Flag Day in the United States of America

Happy Sunday, Readers, we hope you are having the best weekend. 

In the United States of America, we celebrate Flag Day tomorrow. Americans honor and commemorate the adoption of the American flag which occurred on June 14, 1777, as one year earlier independence from Great Britain was declared on July 4, 1776.

Us cats like watching our flag fly in the wind. Looking out the window is one of our most enjoyable pass times. There is so much to see outside - deer, squirrels, birds, dogs on leashes leading humans, and of course, our feral, Grigio. 

This week, we encourage all our readers to reflect on the values of our beautiful country. Think of the brave men and women who have defended it. Our flag is a symbol of freedom, courage, hope, and of course, UNITY. 

Celebrate the purpose and the message - and let's unite with gratitude. 

Have a wonderful week.

Purr & Paw, 🐾

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Seven Principles by Dr. Maulana Karenga

Happy Sunday, Readers! Today we focus on the principle of self-determination, in honor of Kwanzaa which began yesterday and is celebrated until Friday, January 1.

This cultural celebration was created in 1966 and is based on African heritage and traditional African harvest festivals. Its name is from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which translates to "first fruits". 

Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but is a celebration of family, life, and unity. It has a similarity to Hanukkah, with the tradition of lighting candles over several nights. Each day of Kwanzaa highlights a different principle outlined by Dr Maulana Karenga:

Unity in family, community, nation, and race.

Self-determination 

Collective Work and Responsibility to build / maintain community and solve problems together.

Cooperative Economics to build /maintain businesses and to profit from them.

Purpose a collective vocation of building / developing community.

Creativity to always do as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Faith to believe in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

What do you think of today's principle self-determination? This can be defined as the process by which a person controls their own life. Our ability to make choices and manage our own life impacts our psychological health and well-being (as well as how we contribute to our family and community). How do you define yourself? How do you create for yourself? How do you speak for yourself?

Changing your life starts with changing our thoughts. What you tell yourself defines who you are. Each of these principles are helpful to all of us in creating action and mantras for a better life.  Imagine what the best possible version of yourself is. Reaffirm your worth - that you are strong, capable, and your life will be filled with the joy. 

Each day this week, reflect on one of the principles and believe that you deserve wonderful things. Know that you can and will accomplish what you set out to do in life, after all, you are the master of your mind. 

Have a blessed week, and if you are interested to learn more about this beautiful celebration click: Kwanzaa - HISTORY

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

If you have a purpose in which you can believe, there’s no end to the amount of things you can accomplish. - Marian Anderson.