Having Affairs With an Enemy

Although it's still early in 2026, we remain connected to and are beginning to experience the effects of 2025. In this episode, we discuss enemies and how frequently we encounter them. At a personal level, and collectively as a country.

MUSIC Included: Wayne Wonder - Enemies 

I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS MUSIC. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. I DO NOT OWN THE AUDIO IN THIS VIDEO. I HAVE FOLLOWED THE COPYRIGHT LAW CORRECTLY; ITS SONGS ARE CREDITED.   

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Welcome to the Art of Conversation. C and we outcha recording live. Yo. Good morning, everyone. Happy Monday. I hope you're feeling mindful this Monday. Huh? Did you have a good weekend? Uh I know, I know, I know, I know. We need a third day. At least like a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you know, or a Saturday, Sunday, Monday. You know, I I could definitely go for that. I'm cool with that. Three days off, four days work. That works for me. How about y'all? Well, you know, let's set the tone, right? The morning set the tone for the day, and your Monday set the tone for the week. The title of today's episode is Having Affairs with an Enemy. Ooh? I mean, since we being mindful and all, right? Let's be mindful. Let's be mindful of the people, places, and things we get ourselves involved with. According to Oxford, an enemy is a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. They are everywhere. We all have them. Some are blatantly in our face. I mean, we are fully aware. And then there's the secret hidden ones. But they always show their hand no matter how well their mask fits to their face. So are you guys aware of the enemies in your life? Are you an enemy yourself? You know, sometimes a part of this process is taking accountability. Can you identify when you're being an enemy? Oh. Since we being mindful this Monday, huh? Again, we encounter them all the time. But let's look at enemies as well I guess the synonyms, right? Because an enemy can also refer to a hostile nation. The armed forces, the citizens, right? Especially during war. It's something that harms or weakens something else. And that's the intention, anyway. So as we continue to fight a spiritual battle, the term enemy gets tossed around very frequently as it refers to the dark forces or you know Satan. And how often do you hear people refer to the enemy? Oh, the enemy made them do it, or the enemy is at work, the enemy is running wild. A person or an entity that hates or opposes another person or spirit and tries to harm them or stop them from doing something. The enemy never takes a day off. Always busy at work, work, work, work, work. Some of us have enemies that we happen to be related to. Oh, they're not talking about that. Enemies with whom you share a child with. Oh. Enemies with whom you call friends or day ones or that's my BF. You ever heard the saying, um, friend today is an enemy tomorrow? And that's the thing. It's so funny about that saying though. If they were genuine and it was real, even if you grew apart or fell apart, they shouldn't turn into an enemy so quickly unless they were an enemy the whole entire time. People play roles all the time, they smile on your face all the time. They wanna take you. Place the backstabbers. Y'all remember that song? How often this happens. Again, there's always something there. Something said, something not said, shade that uncovers their hand. If you pay attention, people will show you exactly how they feel about you. The importance of red flags and having discernment on when to give chances and when to remove yourself. The thing about red flags, those flags start off yellow. Then, you know, the shades, it changes eventually, it gets to red. And when it does, you better get it going. Skedaddle is a loud and clear sign to stop and remove yourself. Enemies and relationships. How often do we see and hear about people being in relationships and there's so much turmoil, jealousy, competition, abusiveness. Nowadays it unfortunately has become such a common type of tragedy when some individuals aren't able to remove themselves sooner. We hear about domestic violence in relationships that leads to death. Hence why they say she was sleeping with the enemy. She was sleeping with the enemy. He was sleeping with the enemy. Someone who presented to be something they weren't in the beginning. And I think in some relationships they call it love bombing. Their representative gets you all caught up in their grasp, and then gradually the mask falls. Someone or something that you thought was so for you and have so much love for you, and you love them, and whatever the case may be, everyone's situation may be different. I mean, we hear about these situations all the time. And then all of a sudden, it's a whole 360. No, you were just you were always like that, but you had to play the role to get the person into your grasp. You can very well be lying or sleeping and starting a family with someone that hates your guts and is plotting against you. That is so scary. Like when I hear about some of those situations, it's just like, damn. I mean, some some of us is the opposite. If I don't like you, I'm or if I'm I'm not fond of you and I don't like you, I don't want you nowhere near me. If I'm not feeling you, you can't be around me. And if I have to be in your proximity for whatever reason, I'm gonna keep my distance and my my words limited. So for some people to put on a front for so long and be all up in you know, someone's face and you're hanging out, you know, you're you're you're you're you're hugging, you're drinking, you're smoking, and you're I love you, and all of this. You guys are going on vacations. How often do we hear about these girl trips gone bad? You're going with a group of BFFs. Not always the situation, but sometimes we hear about it. BF BFFs and they plotting against you, they just trying to get you out the country to cause you harm. All of y'all come back except for one. How could you put on a front for so long? However, there are always signs, but again, if you hate someone so much, but you see the benefit in them, so that's why you're staying close by, but you can't stand them. That's weirdo activity, that's weird, weird energy. So I don't understand, me personally, don't understand how people uh do that because, like I said, if I'm not feeling you, I don't want you around me. Your energy ain't right, you ain't right, I don't want you around me. If I don't have to deal with you, best of believe there's gonna be separation, there's no pretending. You're gonna know I don't like you. I'm not going to pretend something's not right. All right, something's not right. I'm going to move away. The thought of that leaves a nasty taste in one's mouth. It happens too frequently. They always encourage people to pay attention to the red flags. You know, I just have to repeat that again because it's so easy to allow those flags to keep, they they waving in your face, and you just uh you you can't give certain and most people benefit of the doubt anymore. We're not living in the same is this is different times. We're not it's not like that no more, you know, it's not like that no more. Given grace and chances after chances after chances and benefit of the doubt will put you in harm, will harm you. Imagine how many people have felt that way about you. Imagine how many people felt that way about you. Maybe someone told you maybe it was an ex, maybe it was a relative, friend, ex-friend, ex-best friend, they showed you, they told you, they did something that did not sit right with you. Got you looking at them like, hmm, can I still call you a friend or my man, my man, or my woman, my woman? Can I really call you family or you're just a relative? Can I reevaluating relationships? Reevaluating the spaces you're holding for people in your life. Maybe something happened. Maybe you paid attention and take heed to those signs. Maybe something happened. And when I say happen, I'm just emphasizing maybe something happened, either on your end or their end, that caused the separation. What were the actions that came after that separation? We hear about the phrase spinning the block, right? Did they spin the block? Were they in the wrong, or were you in the wrong? Did you spin the block on them? Did they spin the block on you? If you tried it again, how did that work out? Was it the same? Something to think about. But how can we protect ourselves from having affairs with such enemies? Something to think about. It's Mindful Monday. We're doing things different. Mm-hmm. And then you know, come on, y'all shall already know somewhere in the mix. I'm gonna mention mental health. So here it is. When we think about mental health, and we relate it to the topic of this episode. In order to make healthy decisions, you need to be mentally healthy, mentally strong, to make sound and responsible decisions. When we talk about making decisions, it's not only just financial decisions and livelihood and you know, professional, but it's also social, psychological, emotional, making the right decisions, picking the right people, places, and things. Oh now, in terms of a nation, the United States government is our enemy. Let's remember what the government is responsible for: public goods, the economy itself, economic and social infrastructure, public health, education, and most importantly, financial and monetary stability. So we're living proof of seeing how these sectors have been managed throughout the years, decades, not to mention the political controversies and how it is ran, how it's been running throughout the years, we've seen waves of irresponsible deregulations, radical free market policies, the extremist on both sides, privatizations now. We were already fussing about these prices on food and living, rent, gas, etc., and then the tariffs. Now we haven't really felt the effects of tariffs as of yet. Yes, a little bit. But when it really takes effect, oh we're gonna feel that burn. We're gonna feel it. It's sad. According to Oxford, an enemy is a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. Okay? I just had the I just had to remind y'all again. One more guin. Now, according to Harvard professor and author Jeffrey Friedman, the United States has several enemies in itself. And those enemies are the following countries. Iran, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Russia, North Korea, and Mexico. The enemy. Some of these countries, to purchase military weapons that would later kill United States soldiers. What? Well, now that President Trump is in office and wants to ensure that the US dollars stays in the US and with tariffs in, you know, in effect, who knows? He wants to keep the United States in solitude. Do you guys think that's a healthy decision? Or a non-healthy decision? Are we becoming a third world country? Something to think about. Let's be mindful this Monday. My enemies may unlock it, then may bucket, then may pop it, then me put it on me. You won't get away from the rat that comes with the trusty. I got you wear it. Alright, maybe I'm not doing a good job singing the song, so I'm gonna just play it for y'all.