that I was on vacation. There was nothing that I did that said vacation. I will admit though that everything said, family.

We were blessed to be able to get a room for a very reasonable rate that had a kitchenette in it. There was a pool right outside our door and the beach was like a 45 second walk. The customer service was awesome. The keep was exceptionally pleasant and I even messed up a plate and they did not charge me for it (mostly due to the fact that I was honest and brought it to their attention first). The best part is they were a family and couples only hotel which meant everyone was civilized and respectful of one another. The best part was they never one time turned their noses up or turned us down once they found out that we have 9 children; this is especially a rarity for us when we travel.

Now, the trip. While I felt very extended while away because i was not only doing the same everyday things that I do at home, I had to do them in tighter living quarters and if you know me you would know that I hate clutter and cluttered situations but I digress for the good of the trip. I still had to get up and cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I still taught school and created daily lessons, I still worked for one of my clients (which I will not do ever again), and I still had to pack, unpack, and clean. This has brought me to the sad conclusion that no matter where I am I will always be slave, er, I mean mom.

My children are spoiled to the max and I am okay with that sometimes; on vacation is NOT one of those times.

I am just whining. Although I still felt like the nanny-cook-housekeeper-slave, the smiles and enjoyment from my children makes it all worth it. We went to the beach that my children beg to go to all the time but when we get there, they remember that they are deathly afraid of the water. The laughter I get from that alone makes the trip worthwhile. Lol. Likewise with the pool. Sai almost drowned in 3 feet even though he is 4 foot 2 inches tall. I laughed so hard at his dramatics that I almost forgot to save him (so his brother jumped in to do it). I kept yelling stand up but he was too busy being dramatic. And before you flood me with the fact that it is possible for him to drown in three feet while being over four feet tall, yes, I am well aware of that but if you knew Sai you would totally see why it was funny.

In the end (and even some parts of during) I did thoroughly enjoy the trip <—— (notice I didn’t say vacation). It was fun plus I got to hit some cool Thrift Stores on the way home.

 

-Rush

Welp, Today I managed

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Today was the first day of Rush Academics. For me it started last night as I continued to do the last minute things to assure everything was in order. After reading and studying I finally managed to climb in the bed at around 1:30 a.m. just to find out I was completely restless until about 3. my punishment for this late night partying fiesta; I overslept. I didn’t wake up until 7:30 because I kept hitting the snooze button on my alarm from 5:15. So, not only did I wake up late for school, I also missed my morning worship and empowerment call. Never-the-less I did get started with our day, just later than I had anticipated.

Since I didn’t wake up early enough to get started the way I planned, I decided to forgo the entire plan for the day and make it and easy first day. We packed up and went to the Firehouse Museum in Tanger where we learned the importance of fire safety and exit strategies. we a lot toured the museum and got to view and learn about fire trucks dating back to 1857. The children were able to make their own badges, take pictures and ride in a fire truck simulator.

When we came home we just did some refresher work. The littles worked on phonics, alphabet recognition, rhyming, and manners. I figure tomorrow we will get a little more structured, as planned and increase in difficulty there. I have to say, not shabby for our first day, I was able to learn some new things along with them which was nice. The best part is, Biz, whom absolutely LOVES going to school told me she loved homeschooling. That was nice.

The best part is that I am able to freely implement a Christian base to their academics. Todays focus is Daniel Chapter 1. Once I find our rhythm I will post our schedule for those who are wondering.

Tomorrows morning trip will be to Wannamaker Park, we have a homeschooling play date!

Now as the children wind down and I finished cooking dinner, I am working on a clients social media package. Yes, you know I stay busy!

-Rush

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National outcry after mom arrested for whipping child

Posted on by JustAskMaia

I am going to make this quick and painless for you because I rarely make it a point to blog back to back. Shoot, I can barely blog daily like I want to. However, I just read about a woman who beat her children and was arrested for it. Not only that the children are now in child services custody.

Now, I know a lot of people don’t believe in spanking, whooping, beating, or tearing that behind up….wait, let me first say that I think that is a load of crap because every parent has their moment when they know their child needs a quick hand to the back side. Okay, now that I have said that….

This woman is a great mom! There are some mothers who would have done nothing nor would they have made their children give the stolen goods back. This woman, this MOTHER chose to do what needed to be done to set them right. people can say all day that she should have talked to them or grounded them but talk to them about what, how stealing is wrong? At the age of 13 I am sure that even if this conversation had never taken place, which I highly doubt, I am so sure that the children involved already knew that stealing is not right. As a toddler you even know when you sneak things its wrong so I impose upon you to riddle me this, what should she have talked about?

I have been blessed with children that I do not oftentimes have to go to this extreme, and I use that word lightly because there is nothing extreme about lighting some fire on that tale, but I will. I tell my children all the time, I will dial the number for you and pack your bags for you honey. My children think I am the worst parent ever because I use the method my mom and dad used on me, they talked me to death about my actions. Half the time I was crying because I just wanted them to shut up not because I felt bad but that’s a secret (even though my mom reads my blogs faithfully. (HI MOM!)) But it worked. That is not going to work for everyone and that’s the truth. My best friend used to take everything she ever bought her daughter. Bed, clothes, toys, dresser, etc. All she had was the carpet to sleep on and what clothes she had on her back all weekend. That worked for her daughter. I have a friend that uses scripture to discipline her children. Whatever they did wrong, she would find scripture for it and make them write it 100 times and then write an essay about what they did and why it was wrong. That didn’t work for her kids because they are bad as hell, but you get my point. Everything doesn’t work for everyone. This woman knows her children. Let her discipline her children because the death penalty is much better right.

 

-Rush