Frankly Speaking with Tyra G Tyra Garlington - Tyra G

Life coach Iyanla Vanzant says in her 2000 book Until Today, "Listen Carefully as if someone were whispering into your soul. There is something you must know. It is very important, no, it is imperative that you receive these words into the deepest core of your being. These words are essential to your very existence. They will feed, nurture, and nourish you. They will support, assist, and guide you. When all else fails, these words will give you the strength and courage you need to weather the storm and walk through the fire. These are simple words, yet they are very powerful. If you can accept them in the spirit in which they are given, you will be blessed. Receive these words  --LIFE LOVES YOU!



Life loves you enough to live like you, to breathe through you, to express itself through you. Life loves you so much, it does everything in its power to stay in you, to be with you, and allow you to depend on it. Life is, at this very moment, totally and absolutely in love with you! Life wants to look like you, and live as you because it respects and honors all that you are.



When life sees you coming, it gets excited It can hardly contain itself! Life is ready to fill you up, spill over through you and experience the best it has to offer you, as you are. If you were to ask life what it is about you that makes you so loveable, the answer would be simple. You are alive! That is all it takes to make you love, loving, and loveable. Now, isn’t it good to know that you are loved?"



Be inspired by Ms. Linda Mann, my guest tonight, a retired nurse, current artist extraordinaire, and resilience influencer. Your heart will smile.

This evening, our show theme is curated from our HUMAN LIBRARY catalog titled What I Know Now. You often hear me say everyone has a story. And you know, I also believe that everyone is a story.



Each of our stories reflects a journey, not a destination, a process, not an event. We are continually moving, continually growing, continually becoming. As long as we breathe, the end of our story has not yet been written. That means we have opportunities to edit the plot of our story to reflect our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional evolution.



Author Maya Angelou   says, "There is no greater agony than hearing an untold story inside you." Let that resonate for a second.



Life coach and author Iyanla Vanzant believes in her story, and I quote, “Life will work for me when I realize I have everything I need within me to create everything I want out there.



My guest this week believes all that exists between perceiving something as negative or positive is choice.



She is a dynamically unfolding story; a journey, and a process.  She is a student. She is a teacher. She is a survivor. She is hope.



So, sit back, listen, and learn things as Ms. Lynnie Vessels joins us at the FS Table. Her story, so far, reads of survival and a grateful spirit. Educator, author, and inspirational speaker, Ms Lynnie Vessels.

I want to open the door to a common thought space with some quotes from people who have walked into dark places and come up with dark solutions or who have loved others who have done so. I don’t know anyone who wakes up and say, “I want to be a criminal, I want to be homeless, or I want to be an addict. And yet sometimes the unlikely happens…



Anonymous from Birmingham Alabama says:



“I'm a good person. I'm a contributing member of society. I'm educated. I have a good job, make good money, have wonderful relationships with my loved ones. I'm so completely average. The only thing that sets me apart from that other young business professional that seems to have it all is that I'm addicted to opiates. And the problem is that I tell myself every day it's not a problem because I am able to carry my life on in a normal way...



I'm not a typical addict. I don't steal, lie to borrow money, I don't manipulate people, I don't engage in promiscuous activity...since it's not ruining my life in the way of major money, legal, or relationship issues I tell myself that it's not ruining my life. I'm delusional.”



Britany from Takoma says:



“I wish that people understood that heroin/opioid addiction has no face. It spares no soul, and once it has you in its tight grips, you'll spend your life fighting out of its hell hole. Opiate withdrawal relieves you of all morale and ethical codes you thought you once lived by and transforms you into a hollow shell of the human spirit you were born with. This drug was beyond a shadow of a doubt the scariest most difficult drug I've ever had to quit.”



Margie who lost her son in 2010, when he was 22



While I am a mother who lost her son to an opioid overdose, it does not define me, or my family. My son still matters, even though most people cannot bring themselves to even say his name, or recall his memory. I am forever missing my son, Mitchell, and he is my inspiration to wake up and live, every single day.



We are survivors of one of the worst wars in America. We cry every day. We cry for those that will die today, tomorrow, next week, next month and on and on. We cry for their families, and with their families. We are losing beautiful, creative, and loving people, every 19 minutes, and over 120 people a day. It seems like no one cares, that there is no outrage. This is a silent killer, and not enough noise is being made about this modern-day scourge in America.



That they never intended for this to happen to them. That they wish they never would have started. They feel pretty bad about themselves already without judgment from everyone else. They were still good, caring people. Addiction just completely overtook them.

Walk into the Fairfax County Virginia opioid crisis with our guide, Lucy Caldwell, Former Fairfax County Poice Spokesperson and current Director of Communications at Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board.



Take a listen. Learn things. Share.

Some particular words to establish our common thought space today are offered by noted Karmic astrologer Dora Jones, and I quote:



"Each of us comes into life with a promise, a gift, a passion, and a deep, heartfelt desire.



The promise is not just a concept; it's a journey of self-discovery. It's what you have come to life to master, overcome, resolve, or heal some aspect of your consciousness. As you face your life's experiences, you can fulfill this promise. Your responses to your experiences determine whether you fulfill or break the promise you have made to yourself.



The gift is not just a talent; it's a unique expression of yourself. It is the cornerstone of self-determination and self-actualization. The gift constitutes your talents and abilities, the unique things you do as only you can do them. The gift is enhanced or diminished by how you do what you do and how you share the things you do naturally or well with others.



Passion represents those things you pursue for sheer joy, making you feel alive, meaningful, valuable, and worthy. Most of us are frightened away from or talked out of our passion, making us think it is inappropriate or useless.



Heartfelt desire is what you most want to experience in life. Some want love, others wish for acceptance, and most want both. However, it can be difficult not to lose our identity or integrity in pursuit of heartfelt desire.



You may only have been aware of your life's true meaning and purpose today. So, put this message on your mirror as a daily reminder.



This week, my guests walk individually and collectively in their self-discovered promises, gifts, passions, and heartfelt desires. Together, their stories combine history, mystery, and hope. Because of their specific areas of expertise, they are producing this show as a team, as only they can, so I will become a part of the listening audience.



Meet Dr. Tyler Nolting, who will further introduce himself and the team.

There is a saying I read somewhere that stated, "if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." This journey called life seems necessarily codependent.



What if you believed the most outstanding service you could offer in life is to be a light on the path? Your affirmation might say,



"Today, I am devoted to shining the light of compassionate support and service on those who may be in need."



Since 1947, when it first opened its doors as an adoption and children's service agency, Catholic Charities has served the needs of the vulnerable, regardless of their faith, on behalf of the Catholic Church in the northern part of Virginia.  



I welcome to the table Mr. Ron Riggins, Chairman of the Board of Catholic Charities, with an extraordinary servant's heart to first add his personal story to the Frankly Speaking Human Library and then excite us with the "why" and the core values that embody and empower Catholic Charoites of Arlington. Hear how they serve and transform men, women, and their families, who come for assistance.



Listen and be surprised, inspired, and perhaps get involved.



 



 



 

Meet Patrick.



"Patrick has autism and an intellectual disability. Until 2008, Patrick lived with his biological mother in Texas. She worked hard to ensure that Patrick had every opportunity to achieve his fullest potential. She socialized Patrick, taught him manners, and gave him basic skills. Sadly, after so many years of her life dedicated to the care and growth of her son, Patrick's mother was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Patrick's grandparents brought him to West Virginia following their daughter's untimely death. While they were in good health, they were elderly and began looking for housing and care options that would be in Patrick's best interest. His aunt became his legal guardian and the entire family came together to make sure he had a safe and happy place to live with caregivers who were specially trained to care for him based on his disability"1



This story is not always the case. Intellectual disability affects about 1% of the population, and of those, about 85% have a mild intellectual disability. Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with intellectual disability. Our guest this evening is professionally, and emotionally dedicated to improving the quality of life for this population.



Listen, learn, and share.



https://sfcp.cedwvu.org/personal-stories/