Life is so wonderful, and you only get one. So Change if necessary–and Live Life the right way!
Hi, this is Quoya again/the writer, this is my story, and by the way – I miss you guys. Well, first, I’m going to defend the “Ghetto.” It has many definitions which all say the same –“Poor.”
My Story: I lived there, and I just don’t know where they were looking to say that we were poor. The people I knew would give you the shirt off their backs. They would share their food with anyone. Every neighbor got along, worked, borrowed, shared, and looked out for each other.
It wasn’t just my parents raising me, but rather, my neighbors and the community looking out for me: when a strange man was in the area, when a vicious dog got loose, when I was walking to the bus stop, or when I went to Bible study by myself and when it started to get dark outside my neighbors would say “you BETTER get home.” (don’t judge by the amount of money–inside is where you’ll find the true worth of a person or community) I’ll “never forget” where I come from.
The next 3 stories will show different values of life.
Teds Story: I was born with a “Silver Spoon.” I was, and I am Privileged, I didn’t ask for it-I did nothing to earn or
deserve it. Privileged means having special rights, advantages, opportunities (AND) wealth. I have 5-10 times more than the poor, wow! So, I made up my mind to do what I could to share my privilege. I just don’t push $5.00 in their hand, I purchase their laptops, pay their $400.90 grocery bill, or pay their car note or insurance for 3 months.
(My Plan) The $500 dollars I was going to spend monthly for my third car, I give $300 each month to the less fortunate, and I still have $200 left. ** I will do this EVERY MONTH
It’s no longer an act of Kindness–I’m kind by Nature-it feels good to give and I like feeling Good.
You will reap what you sow. It’s not “my” fault for being privileged. However, I am aware of how unfair it is–so I do all that I can do to right a wrong. I Will give for the rest of my life.
We only have one life and that is a privilege. Now I wear a smile because I can look in the mirror and feel good about myself. I feel blessed.
Jessica’s Story: I was mad as hell. I had a terrible disposition and a messed-up personality. I was a backstabber, and the only people I got along with were the ones who were just like me. Our lives were miserable and we loved company, so we made everyone we encountered miserable.
I ran into this Church guy I see all of the time. He said, I have a challenge for you that will change your life. I said “If you leave me alone forever, I’ll do it. But nothin is wrong with my life and I’m not going to church with you”.
He said, “five times a day for 30 days, look in the mirror–each time you look in the mirror, say ‘I love you & I care about you’ 10 times.” Me: On the tenth day my friends and I went to the Mall to make-fun of old people and tease Married men. But this time it was different, we shut the door on an older lady with a hand full of packages which she dropped, as normal my friends laughed-hard, but as the old lady cried, I cried-hard right along with her as I helped pick-up the packages. On Day 22 something Hit me-As I looked in the mirror, I had a smile that wouldn’t go away. From that moment forward “I feel brand-new. I don’t understand it. I can’t explain it–but–I knew I would never be the same. I read the Bible & I Pray everyday. Now, I wake-up every morning full of joy, I smile all day long, I respect and help others. I actually Love & Care about myself and I love everything that has breath. Praise God”!
Jarred & Silas Story: I am so so tired. I have done it all. I couldn’t imagine life without being high, it would not be normal. My life is in chaos and I’m self-destructing. “I can’t take it anymore.” Then–the straw that broke the camels back. I got beat for $2.00, and that set-it-off, right before I snapped a voice said…
“I know everywhere you’ve been and everything you’ve done. I know every beer and bottle of whiskey you drank. Every time you hit the pipe, I was there, every pill you popped, I was there, every dirty needle you shared—I was there.
Everything you tried was a failure–your kids are gone, you lost your job and car, your friends and family have turned their backs on you”. ** Now that you have tried everything else, the voice says –Try Me– “I will wipe all of your tears away–I will forgive all of your past–I will make all things new–and I’ll open up the windows of Heaven.”
**Be grateful and enjoy your life-you only get one. What does it profit a man to gain the Whole World and lose his soul?
And Remember: A piece of mind is worth more than silver and gold.
God Bless…
Tonya Ashley
I really liked this story. It gives you the ends and outs of being raised in the “hood”. I really don’t like that word but it is what it is, just like I don’t like the word ghetto because as the article stated, it all boils down to poor. Just because I live in a low income area doesn’t mean or make me ghetto or my area shouldn’t be called the hood, it’s a neighborhood. Sometimes people are a product of their environment, some rise above it and some just settle. Good story 🙂
elbert1
Thanks for your comment, this story concludes that she became a very successful person, due to the attributes within her environment.
Thanks again & God Bless