Everybody Has A Story To Tell

Throughout life, you'll meet people that leave such a mark on you, that they confide in you like they don't with anyone else. This comes with time. You're not supposed to confide in this & that person, because not everyone has your best interest in mind (and you may not have theirs in mind either, let's be real). Anyway, a friend & I were getting to know each other and we discuss family. I give her a little history about my family, and she shares hers. When I mention to her that my family and I are close (even though we go at it from time to time), she tells me she wishes it was like that with hers. She goes into detail about how her family has hurt her extremely bad, and she doesn't speak to her siblings and parents. I replied, "You're at a point where you must erase toxic people out of your life, family included." You can love some people from a distance. Nowhere does it mention you have to keep toxic people in your life. What benefit does allowing a person to hurt you over and over again serve? There is no benefit; all that does is drain you of your joy, and with all the craziness in society, people gravitate to what brings them peace. When I hear the phrase "Everyone Has A Story To Tell", I think of a person revealing personal details to a close friend. Everyone (even the most private person) wants someone to listen to our story. That's why when some people volunteer in nursing homes, they're able to listen to those elders pour their hearts out. Listening to the elderly tell their lives is a wonderful experience, because they've gone the route you're going. They're able to show you what does(n't) work. When I write commentaries daily, that's my way of telling my story. My story is much deeper than these blog commentaries, and at some point I'm going to get personal in my writing, because I believe I can reach more people that way. Everyone likes a good story, especially if it leads to victory. No matter what you're going, have been, or about to go through, that's your story. Don't be afraid to tell your story. Better yet, don't let anyone tell your story because nobody can tell your story like you. 

Thanksgiving

On Thursday, November 28th is Thanksgiving; another time for family & friends to get together over food. For many, Thanksgiving is a joyous occasion. For others, it's a painful reminder of loved ones who no longer grace their presence. What does Thanksgiving mean to me? To me, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection; a time to reflect on my blessings and be with family. The time will come when your family leaves this world, and then what? Some people are going to regret not spending more time with their family over the holidays. I'm thankful for a lot: Being in my right mind-Some people struggle with mental illness. Good health-I have a health club membership that I make the MOST of: I do 4x a week in the gym: 2 days of legs & chest, and abs/obliques, inner things, the other 2 days consist of back & shoulder training, and arms. When my health is right, every area in my life falls in order. My nieces-My nieces keep me grounded, and they teach me not to sweat the small stuff. There's not too much I'm not thankful for, but the above is the gist. I stated earlier that Thanksgiving is a painful reminder for some people of loved ones who are no longer with them. When some people get together for Thanksgiving, those grief feelings resurface because they miss their loved ones. Some people have such an impact on you, that it's normal. In most cases, you never recover from that person's death. Yes, they wouldn't want you stuck; if they truly meant a lot to you, they would want you to keep it moving. I don't know about anyone, but I've come to terms that one day, my parents will leave this earth. Any future Thanksgivings will be a somber moment because I will remember the times where I helped make Thanksgiving & Christmas dinner. I will remember the times of going shopping for Christmas gifts on Black Friday. It won't be the same without them. Be thankful you have the opportunity to be with your family this Thanksgiving, because one day, they won't be around. Depending on the person, that could be good or bad.

Gangster For Jesus

If you've watched Preachers of L.A., you've heard of Bishop Ron Gibson. He started off as a gangster, then turned preacher. He was told he would never be a good preacher, but look at him now. He's doing very well for himself, and I'm happy for him. I like to see people go from prison to the palace. On a recent episode, he goes into his old neighborhood to minister to two gang members (one a Piru Blood and the other a Crip). He cleaned up their image, and took them to church where they accepted Christ. What I like about Bishop Ron Gibson is he stays true to who he is. He doesn't hide his gangster mentality even though he's a minister. Some of the most influential Biblical leaders had unlovely qualities and God used them regardless. Just because you get saved, doesn't mean you have to become a cookie-cutter Christian. In Bishop Ron's case, he's from the hood so he's able to relate to the gangsters. He's been where they are, so that's why he's so effective in his inner-city outreach ministry. Think about it: If you've never lived the thug life, how can you witness to inner-city youth about the dangers of gang life? You can't. Those young brothers will look at you crazy because everything you're talking, goes in one ear & out the other. "What is this dude talking about? He's never lived our life, so I don't want to hear nothing he has to say". Bishop Ron is what I call a gangster preacher: He uses his background to spread the word. He talks about his Rolex, how much his suit cost, his car, house, etc.; which can be excessive at times, but that's who he is. At least Ron is staying true to himself. Most preachers hide their true selves to be accepted among their peers. I remember a recent episode where Ron was giving a message before the Board of a religious organization he wants to move up in. He preached his message, but stayed true to himself. This is my problem with Christianity: Some people think you have to be "proper" to spread the gospel. By proper, I mean: eloquent in speech & appearance. Back in Biblical times, Jesus and his followers weren't what most people would call "proper", but they made an impact. Just because someone came from the hood, doesn't mean they can't reach people for Christ. Look at Bishop Ron Gibson, I'd say he's more than making a difference in people's lives. I salute you Bishop Ron Gibson! Keep on keeping on brother.

Soft Parents

This commentary is going to upset many people, but I don't care who slighted. Today's parents are soft because of the following reason: Their child is bullying another kid, and when you bring it to their attention, the parents are like: Boys will be boys. Wth? Boys will be boys my foot. If a parent checks another parent about their child(ren)'s bullying, the guilty parent needs to come down on THEIR child. Right is right. Oh no, you can't tell another parent how to raise their child(ren). So, I'm supposed to let your heathen child bully my kid, I call you on it and you do nothing? I have something for that. Since you won't check your child, I'll go over your head. Gone are the days where elders in the community could discipline your child(ren) if they did wrong. Nowadays, parents have the nerve to get upset at you if you try to discipline their child(ren). Well, if you did your job as a parent, there would be no need for someone else to. Too many parents want to be their child's friend, instead of parent. I'm all for parents being close with their children, but they shouldn't forget their ultimate responsibility: To train their child(ren) to be a responsible citizen. I can see why parents are soft nowadays, because the government won't allow parents to discipline their children when they get out of line. You can't spank your child(ren), because it's considered child abuse. I'm not saying beat your children like they stole something, but light spankings on the backside will do the trick. This is one of the reasons why I'm reluctant to have children, because if another child does something to put my or someone else's child in danger, I will check the parents and dare them to try it. You can be screened for everything else, why not screen potential parents? This way, people who are determined to be unfit parents won't produce ratchet children. Looking at some of these children, one can't help but feel as though some people have no business having children.

What Drives Me?

What Drives Me? For starters, I'm about making my own way in life with(our) support. As I formulate my vision, I take everything into consideration: Obstacles, strategy, support system, etc. Unless you're well-connected, there's no way you'll NOT encounter obstacles on your road to success. The only way is to learn from others mistakes, but even that's no guarantee. Come what may, I will get where I need to be because I've got the motivation and God. With God on my side, all I do is win. From time to time, cable networks will show biographies of influential people. Hearing their testimonies of how they've overcome unspeakable tragedy to become successful, shoots synapses of motivation into me and that's what drives me. If they can do it, what's my excuse? Take suicide for example: I'm driven NOT to commit suicide because I think about my loved ones reaction: How would THEY feel? My nieces love me to death. They're always asking about their uncle, so I have to think of them in the moves I make. Understand this, suicide will not be an option for me because I have extreme mental toughness. I can go through something, and won't stop until I minimize the issue or destroy it altogether. Another one: Financial Independence. I'm motivated by financial independence because I look at some people in so much debt, that I don't want to end up like them. I want to be able to have freedom to do this & that with no worries of how I will afford it. That's the beauty of being debt free; your pay goes into savings or you can ball every pay period. What also drives me is having one life to live: I only get one shot in life, so I have to make the most of every day. I don't want to be on my deathbed with any regrets. I want to go out in style knowing I've touched the lives of those God sent to me. Anything & anyone who doesn't enrich my life is gone, no questions asked. Some people are scared to cut people loose who don't fit their vision. They figure because I've known them all my life; they get a free pass. That may be true for some men (and with me to an extent), but not me. I see my life as VIP, where only privileged people are granted access. That empowers me because I have the right to disqualify people from being in my life if they don't enrich me. I understand others' right to do the same with me (as I should). Why should anyone want to keep me around if I'm not a benefit to them? That's crazy. I'm driven by many factors, but I felt like sharing my top 3.

Negative Thinking

Ever hear of the term, Think Positive? According to this article, positive thinking has health benefits. Click on the link for full article:

 

Negative Thinking

Marathon Marriage

When I think of a marathon marriage, I think of a marriage that has lasted 70+ years. Those are the cream of the crop marriages; those marriages have weathered storms that would wipe most couples off the map. What makes a marathon marriage is a couple that honors the vows they made to God, and each other. There aren't too many marriages that last 70+ years, and there aren't supposed to be. It's awesome that some couples are married for 50 years, 60 years even. It's another ball game when you remain married to the same person for 70+ years. Just like the top 1% of income earners control over 90% of current affairs, marathon marrieds are in a class of their own. Herbert & Zelmyra Fisher went down in history as holding the record for longest married couple. They were married for 86 years before Mr. Fisher passed in February at 104. He is survived by his wife Zelmyra, who is 101. I look at couples who have been married for 70+ years, and think of their undying committment to each other. No matter how much they pissed each other off, they handled that and got back on good terms. They didn't let small matters screw up their committment to each other. There are going to be more than enough rough patches in a couple who's been married for 70+ years, I know. What matters is the level of committment. I think when a person decides on marriage, they have to be able to overlook small stuff. They must accept that their partner will say & do things to piss them off (and vice versa), but if it can be worked through, by all means go for it. A lot goes into a marathon marriage. You can't marry anybody and expect to be married for 70 years, not unless you've done due diligence on that (wo)man. People show you their true colors over time, but they always show you their good side in the early relationship stages. Nobody wants to run off a great catch. For me, I would rather a woman be straight with me about her character. Tell me what your flaws are, and I'll decide if I can work with them. Everyone has the potential for a marathon marriage, but that requires discipline, committment, and compromise. Sadly, some people will never have a marathon marriage because they are too prideful to let the small stuff go. Look at the couples who have been married for 70 years or more...Only God can keep a marriage together for that length of time. You can't do that on your own.