You Decide!

Stop giving your circumstances power!

Stop giving your circumstances power!

Stop giving your circumstances power!

The circumstance is a PART of the process, it may be POTHOLE in the road, it may be U-TURN sign, it may even be a closed door, but it is NOT the end result. It is not your destination. It does not define you. Our path is intrinsically designed specifically for us. God knew our end before we were a twinkle in our mothers eye. Your circumstance was allowed to cultivate who you are set to become. With that being said, you have a decision to make.

Grind through it, or be delayed by it. 

Ok story time, are y'all ready?

I was in first grade, we lived in this project called Earle Village. It was a huge community, everything we needed was nearby...as far as I knew. A church (The House of Prayer), the store, and a school (First Ward Elementary).

One day my mom needed me to go to the store and break a food stamp for some change.

SN: If you didn't know, back in the day you could break paper food stamps, like you break a dollar for change. People typically did this to buy things you couldn't with foodstamps, like cigarettes, beer, etc.

My task was to buy something for .25 cents, and bring back her change....ok bet. I rallied up some of my friends and we headed to the store. I get to the store, bought me some chips, some candy, get my mama change, and we out.

The store kinda sat on a hill, and behind the store was this huge wall. The bottom was filled with tall uncut grass and weeds. One of my friends says "I bet you won't jump." Then THIS FOOL JUMPS!!! I mean didn't even give me a second to get my thoughts together. Then his sister jumps too! 

I aint no chicken sooo....

I jumped.

My mama change jumped too.

Right outta my daggone pockets into this graveyard of the unknown!!! I staggered as I stood up like a baby deer, and pat down my pockets. You know how people do when they are looking for a lighter, like that. LOL

My pockets were empty. I couldn't see the change, and I couldn't feel for it....Well I was actually afraid to feel for it.  There were broken beer bottles, and needles and who knows what else down there.

I was shook. I mean like "Lord just take me, I'm finna come to you anyway when she find out," type shook.

My friends took off racing each other, and were about to cross the street. They kept yelling for me to come on...but did they not realize I COULDN'T GO HOME???!!!! What do I look like going home with the stuff I bought for myself completely intact, but don't have what she sent me to get???

The horror.

My ass was gonna be grass, again.

On top of losing her change I cut my knee when I fell. More explaining I'd have to do. Why did I jump off that wall???!!!

I had a decision to make. Run away and become one of the Boxcar Children, or go home and get tore up.

It was getting late, I went home.

The entire walk home I contemplated stories I could fabricate. Mama they stole it....but then she'd ask, "who's they?" That's not gonna work. I could say they didn't give me no change at the store, but then she'd go curse them out, I couldn't do that either. 

It was time to face the music.

I peeled opened the brown metal door with the screen at the top, and eased it closed. I decided to be honest. I went upstairs. She asked what took me so long, and I confessed.

I jumped off the wall, cut my knee and lost your change, I tried to look for it, but I couldn't find it because the grass was too high. Are you going to whoop me?

"No lil girl, but the next time I send you to the store, don't be jumping your behind nowhere! Or off nothing! You hear me?"

 

I nodded that I understood. Then she sent me to light her cigarette on the stove, and we were good!

Losing the change and the possible repercussions that followed were my circumstance. While this example is trivial, in comparison to some, it was huge at the time.

I sulked during the walk home, but I made up my mind to be honest about it and deal with the consequence like the baby gangster that I was.

Lord knows that was the longest walk home ever, but He was gracious.

Lesson learned. I will never jump off anything with loose change in my pockets again!! LOL

Trust the process, no one is the same. You have to go through it to get to it.

Peace.

©Chroniclesofthelazynatural