Day 1 of Forever

In life, everyone goes through adversity. There is no easy ride and no short cuts. For many the adverse situation may be illness, heartbreak, poverty, etc. For most, adversity means overcoming a situation in which you were nearly defeated or had no chance of winning. For me, 2009 was my battle of adversity.

I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more grey.

- Red, The Shawshank Redemption

My adverture taught me alot about myself as well as others. Not only did I learn that I have a family and friend network who care deeply about me, but that sometimes the person who says they care the most but shows destructive tendencies doesn't really care at all. Sometimes people are as bad for each other as second hand smoke is to those with emphysema. For much of my life, I've been happy go lucky. One day of life at a time, trusting everyone even if I say I don't. I never could believe that someone would strategies on what the best ways would be to ensure that you would suffer. Mistakes happen and I was raised not to hold a grudge to mistakes, but never in my wildest dream could I believe that a person would try to damage you. I am not a saint but I am not violent. I am not a threat to the campus community. I simply didn't know how deep the rabbit hole could go.

I also learned alot about life outside our comfy constructions and makeshift fences. In the safest of college towns, people live in poverty. People die of gunfire routinely. The epidemic of STDS, single parent homes, drug abuse, recidivism, and inadequate education is real. We simply cannot ignore it and we simply cannot have jails be the silos for what we consider to be human waste. We cannot solve the problems of our community simply with more punishment for crimes. The solutions must be of the community to fix the problems from the community. Without mentioning that I had a college education, by graduating High School, I was often deemed the most educated. There were adult men who could not read or had come from families where their parents didn't finish middle school and neither did they. AND THIS IS IN A COUNTY THAT HAS 2 BIG UNIVERSITIES AND THE BEST K-12 public schools in Michigan!!!!

I learned alot in 5 months and it is an experience that I'll never forget. Its an experience that will fortify who I will become as well as why my goals are so. Not for mere spite. Not because my ex wanted and tried to ruin my life by all means. But because I have to. I have to in order to be who I am and to change the world for those who can't. In my darkest day and even darker nights, I had hope that I would one day hug my family again and be able to reach my full potential in all things. I have to because I hope for a better day, a better world, and a better me. I have to because like Red says in the Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies".

I welcome you back to the Rude Awakening. The site not just about my life, but the interest and experience of a African American young professionals in Michigan and abroad.

With Love,
BS