Friends! *plays Whodini*
Friends.
If you're blessed with good ones you'll know it by one clear sign: growth. So that means those cheesy "glow together, grow together" memes have a point.
The people you surround yourself with absolutely affect your life.
The same way your mood can be soured by someone else's negativity, your life's trajectory can be helped or harmed by your surrounding influences.
My friend, Blu, recently reminded me of this last week. She texted me asking for a photo of my book cover so I sent her one and didn't give it a second thought. The next day when I checked my Facebook page, I saw why she'd requested it. She made a post with my and her book cover ( she's a talented writer as well) urging her network to support local Black artists. She absolutely did not have to include my book, but she did.
I'd seen Blu and our other friend, Aramis, be intentional about supporting other artists all throughout the summer and I learned to do the same from them. They inspired me to always lift others as I rise so we can all be elevated. It wasn't forced or contrived. It was their energy and actions influencing me. And dammit, ain't we all a-glowin'!
