The Monday Barrage: Read, or Else! & Yasuke the Black Samurai

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By Marc Charlottesville Family Life May 13, 2019

Read, or Else!

It would seem that we are doing tons of reading with all the social media outlets we’re plugged into.

Right?

This may be true in a sense because we are constantly reading about the latest entertainment news (Will Smith Brings Own Fun-loving Genie to New ‘Aladdin’), or what fashion trend is driving people crazy (More Men are Wearing Sandals and it’s Driving Some People Crazy).

But how many good old-fashioned books do we actually crack anymore?

You remember what a book is don’t you? It’s those things we used to lug around in our backpacks in the olden days. They are usually rectangularly shaped and glued together with paper in the middle, and have words printed on them. They were once the main source of knowledge and information before the computer age.

Yeah, that old thing!

It’s true that many of us just don’t like to read, and here are 7 Reasons Why.

But in the article, Why Reading Books Is Important for the Brain, we discover some of the benefits that reading can offer.

According to the article, “back in 1978, just 8% of Americans said they had not read a book during the previous year, according to a Gallup poll. Last year, that figure had jumped to 24% — and that included listening to audiobooks — according to a Pew Research Center survey.”

Yes, these stats indicate that book reading is down, but the benefits are clear and they include: 10 Benefits of Reading.

Mental Stimulation
Stress Reduction
Knowledge
Vocabulary Expansion
Memory Improvement
Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills
Improved Focus and Concentration
Better Writing Skills
Tranquility
Free Entertainment

We could all use all little more of this good stuff!

So, if we could commit to putting away our phones or computers and stop scrollin’ for a bit, we might find that reading a book can truly do us some good.

Last year the girls and I completed a successful reading challenge. This year, we’re off to a slow start, but we’re planning a major comeback. Check back for the year-end-book-review.

Those 10 reasons above not enough? Well click here for 30 (more) Reasons to Read.

Plus, Barca Cali has written an interesting articles about The Importance of Reading and How to Use Books Properly.

Yasuke – The African Samurai

I just heard that my man Chadwick Boseman from Black Panther fame, will be doing a movie about Yasuke.

Great! But who the heck is Yasuke?

The name sounds like a restaurant where you can get delicious bowls and wraps filled with your choice of flavorful toppings and sauce…right? Wrong answer!

No, that’s Yesake (and I will have to check them out the next time I’m in the Lake Buena Vista, Florida area).

I’m talking about Yasuke.

Yasuke, was an East African who arrived in Japan in the late 1500’s, who went on to become a trusted member of the inner circle of Oda Nobunaga, and a samurai. It’s been documented that he participated in several battles which ultimately led to the unification of Japan.

According to Deadline, Yasuke traveled to Japan with Jesuit missionaries. They claim that he was the first African to set foot in Japan, and that “Yasuke’s arrival arouse(d) the interest of Oda Nobunaga, a ruthless warlord seeking to unite the fractured country under his banner.” Ultimately, he learned “the traditions of Japan’s martial arts and ascending the upper echelons of Japanese society.”

This is certainly a movie I’m looking forward to seeing.

Mooji – The Guru from Jamaica

Unhappiness can occur when people are not living their lives in a way that is congruent with their authentic selves. This is what I have learned after going for so long without pausing to reflect about who I really was or why I did what I was doing.

It certainly doesn’t feel good to be disconnected from your true self, and even worse to not know how to find the joy of authenticity. In the following video, an interesting question is posed to Mooji by a child – “How Can You Identify Your True Self.”

Watch the video for Mooji’s response.