Remember this name: Dr. Frederick Douglas Harper. He is an esteemed, retired professor who left a legacy at Howard University. He has published scholarly and creative writing on counseling and social justice, among other worthwhile subjects in a variety of forms, including textbooks, a novel, poetry, and a satire. He is a world-renowned speaker, a devoted jogger, and a proud father and grandfather.
His website is www.frederickharper.com and his latest book is “Black Elder Speaks” available on Amazon.com.
Recently, Dr. Harper, an amazing author whose photograph appears here, responded to a few of my interview questions. Please read the transcript below.
What do we need to carry with us in our hearts?
We should carry in our hearts the people whom we dearly love, the spirit energy of our ancestors, our spirit guides, and our guardian angels. We should hold dear our family, close friends, those who help us, and those who are worthy of receiving our help. We must always feel and carry the love of God in our hearts. We must always strive to live life in a way that invites God to come into our hearts, through the path of unselfish giving, forgiveness, love, and sacrifice for a good cause.
Whom do we need to travel with?
We travel in life with those who are meant for us by divine destiny. We must pay attention to every encounter; it could be God-sent or meaningful in the realization of our earthly purpose and fulfillment. We must be careful not to be suspicious of every stranger or new acquaintance who may come into our safe space. Sometimes, two persons meet for mutual purpose or benefit or as God’s instruments or conduits to help a third person or to help others.
Whom can we trust?
We should trust those who are trustworthy as proven by their dependability, integrity, and reliability in times of our adversity or need.
Who is worthy of love?
Our children - biological or adopted - are worthy of our love, as well as other family members and dear friends. Love is not contingent upon meeting expectations. Love is unconditional. Love of others is an expression of God’s love through us. In the manner of Jesus and the saint, Mother Teresa, we must extend love and care to those who suffer and are needy.
Whose advice should we hold dear?
We should not be quick to reject advice. Instead, we should listen to advice with an open mind and measure its applicable meaning to us and for us. The value of advice for a life does not necessarily depend upon the status of the advising medium. Meaningful advice for the receiver can come from the highly educated or from one with much less formal education. Meaningful advice can also come from God or our spirit guides by way of a clairvoyant human channel or via thought transference or even prophetic dreams. This I have experienced and know to be true.
What lessons should we remember?
We should remember all experiential lessons, joyful or painful, to make us better human beings. Lessons to ourselves and others should drive our subsequent choices in life for a worthy cause. Experiential lessons of life can come in the form of passing encounters, temporary or long-term relationships, traumatic incidents, books that we read, travels, communing with nature, meditation, and prayer.
Where do we go after we die?
When we die, the physical body ceases to live and remains on earth in some form. Upon death, the soul separates from the physical body and returns to God. I call God The Universal Spirit. I view God as being an existence and not an entity; therefore, I believe that God is the same as heaven. Thus, when we die, our souls go back to heaven or back to God.
Thank you for reading this blog post. It is a dialogue between blogger Yerusalem Work and guest interviewee Dr. Frederick Douglas Harper.
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