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Are We There Yet?
The rides from Detroit down South didn’t seem long to me as a child. Five of us would be in the back seat of our Cousin John’s Cadillac. We were small and the car was big. One of us would get to sit in the middle up front with Cousin John and Mom. We wouldn’t stop for food, only for gas and the restroom. Mom would pack plenty of food, including
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
6 days ago5 min read
Amen
I think I was about seven when I peeked into Mama Henrietta’s bedroom early one morning. Uncle Bush had already left to do some work on their large farm down South. Mom Henrietta was on her
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
May 193 min read
Take Me to the Water
My childhood in the South didn't include “the talk” about being pulled over, but instead about being pulled under.
Hot summer days made swi
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Sep 12, 20246 min read
Seeing the Moment
Looking back on random moments can add new perspectives. I recently ran across something I wrote five years ago. I could never have predicte
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Aug 14, 20243 min read
More Powerful Than We Know
With every season of life and every level of growth, it seems a reconciliation of our understanding and use of power is required.
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Jun 28, 20244 min read
FAVORITES
In that moment, the dog bite represented physical things that require medical intervention. I have had my share of those this year. While in
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Dec 24, 20232 min read
What’s in Your Jar?
Lately, I’ve been trying to untangle the difference between thanks and gratitude. It’s so easy to use them interchangeably. But I realize
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Sep 22, 20233 min read
Mirror Mirror
As I write this, it’s been almost two years since I have been able to see my image clearly in the mirror. I have counted the mirrors in...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Aug 1, 20233 min read
Time Tells
For more than five years, my mother and I have shared a weekly ritual: Sunday brunch, just me and Ma, or Mumsie, as I sometimes call her.
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Jun 6, 20234 min read
I’m Still Writing
But time and lived experience--what some call earned wisdom--have since taught me the value of NOW and how much there is to learn when we gi
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
May 8, 20236 min read
When We Judge
Casting judgement is a reflex, a weapon that each of us wields and uses without realizing our guilt or that it cuts both ways....
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Mar 21, 20236 min read
Lemonade & Stitches
Throughout my childhood, wherever we lived, there was always a vibrant, organic community made up of friendship, trust, and a sense that...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Feb 9, 20234 min read
My Angel
Fifteen years have passed since one of my more memorable encounters with my angel. I say this with certainty and the belief that angels...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Dec 9, 20224 min read
My Father
As a child, I don’t remember missing my father a lot, but the times I did were sad and embarrassing for me. I was about age seven when...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Nov 10, 20224 min read
Community
My mother was raised as an only child who yearned for family and worked hard to foster her own community. We had aunties, uncles, and cousin
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Sep 28, 20223 min read
25 Life Lessons
We all have them: things we’ve learned over our lifetime. Over five decades of living has taught me a few things. Here are twenty-five of...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Aug 12, 20222 min read
Mom: A Profile in Courage
I was about eight years old when my mom gathered her six girls on the living-room sofa in our Arkansas home to tell us some “very...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Jun 27, 20225 min read
Summer
It wasn’t until adulthood that I grew to appreciate autumn and dubbed it my preferred season. That has more to do with the temperature...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Apr 28, 20222 min read
Magic and Wonder
I can’t imagine what the world is like for anyone who doesn’t believe in magic. I became a believer around age three. My dreams would...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Mar 25, 20223 min read
My Writing Journey
I was in elementary school when my mother gave me my first diary for Christmas. I had a lot to write about but was too concerned about my...
Delphia Simmons (Founder of Thrive Detroit)
Feb 11, 20223 min read