Story Behind The Book
Q: “Why did the slave escape and then return back to the cotton field?” A: “Because she couldn’t find a good paying job.” "It is hard to be self-employed as an African American woman. Not impossible. Many achieve financial success and rewards. But it is hard. You have to have a very thick skin to not let things bother you. Comments about your skills, abilities and attitude are always in the way. You have to tune them out. Some people just have that knack. Their confidence and self-esteem shout out through their pores. Mine had to be built up. One lesson at a time. My ancestors gave their lives and souls to make a better life for us today. Demeaning and belittling jobs one may consider what they endured. These jobs paid bills. These jobs provided hopes and dreams. These jobs were the backs upon which my career was built. My book title is not meant to belittle the act of picking cotton in a field. It is actually a tribute and a chronological personal journey through job to career to entrepreneur to empowering others to do their best . It is also an analogy. The mindset of having a paycheck can cause you to become trapped by the golden handcuffs. To successfully escape from modern day slavery, there is a lot to know and do. I have tried for about 10 years. I don’t know it all. I am still learning what I need to do to create a livelihood based on my skills. Every day, God presents me with a new lesson. That is what Cotton Pickin Paycheck is all about. The book’s theme is that each African American must pick his or her cotton of lessons learned to achieve financial independence and survival in a futuristic racially divided and hostile economy. Think about this analogy. Imagine an ancestor picking cotton in an open field. They couldn’t rush through the field. In my career life, I couldn’t rush through my lessons to be learned. Each ball of cotton had to be individually cleaned. Each lesson for me had to be individually learned. I pray that this book can be the Eli Whitney for building confidence and self esteem for others. You still have to pick your own cotton, but maybe having a cotton gin when you are done will help you make money faster than me. Maybe this cotton gin is why you go back to the cotton field. Not with the purpose to pick cotton faster but to process the cotton into cloth faster. Everyone is not meant to sell cloth. Some prefer to pick cotton. Everyone does not desire to be financially independent. Someone has to be an employee. We all have different gifts. We have a limited time on earth to discover that gift and to use that gift to leave the world a better place than when we entered it. At the end of our final breath, each one of us has to answer a question. Mine is different than yours. In fact, I don’t even know what your question and answer will be. I have been told what mine will be. This book is the answer that I am formulating so that when that moment comes for me, I can answer in three words or less…It is done."
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<div> <div><span>Hey Joan, </span></div> <div> </div> <div><span>With my excitement, I took a quick glance-over my Cotton Pickin Paycheck and absolutely LOVE the down to earth personal flow of your "Blook." How awesome of you to share so much of your knowledge, love, strength and life-lessons with the WORLD. I'm looking forward to reading and learning from your shared lessons. ---Also, the pics are a nice touch and add to your goal of authenticity!</span></div> <div><span></span> </div> <div><span>Warm regards,</span></div> <div><font face="Edwardian Script ITC" color="#0000ff" size="6">Sharon L. Lewis</font></div> <div align="left">Founder/CEO</div> <div align="left"><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div align="left">Phone Direct: 800-796-4478 - Ext.80</div> <div align="left"><font face="Arial" size="2"></font><font face="Arial" size="2"></font><font face="Arial" size="2"></font><a href="mailto:slewis@HRVisions.net"></a> </div> <div align="left">Web Address: <a href="http://www.hrvisions.net/"><font color="#000080">www.HR</font><font color="#800000">Visions</font><font color="#000080">.net</font></a></div> <div align="left"><strong><span lang="en-gb" style="font-size:18pt;color:#008000;font-family:Webdings;" xml:lang="en-gb"><font size="1"></font></span></strong> </div> <div align="left"><strong><span lang="en-gb" style="font-size:18pt;color:#008000;font-family:Webdings;" xml:lang="en-gb">P<span><font face="Verdana" size="2">...HR Visions is g</font></span></span><span lang="en-gb" style="font-size:10pt;color:#008000;font-family:Verdana;" xml:lang="en-gb">oing green and paperless.</span></strong></div> <div> </div></div>