This week, I will begin this post with a true story.

In my community, there were two-black owned and operated florists who have gone out of business, who were forced to close their doors. Both of whom I know personally and patronized, and received exceptional service. How can it be that they were not able to sustain? That’s the question I pondered then and even now. 

By definition, survival is the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances. The ways and means by which we live are relevant to every member of our society, community, or family to include adults and children alike.

I was born in the midst of the Great Depression of the 1930s and raised by God-fearing parents who upheld a standard of morality and passed down a good work ethic. During those years, times were very tough; and families came together in order to respond to the challenges of that era...