“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” ~ Amos 3:3 KJV

S.I.N.™ Stop Incivility Now™ Quick question.  How many more women and children must die for nothing before real men like you and I rise up and start walking together in peace while working together as one to help cultivate a culture of civility? Think about it.

When the world least expects it, a swift paradigm shift will happen that is going to change the way men see women, treat women, relate to women. Matters not the colour of their skin. Real men will choose to Live, Love, and Lead United™ to stop the culture of incivility that condones sex trafficking, rape, and slavery in any form. Difficult? Most definitely! Impossible? Not!

Imagine the endless parade of possibilities that will appear when the women that real men love, honor, and respect finally stop living with Fear. My challenge to all who read this is simple. Stop Incivility Now™! Dare to dream bigger and act like you honestly believe it’s possible to beat impossible odds with God’s help.

As always, the choice for “this one” and “that one” to agree as one that it’s time to do something that has never been done before is theirs alone to make.  But please don’t take too long before deciding to do the right thing by letting love lead the way because it’s much later than you think. Can you imagine a world without women? I can’t. Can you? I hope not. S.I.N.™ Stop Incivility Now™

Copyright © 2011 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“Easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass

This “revised” post now only contains the Prologue to Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness, “When Good People Become Great.” As time permits, I will begin posting brief excerpts from this introspective, inspirational story about “personal leadership” to inspire you to “face your fears and embrace Change.” Only then will you choose to take the next step necessary to make your “Big Dream” come true.

In the meantime, please feel free to peruse “The Archives” to see how far this humbled beginner has come by faith since January 1, 2007.  As many of you know, I didn’t “choose to write this book.” Over 10 years ago, this thought-provoking, 272 page book chose me.   If I can beat the odds with God’s help and choose to “keep risin’ to my feet after every fall I survived,” you can do the same.  The choice to do so will always be yours alone to make. So choose wisely.

“But by grace still go I.”

The Prologue — “Always Expect The Unexpected”

Quick question. Did reading the Prologue to Steppin’ Out Of the Darkness inspire you to sit up in your seat and say “Hmmmm” upon first glance?  Hopefully, what you found has peaked your curiosity about what else you’ll find beneath this book’s cover.

When time permits, post a comment to let me know if you felt inspired you to “finish writing the vision” you prematurely abandoned in the “valley of sun-dried bones” sometime “after the fall” you survived.

Copyright © 2007-2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

This post contains a challenge to die hard basketball fans to see how many of you with a “Basketball Jones” can watch this creative basketball commercial just once. For those of you who have never seen this Nike commercial, it’s extremely addictive.

Unless you’re immune to “March Madness,” click on the highlighted word “Nike” at your own risk. Be forewarned! My wife, KWiz, and my 3-year old daughter couldn’t watch this classic commercial just once. Let me know whether or not you enjoyed something I decided to post just for the fun of it.

Quick question. If Opportunity knocked on your door, called you on your blue tooth enabled cell phone, sent you a text message on your iPhone or Blackberry five minutes from right now, would you be ready? If not, here’s a quote that I hope will challenge you on this “Hump Day” to get ready for your special date with Destiny.

“To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”

– Winston Churchill

Quick question. Does anybody know if eating “cloned meat” will cause “double vision?”

Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

Last year, my wife, KWiz, and I watched the movie “Freedom Writers.” This year, we watched “The Great Debaters.” Both are unforgettable films. If you’re an aspiring writer who needs a reason to finish writing your book, please don’t wait to see either of these films. Both are amazing examples of the art of story-telling.

It’s true! Everybody has a story to tell. Some of you are extremely talented, gifted writers who can effortlessly employ the power of the written word to tell your stories. For me, writing is a struggle, which is why I started blogging last year. Have you ever wondered if there’s some secret formula or writing technique that will make one book sell better than another?

Can “talent alone” ensure the success of the books that authors allegedly choose to write? Who or what enables prolific writers to repeat the meticulous process behind the creative chaos that made your book a success? Does the timing of a book’s release play a significant part in its author’s ability to emotionally connect with one generation and not another? Do you believe that book sales, or the lack thereof, are an accurate indication of the perceived success or the failure of a book?

According to prolific author Paulo Coelho’s profile, “Slow initial sales [of The Alchemist] convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time.

Have any of you ever pondered the possibility that the part you played did little to determine the success of your book? Did God’s sovereign will and perfect plan have anything to do with the success of your book? If yes, does it really matter whether or not an author chooses to employ “urban street teams” or “main stream” marketeers to promote a book that’s destined to become a national best seller? As writers, what part do we play in the books we author?

Do books choose their writers or do writers choose the books they pen? I had no desire to write a book before I began to pen Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness. I believe the book that I birthed chose me. I can still recall waking up in the middle of the night to write the first page of my big dream. Once I began writing it, I couldn’t stop. Whenever I felt inspired to write, I didn’t sleep much. I didn’t eat. I didn’t talk. Since I didn’t have anything to distract me, I just wrote. I constantly canceled or rescheduled appointments until the words stopped flowing from somewhere deep within the heart of my soul.

Am I crazy or has this ever happened to any of you? What did you do initially? Did you look around the room to see if you were all alone? Did you ignore the words you heard or did you heed the still, small voice that inspired you to believe that you could achieve something bigger than yourself? Did people laugh at you, ridicule you, and reject you when they heard about the genesis of your big dream? My mother and my wife stood by me at a time when I needed their love and support the most.

Writing Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness was an act of faith for me. I wrote on anything and everything I could get my hands on as evidenced by all the cardboard boxes still stuffed with the hastily scribbled notes that I stockpiled over the years. During those difficult days when I had no place to lay my head, I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself. For reasons that still escape me, I refused to give up after the fall I survived.

Nevertheless, trusting God when nothing made sense wasn’t easy. To challenge myself to keep getting up and showing up for my street fight with Adversity, I started writing poetic essays. Writing literally saved my life after my business failed and I was forced to file bankruptcy. Because of the vision that God gifted to me, I had a plan that I could believe in. God’s unchanging love gave me hope during my darkest days. It’s true! Without a vision, people with no reason to hope will perish.

For reasons now known, “But by grace still go I” is not just some empty Christian phrase that I casually toss around to sound spiritual. If you’re a published writer, did your book choose you or did you choose your book? I hope this post has encouraged somebody to rise to your feet and inspired you to honestly believe that you can beat impossible odds with God’s help. If so, please let me know.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

Best-selling author, motivational speaker, and “grown folks” radio talk show host, Mr. Michael Baisden, frequently shares the fact that reading and writing books created a paradigm shift that literally changed his life forever.

I’m one of the many literacy advocates and activists who agrees with Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu’s honest belief that “readers are leaders” and “learners are earners.”

“Illiteracy will hold the blindfold that blinds the great minds of today and allows Ignorance to kill, steal, and destroy the opportunities tomorrow brings.”

–Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness

Imagine how difficult life would be today if you couldn’t read. What book(s) did you read as a child that inspired you to raise the level of your thinking? How many books have you finished reading this year?

“Leaders Are Readers,” by Ms. Thea Westra, is a blog that I inadvertently failed to mention when I initially published this post.

Copyright 1997-2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

The title of today’s post comes from Proverbs 27:1. Why? This morning, I tried to get up, show up, and take the next step with our culturally diverse group that will bring us all closer to making our big dreams come as we help each other achieve great things in 2007. Unlike most mornings, my body had other plans and rebelled when I tried to rise to my feet. I couldn’t breathe deeply enough to talk, which hindered my ability to tell my wife, KWiz, what was wrong with me.

I had big productions plans for today but God had other plans for my day. So, off to the hospital I go to find out why my lungs were malfunctioning. Upon my arrival to the emergency room, I was immediately subjected to a plethora of lab tests and chest x-rays. Needles are always a part of the diagnostics one in my ailing condition must endure in order to draw blood samples from my uncooperative veins. Ouch!

The doctors and nurses determined that I had “acute bronchitis.” But by grace still go I, not the “Laws of Attraction.” If The Secret had anything to do with my unforeseen visit to the emergency room this morning, I will wait for God to reveal the reasons why my plans got delayed, but not denied.

Maybe, writing about “Tenacity” attracted an opportunity for me to prove to you that I can keep “pushing past the pain” as evidenced by the fact I still got up and showed up today. I guess Attila the Hun knew what he was talking about when he stated that Tenacity is indeed one of many essential leadership qualities.

God willing, and if the creek in my lungs doesn’t overflow again, I will meet you here tomorrow.

© Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

Here’s a short list of little things we take for granted. Please feel free to contribute your list of little things. More times than not, our actions speak so loud that nobody can hear what you’re saying.

Hugs…………………………Smiles……………………………..Prayers

Children……………………..Seconds…………………………..Pennies

Details……………………….Teeth …………………………....Thoughts

Eyes………………………….Hearts ……………..…………….Words

Images..…………………….Faith ………………………………Dreams

Books..………………………Embryos …………………………Kisses

Handshakes..………………Touches ………………………….Toes

Tears.………………………..Hope………………………………Trust

Talents………………………Intuitions………………………….Votes

Whispers …………………..Humble Beginnings ……………..Love

©Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.