this is the last week of the year and i am observing kwanzaa for the first time in years. i don't have a kinara of my own, but that doesn't stop me. today is the second day which celebrates kujichagulia, the principle of self-determination. i'm going to keep it brief because there are quite some things that i have to be working on, but i wanted to take a moment to blog this morning. :) this is a different observation of kwanzaa for me, not because it's the minus of the kinara, but because i see things differently now. the last time that i had anything to do with kwanzaa was during my preteen years, when i was going to annual girl scout celebrations. everything is in a different lane now because i understand how meaningful it is, why each principle is inherent. yes, it is an african-american holiday, but anyone can celebrate it. it was originally created for african-americans to have an alternative in the holiday season, but when you think about the principles, these can be applied to anyone regardless of any demographic or path in life.