The Power of Friendship

From Forever Friends to Finding Our Way Back to Each Other

Remember when we were younger, and we thought our high school friends would be our friends forever? We made promises to stay in touch, laughed until our stomachs hurt, shared secrets, and imagined a future where we would always be part of each other's lives. Back then, friendship seemed so easy. We saw each other every day, and there was always something to talk about.

But then life happened.

We graduated, went to college, started careers, got married, had children, and began building lives of our own. Somewhere along the way, those daily conversations became occasional phone calls, and the friends we once saw every day became people we might only hear from on birthdays or during the holidays.

And isn't it interesting how, as we get older, finding genuine friendship can become so much harder?

It's not necessarily that we don't want friends. It's that life gets busy. Between work, family responsibilities, relationships, and simply trying to keep ourselves together, making time for friendships can feel like another thing on an already overwhelming to-do list.

Yet, friendship is one of the most valuable relationships we can have.

There is something special about having someone who knows your story, remembers where you started, and can remind you of who you are when life gets complicated. A true friend celebrates your accomplishments without envy, listens when you need to vent, and sometimes tells you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear.

And let's be honest: not every friendship is meant to last forever.

Some people are part of a particular season of our lives. We grow, our priorities change, and sometimes we discover that the people we once had so much in common with are no longer walking in the same direction. That doesn't mean the friendship wasn't real or that the memories weren't meaningful. It simply means that life changes, and sometimes we change with it.

But we shouldn't allow the busyness of adulthood to convince us that meaningful friendships are no longer possible.

Friendship requires effort. Sometimes that means making the phone call instead of sending a quick text. It means checking on someone simply because they crossed your mind. It means making plans and actually following through. And sometimes, it means being willing to make room for someone new.

We all need people. We need laughter, encouragement, companionship, and those moments when we can let our guard down and simply be ourselves. We need friends who remind us that we're not alone in this experience called life.

So, as we get older, perhaps the goal isn't to hold on to every friendship we've ever had. Perhaps it's to appreciate the friendships that shaped us, nurture the ones that remain, and stay open to the beautiful connections we haven't made yet.

Today, I want you to think about your friends. Who has stood beside you? Who have you lost touch with? And who might be waiting for you to reach out?

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Friendship is a gift, but like any meaningful gift, it deserves to be treasured.

And if there's one thing I hope we remember, it's this: Life may get busy, but we should never get so busy living that we forget to love the people who make life worth living.

Now, go check on your friend. You never know how much that one phone call might mean.

Yellow Flags

When We Romanticize the Drama and Mistake Chaos for Love

 The Warning Signs We Choose to Ignore

I know you know your colors. I also know you saw that yellow flag when your date was dismissive or raised their voice at you in a crowded room. Rather than checking their behavior immediately or walking out of the party and catching an uber home when he yelled at you in front of his friends. You chalked it up with a completely valid excuse. “He just didn't hear me when I said I don’t like it when he interrupts me or he was just drunk when he yelled at me at the party.”   Have you ever looked back at a relationship and realized that the red flags were there all along? They just didn't look red at the time.

I must admit that I ignored yellow flags in the past. It wasn’t intentional, it was more of I didn’t know how to respond to the flags. When I was young and experienced in love and relationships I had no idea that you are supposed to pause, observe, and ask yourself questions. Like, what did I just see? How did that make me feel? Recognize that in the moment is when you make a decision and not simply move past it. If you’re not careful over time you’ll romanticize turbulence. 

Yellow flags can easily get mixed up with attraction and excitement, making it easy to gloss over those gut feelings. With age you begin to recognize your feelings sooner. You can separate the excitement as just that. Completely separated it as a momentary experience rather than a depiction of reality. We stop telling ourselves stories to keep the relationship going. Stories like, but I love him or her so much. They’re just afraid that I’m going to be upset, that’s why they lied. 

What happens when you have become accustomed to unpredictability and then meet someone who communicates clearly, follows through, respects your boundaries, and doesn't make you question where you stand? You might be so accustomed to trust issues, patterns of instability, disrespect, and emotional distress. That’s when at first, consistency may feel unfamiliar. You may wonder whether there is enough chemistry, whether the relationship is moving too slowly, or whether something is missing.

Learn that love is not a rollercoaster! Maybe the relationship isn't missing something just because you aren't constantly wondering where you stand. Maybe the absence of chaos is not a warning sign. Maybe it is evidence that you no longer have to fight for the reassurance, respect, and affection that should be part of a healthy partnership. Consider, if the love you've been waiting for doesn't leave you breathless from anxiety, but leaves you feeling safe enough to breathe? What if the peace you've mistaken for boredom is the very thing that allows passion to grow?” Make sure to reflect on the yellow flags you have overlooked, the stories you have told yourself, and what you want love to feel like moving forward.

Have you ever mistaken emotional chaos for chemistry, or consistency for boredom? What changed your perspective? Please comment I want to know!

Join the conversation on The Lion's Den, where we explore the music, emotions, and truths that shape our experiences with love and relationships. Click the play button to listen to the show!

Tune in to The Lion's Den Every Saturday, 12 pm Noon EST: Thelionsdenradio.com

Paper Thin to Masterpiece: Why You Have to Choose Yourself First

There’s something about the quiet moments that tell the truth.

Not the loud, busy, distracted parts of your day—but those soft, in-between spaces where your thoughts get real honest with you. That’s where today’s show lived.

At times, we are all “Paper Thin” because life really is just that… delicate. One moment, everything feels steady, and the next, you’re reminded how fragile it all can be. Relationships, emotions, your peace, none of it is guaranteed. And if you’re not careful, you can spend so much time holding everything and everybody else together… that you forget to hold yourself.

And that’s where the problem starts.

A lot of us were taught, directly or indirectly—that being “good” means being available. Being dependable. Being the one people can call on. The strong one. The fixer. The giver. Especially as women.

But nobody really sits you down and says:
“Hey… make sure you don’t lose yourself in the process.”

Because here’s the truth, if you don’t prioritize yourself, nobody else is going to do it for you. Not consistently. Not the way you need. Not the way you deserve.

People will take what you offer.
They’ll accept your time, your energy, your love…
but it’s your responsibility to protect it.

And that doesn’t make you selfish.
It makes you aware.

See, prioritizing yourself isn’t about neglecting others—it’s about not abandoning yourself. There’s a difference.

It’s choosing rest when your body is tired instead of pushing through for applause.
It’s saying “no” when something doesn’t align, even if it disappoints someone.
It’s creating space for your own growth, your own healing, your own joy—without needing permission.

Because the truth is, when you don’t choose yourself, you slowly start to disappear.

You start showing up half-full… then half-empty…
until one day you realize you don’t even recognize the version of you that’s been surviving instead of living.

And I don’t want that for you.

None of us were created to just pour and pour and pour until there’s nothing left. You’re not a resource to be drained, you’re a person who deserves to feel whole.

We have to realize we are a “Masterpiece.”

Because that’s what you are.

Not when you’ve done everything for everybody else.
Not when you’ve proven your worth through exhaustion.
Not when you’ve sacrificed yourself to be accepted.

But right now. As you are.

A masterpiece in progress… still growing, still learning, still becoming—but already worthy of care, attention, and priority.

So today, I want you to sit with this:

What would it look like if you chose yourself, without guilt?

What would change if you protected your peace the same way you protect other people’s feelings?

What would happen if you finally believed that your needs matter too?

Because they do.

And the moment you start honoring yourself, everything else begins to shift. Your energy. Your boundaries. Your relationships. Your confidence.

People may not always understand it, but they will adjust.

And more importantly… you’ll feel the difference.

So tonight, tomorrow, and every day after that—remember this:

You cannot pour from an empty cup.
You cannot build a full life while neglecting yourself.
And you cannot expect others to prioritize you if you don’t do it first.

From paper thin… to masterpiece.

Choose you. Every single time.

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Lunar Eclipse 

What Do You Keep Hidden?

Ebonylion

The duality of life has always been about light versus dark, the sun versus the moon. In our day-to-day lives, the only thing often discussed is our accomplishments. What is seen after the hard work is done. What truly builds character, the foundation that holds our success out in the open, that now beams in the light of day, was once in the dark, an unshakable pillar that was built behind the scenes. 

On March 3rd of 2026, at 6:33 a.m. EST, most of western America will be able to see a total lunar eclipse—a blood red moon in the sky for a full 59 minutes. Millions around the world gather in places and stand or sit for hours just to see a solar eclipse, but the same nighttime event with an equally spectacular, majestic experience doesn’t draw the same crowd. I have a sneaky suspicion that the unpopularity of the spectacular lunar eclipse correlates with people's natural aversion to distancing themselves from what happens in the dark. 

This is unfortunate. It is because of what happens in the dark that the true revelations of life bear their crosses. All of life’s lessons happen in the dark corners of our hearts and minds. Revelations are often represented with a light bulb. But we never expose what’s going on when the light is off. The work that is done behind the scenes. Behind the closed doors. What happens when we are lying in bed at night in the dark when the light comes on? 

As the 2026 lunar eclipse is on the horizon. Consider giving more credence to what happens in the dark. Think about what you keep hidden that, once revealed, was a life lesson that changed you. Duality is meant to take us on a journey of disclosure. An eclipse is only a temporary incubation to develop what is necessary for you to become all of who you are meant to be. So give credit where it is due. The darkest moments have the potential for the brightest declarations of success. Set your calendars and your clocks for the total lunar eclipse and take note of all the moments you haven’t shared. That you kept hidden, but developed your character and resilience. Say thank you to the darkness, the eclipses of life that made you who you are. 

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We Did That!

How Black Inventors Changed The World

Celebrating Black History Month

By, Ebonylion

No words can describe the joy in my heart. This month, I found myself falling fast down a rabbit hole of information that only stopped because there are only so many hours in a day. Equally, men and women filled my list of inventors as I scoured the internet looking for the black trailblazers of America. Not only did I find them. I found that my everyday activities have been shaped by their inventions. 

Every name that began to compile my list swiftly filled my mind with bewilderment. The genius and achievement that these men and women possessed made me question. One, how did I not know this, being that I am a black woman myself? Who spent years in public education while studying black history month every time it came around, and two, how was I unaware of how these contributions impact my life daily. 

The revelation was beyond shocking. I realized that I had only been informed of the basics. I was aware of Philip B. Dowing who patented the first “street letter box” in 1891. Better known as the mailbox and or Sarah Boone, who patented and improved the foldable ironing board in April of 1892. 

But that was so long ago. As a Generation Xer myself, I have obviously received mail and can’t imagine leaving the house in wrinkled clothes. I definitely used these inventions as they predated my birth. The rabbit hole of knowledge I recently learned on the subject made me look at my entire existence completely anew

I’ve seen the documentaries about Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, the first man to perform open-heart surgery on a patient who obviously survived. Fantastic documentary by the way, if you haven’t seen it. Or the movie Hidden Figures, which came out, featuring several black women, including the woman called the human computer Katherine Johnson, who, through her complex calculations, helped us go into space and land on the moon!

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Rather, it was the inventions by black inventors that I actually use every day! Do you have a security system or camera at your house, near your house, across the street, or next door at your neighbor's house? Well, you can thank Marie Van Brittan Brown and her husband for that. She created the first home security system in 1966 due to high crime rates and slow police response times. Her system also featured a motorized camera as well. See what I’m talking about! Who knew?

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I talk more about this on my radio show, The Lion’s Den with Ebonylion. This Saturday in February for black history month, and every Saturday throughout the year. Visit Thelionsdenradio.com. We will discuss all the contributions that black people have made to America and the way we live today. Join me at noon EST. If you happen to miss the show. Join the Ebonylionmusic.net mailing list, and you’ll receive the show in your inbox after it airs. 

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“I Like You, I Do”

Like vs. Love

My mother has always given the honest truth, even when you weren’t expecting to hear it! One thing that she has always honed in on was the importance of liking the person that you’re with. It’s true. I did not realize that until I was much older. Or more importantly, not until I experienced it for myself. 

There are people in my life that I would say I absolutely love. Cannot imagine not knowing them, but in the same breath, can say that I could go the rest of my life and never see them again. Because now my dislike for them is so strong that it is visceral. I can feel it in my bones. I don’t know if you have experienced anything like that, but it may happen at some point, and if it never does than you are one of the lucky ones. 

At some point, I loved that person with my whole being. Then at some point, the love remained, but liking them fell far to the wayside. There were signs at the beginning. I saw things early on that I didn’t like about them, but my love for them overshadowed all the things that rubbed me the wrong way. 

What I have learned over time in the dating and relationship game only seemed to boomerang back to my mother’s words, “make sure you really like them.” So what is most important, like or love? Obviously, both are crucial; otherwise, what is a relationship anyway? But often, we focus so much on love that we do not give as much credence to liking the person we are with. 

What I have come to know for sure over the years in experiencing love and loss. Most often, the people that we remain friends with after the relationship is over are the people that we genuinely like as a human. Not realizing that is more often what can be the glue to a lasting relationship. Liking a person makes it really easy to resolve disagreements. You genuinely like being around them, you’d rather get along and make things right than any misalignment. 

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My mother knew what she was talking about! That is why we should listen to those who have lived a full life. They know because they have experienced it themselves and are attempting to spare you any potential regrets. Unfortunately, we more often than not learn the hard way. So, as I continue to dodge the old lovers I’d never want to see again. I’m finally taking my mother’s advice. Make sure you like the one you love!

2025 In The Rearview 

The Lion's Den Anniversary Show

The past is the past for a reason. Even if things were left unsaid or undone, the year is still finished, and another year has begun. As I am beginning to live my life without regrets, a new phase has appeared. One that celebrates the small things. The to-dos checked off, the projects completed, the work well done. And it feels good. 2025 had a brand new set of lessons learned and successes earned. I am thankful that it came and grateful that it passed.  

As we set foot into the second month of the new year, I have one more notch to add to my belt of accomplishments. Sit back, pop the cork, and grab a glass. Give a healthy pour to your favorite merlot and celebrate The Lion’s Den’s second year of radio spins and stories that have carried us through.  Life, love, and music have been a constant background song, like a needle on a record, that I have been able to share with you. 

With no further ado. Let us review my favorite radio moments that touched you as much as they touched me. You’ll have left comments, posts, texts, sharing your words of encouragement and endearment on how The Lion’s Den episodes left impressions on not just your heart, but also your souls. Starting off my Saturday afternoons with you, as faithful listeners, has become a part of my life that has extended my family all across the world. 

When I took a look back at last year's episodes, I saw a theme. A theme of the seasons that seem to ebb and flow through life. The year starts off cold, but the warmth of love in February fills us with warmth of love and attention. One of my favorite shows at the beginning of 2025 was “ I Want You Here.” Which is the title track of one of my best-loved songs and my favorite artist, Kenyon Dixon.

Replaying these episodes in my mind brought back the memories of who I wished were right next to me. To hold, touch, to love. And just like seasons change, so does the temperature. This anniversary episode, celebrating The Lion’s Den, takes a peek into how things change. The one thing we can guarantee in life. 

And when it does, can you “Weather The Storm,” like the title of my book? A musical memoir of my evolution from a girl to a woman as an artist in the music business. So I had to play just the right song to capture the moment. “Can You Stand The Rain,” by New Addition, who asks that very question.  We discussed last year on The Lion’s Den episode “ When It Rains.” Exploring the complexity of water. It’s destructive nature and its ability to purify as well. 

I hope you get a chance to tune it this Saturday and celebrate seeing 2025 in the rearview. Reminiscing on the great stories that were told. The moments that we captured together. Make sure you’re ready to sit back and enjoy the view ahead of you while remembering the past. This Saturday and every Saturday at 12 pm noon EST on Thelionsdenradio.com. Join the mailing list and never miss a show, or become a super lion fan and subscribe for exclusives on shows, tickets, discounts, and more. 

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Man Enough To Love Her

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In years past, all you needed to have a romantic night was to put on the right vinyl, whether that be an evening spent on the dance floor, slow dancing the night away, or kicking your shoes off in front of the fireplace with the perfect glass of pinot noir. While the perfect record, like Teddy Pendergrass or The Isley Brothers, plays in the background.  Well, at least that was once an option. Is that truly an option in 2026?

I kid you not, when I think of my first kiss, I can recall the song playing on the radio, the mid-nineties may not have had the classic love songs of yesteryear playing in the background. But at least you still had Jodeci Forever My Lady playing at the late-night red cup parties. I am definitely not someone who dwells in the past, but I can’t find a real playlist of love songs to save my life. Today’s love songs won’t be playing in any millennial's record player, radio station, or Spotify playlist. I believe they’re missing. I’m wondering if there’s a real love song out there. That had the same heart and soul we felt in the past, especially from the voice of a man. 

Where’s the love today? It’s not in the rap songs of D4ve or Yeat’s hip-hop tracks you hear on the youngersters' Spotify playlists. At least not the type of love that you think of when you remember your breath being taken away. Or when you couldn’t get someone out of your mind. Yesterday’s music had a deep sense of soul attached to the words and the rhythm. You could feel the ache of heartbreak or the pang of sensuality. 

Love and heartbreak are an inseparable part of the human condition. So why is it not in the music? We all experience it at one point or another. When asked the question who was your first love? At some point, every single person will have lived long enough for a face, a name, a memory to pop up in their mind of who that person is or was. And at another point, a song would play that said exactly the right words to describe the intense love or loss that was felt. At least that is how it used to be. 

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Maybe not now, but there was a time when performers would fall to their knees on stage, singing about the woman they lost. The band and backup singers would accompany them with words that described their sorrow or their desire. The baseline and drums would ebb and flow in a tandem rhythm that followed the beat of his heart or heartache. Where is the romance in the music of today? Where is the love? There was once a time when how deeply a man loved and cared for a woman defined his manhood. His friends would encourage him to follow his heart and not let a good girl get away. I haven’t heard the songs played that echo that sentiment lately. Will it come back? Will the young men of today be man enough to love her as their forefathers did? I guess only time will tell. 

Want more? Cozy up to stories, memories, and life lessons. In Ebonylion's Weathering The Storm.  Where music become life. Full of twisting paths on a journey to womanhood. Get a peek into the true story.  Click to get a personalized signed copy!

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Life Is But a Dream

   Ebonylion

Let’s be real—dreaming feels different these days.

When the world seems heavy and headlines read like heartbreak, sometimes it’s hard to imagine anything beyond survival. We scroll through chaos, watch people tear each other apart, and wonder how we’re supposed to keep believing in the beauty of something better.

But that’s exactly why we must dream.

On this week’s episode of The Lion’s Den w/ Ebonylion, we’re talking about how hard it is to hold on to your dreams when reality feels too loud, too cruel, and too constant. The episode is called “Life Is But a Dream,” because that’s exactly how fragile our hopes can feel—like a vision that fades the moment we open our eyes.

See, dreaming isn’t about escaping the real world. It’s about seeing beyond it. It’s about choosing to believe in possibilities when the facts say otherwise. In a political climate where division feels normal, where truth is twisted, and where empathy sometimes seems extinct, dreaming becomes an act of rebellion.

“I still see something better.”

It takes vision to imagine unity when the world profits from separation. It takes strength to dream of peace when everything feels like a fight. But that’s what dreamers do—we build worlds out of words, we find rhythm in the noise, and we turn pain into power. 

During this episode, we’re vibing to some of the most unforgettable songs about dreaming—across every era and every genre. The rock edge of Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” We’ll unpack what those songs mean in today’s world, how music continues to be our mirror, and why we can’t afford to stop seeing past what’s right in front of us.            👉🏽

Because yes, reality is real. The bills are real. The fear, the frustration, the fatigue are all real. But the dream? That’s divine.

“The dream is what keeps us alive.”

When you stop dreaming, you stop creating. When you stop believing, you stop building. And if there’s ever been a time when the world needs more dreamers, it’s right now.

So join me in The Lion’s Den for a deep, soulful conversation that reminds us why hope still matters and why even in the darkness, our dreams are the light that leads us home.

🎧 Listen to “Life Is But a Dream” now on The Lion’s Den w/ Ebonylion — where soul, sound, and storytelling meet truth. 

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Cuffing Season 

Chronicles 

The mornings are pushing cool air through my cracked windows, and the evenings are beginning to get crisp. Are you finding yourself desiring to cuddle someone a little closer, a little tighter? Are you craving someone to share the evenings with? Well, cuffing season is about to begin as we tumble swiftly into the cooler months of fall. 

I know when you think of handcuffs and a lover, those fuzzy pink or black handcuffs from Fascinations with the little silver key come to mind. They are fun, I must secretly admit, but those playful silver cuffs can be used all year round. What I’m referring to as we fall into fall is cuffing season. Alternatively, this concept is not directly related to those silver cuffs meant to keep one person in tight restraints. Rather, the cuffing I’m suggesting has more to do with cuffing one person to another for the purposes of love, affection, or companionship. A phenomenon that was first mentioned in the Urban Dictionary in 2011. 

“Metaphorically handcuffing someone to themselves to spend the colder months of the year with.”

Cuffing season, when initially discovered, showed that singles seem to naturally and or even unconsciously seek out someone to spend time with, beginning in October through April.  Thus metaphorically handcuffing someone to themselves to spend the colder months of the year with. Interestingly enough, they found that these relationships can often be temporary, ending around April when spring comes and people are more inclined to begin socializing when temperatures rise. Let this year be different. Let's build something that is meant to last. 

Have you ever noticed that a desire for a partner increases when the season begins to change? As soon as you started reaching into your closet for a sweater, you wished you were reaching for someone’s hand to hold during that evening walk in the park. Have you ever, as a single person, felt pressure to bring someone to Thanksgiving dinner or the yearly work Holiday party? The concept of cuffing season suggests that many singles begin to feel these pressures as the holidays approach, as it gets colder outside. Though the pressures may exist. The real pressure arises when you find yourself staring at the ceiling alone in your bed or dreaming about the handsome stranger in the frozen food aisle. 

There are so many albums that were made specifically for the holidays. Maria Carey’s Christmas albums hold some of her greatest hits of all time! But those songs are specially made for when you are already cuffed up in front of the fireplace when it’s 20 degrees below. For now, as we fall into fall, R&B is the only music that really hits home to Netflix and chill as the cool breeze rolls in. 

“R&B is the only music that really hits home to Netflix and chill as the cool breeze rolls in.” 

You know no one does it better than I when it comes to picking the best songs for the topic. This week on The Lion’s Den radio show podcast, I’ll be talking about the songs that make me want to cuddle up a little closer when it gets cold outside.  “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever” by Maxwell says it all. When it’s cold outside, I’m down to snuggle up with my boo-thing wherever or whatever the occasion. You are welcome to keep me warm. “Anytime,” like the song by Janet Jackson, she's telling my personal thoughts in a nutshell. When I’m cuffed up in a room full of people, it’s like we’re the only ones there. 

I’d love to know you’re favorite cuffing season track in the comments. Janet Jackson and Maxwell are just a few who will be on this week’s playlist as we start the cuffing season chronicles. Tune in Saturday at noon EST to Thelionsdenradio.com and again at Midnight for the “Red Light Special” by TLC for The Lion’s Den late-night edition. Let’s fall into fall together!

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