"I rather blind the world with my brilliance than comfort it with my dimness."

Written and read by Dear Black Woman Brandi Keeler

“Sometimes I hesitate to stand in my light, but I rather blind the world with my brilliance than comfort it with my dimness.”

— Brandi Keeler

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This is my black girl manifesto

Sometimes I hesitate to stand in my light

But I rather blind the world with my brilliance

than comfort it with my dimness.

There are many ways to serve the world

and I have the right to choose which ways feel most in alignment with my own truth.

because truth is: I am a chocolate-covered alien.

My identity doesn't fit neatly into any, one, category.

And I am okay with that.

In fact,

I embrace it.

I glorify my inner-contradictions.

I celebrate my unsolved mysteries.

I thank God for the miracle that is my imperfection.

This is how I love myself.

and THAT is how I serve the world.

Yes, I doubt and I may feel unsure at times, but I am never foolish for following my intuition. Yes, I take huge risks and I may fail at times, but I am never a failure. Yes, I struggle and I may need to retreat from the world during my personal storms.

But like the butterfly; I am aware that the darkness of my cocoon is but a space for metamorphosis. And honey, my wings are extraordinary. They grow every time I dance or laugh with my lover. They grow when I meditate. Or every time I walk barefoot on grass. They grow when I stare at the moon, or glance at the sun. They grow when I eat living foods. They grow when I wear an ankh or when I rub on coconut oil. They grow every time I see myself naked. They grow when I honor my ancestors. They grow every time I give myself grace.

My wings grow with grace.

Change is inevitable but growth is a choice and every time I choose to love myself, even in a small way, I not only grow my own wings;

I help the whole world to fly.