Life's Lessons with Jai

“That Familiar Feeling” This was my first Christmas in my “not so empty nest”.   The closer the holiday would get the more I was beginning to realize I was missing old times. Many things around me were occurring, life was changing, people I knew families were continuing to fall apart and while I may not have had a “fairy tale” marriage, we were always good as a family and I was missing my family this Christmas. Everything about this holiday just felt like love and family for me. I loved cooking for my family, listening to Christmas music as I cooked, playing games after dinner everything just felt right. As our family dynamics changed, I learned to adjust. I made different holiday traditions for me and my daughters. When I left the house, I raised them in back in August, I did my final walk through in every room. I took my dramatic deep sigh at the front door before I closed it and channeled my inner Whitley Gilbert-Wayne before she and Dwayne left off for Japan; and whispe

Growing up the youngest of 8 children, I became my families source of entertainment . The one they pull out at family gatherings to show the latest dance moves.  I am the one that would be on American Idol after Simon told me how horrible my singing was crying “ but my family said I was a great singer”.  Making them feel proud of whatever talent they thought I had made me feel good. When I pledged my Sorority, my line name became “The Joker” somehow my musings made things lighter in our journey and once again my talent to entertain came in handy. My Wusband (Ex-Husband) used to call me “Lil Magic” (from the In Living Color character) based on how much I enjoyed making people laugh and entertaining people; especially my family. I like when other people are happy or when I feel like I’m giving others something to smile about. Being able to make people laugh or feel good about things has always been what I would try to do.   As much as it’s a part of who I am it’s also who I often don’t