Grown, Strong, Cute & Sexy

Grown:

• Not always responding in anger even when you might have a right or reason to, even if it makes you look weak, ass-kissing or embarrassed.
• Saying "ma'am" and "sir" to someone above you in age, rank, title or experience.
• Saying "please" and "thank you" even to people who don't have the sense to do the same.
• Speaking to those present when you enter a room even when they are too rude to speak back.
• Not taking offense when elderly people do or say something fairly harmless that seems to be a throwback of the past. It's not "throwback" to them, it's their life and times.
• Never taking simple kindness for granted.
• Knowing that it often takes more maturity to follow than it does to lead; to listen than to speak.
• Knowing the difference between listening and hearing.
• Being able to take criticism in the spirit in which it is given.
• Not thinking that everyone's main goal in life should be to end up as a "baller" or "shot-caller".
• Learning to forgive, even though you don't have to forget or condone something.
• Not cussing at will and random, no matter who's around, just because you know some really good cuss words.
• Not acting like an ass if you don't want to be treated like one.
• Not walking the walk and talking the talk of a hoodlum and then being offended when people assume you are a hoodlum.
• Ditto for whore, bitch, "gangsta", or dumbass.

Strong:

• A strong man knows how to be gentle.
• A strong woman doesn't have to be loud to get her point across.
• A strong man won't hit a woman just to prove he can or will.
• A strong person knows that it sometimes takes more strength to walk away from a fight than it does to throw a punch.
• If you are going to "settle" something with violence, throwing punches takes more skill and wit than pulling a gun.
• Packing a gun doesn't make you strong, it just makes you armed.
• Controlling someone with fear is a form of cowardice.
• Strong is a lifestyle, not a shape, size or personality.
• It takes more strength to work through problems than it does to work around them.
• It takes more strength to put aside differences than it does to perpetuate them

Cute:

• Cute is a child who can recite the alphabet, the multiplication tables or reads learns poetry and prayers. 
• Cute is a child who has good manners.
• Cute is not the kid who can sing or dance to the latest Katy Perry or Jay Z song when they haven't yet learned to wipe their behinds correctly.
• Cute us not the kid carrying the latest cell phone when they don't understand that money was not created just for their joy and comfort.
• Cute is someone who understands they are wonderfully and awesomely formed no matter what their shape, size or color.
• Brains without sense is not cute.
• Brawn without character is not cute.
• A jerk of a person with all the boobs, muscles, money or status in the world is no cuter than a decorated piece of wood is a cake.

Sexy:

• Sexy is not your hair, height, bra size or whatever you may be packing in your pants.
• Sexy can't be bought, taught, worn or given away.
• Sexy is whatever it needs to be to whoever finds whatever it is sexy.
• Your sexy might not be my sexy, but it's still sexy.
• Sexy is not defined by how "pretty", thin, tall, curvy or rich you might be.
• Sexy is tricky until you find your own.
• Once you get it, sexy has no expiration date.

I'm almost there, but I will always be working on being grown, strong, cute and sexy.

Peace

--Free