A Product of your Environment.....

So this evening I was walking down the street, actually heading to the local corner store to buy a pack of gum, when i was greeted by an old friend of mine. Back when we were younger myself and this young man (who shall remain nameless) were on the same baseball team. That team was unstoppable, I mean stacked. Just imagine Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Barry Bonds, Jimmy Rollins, who ever your top baseball players are, all on one team...Thats how you could have described us. All the talent that we had on that team that year, actually led us to a league championship. At 9 years old, everyone had dreams of playing major league ball, and some had to potential at that age to make it there one day. This one young man had that potential in two sports, baseball and football. He was fast as lightening on the football field, and could utilize his quickness and his mobility to his advantage on the baseball field. 10 years later I pass this young man posted up outside of the corner store smoking a cigarette which is quite depressing because the storefront is the "hangout" spot for the dudes with no life and who a long time ago chose to take the route which can and will lead to ultimate destruction. After we spoke briefly, i began my journey to wherever i was going but my entire walk was taken over by the thought of how many people I know personally who have chosen to travel this similar path and have become a "product of their environment."
Mt. Vernon, NY isnt a large city at all. We composed of about 4.4 square miles of rugged streets, abandoned buildings, drugs, and alcohol...your typical urban city (i guess). But within the walls of these 4.4 square miles lives some of the most talented men and women that I have ever met. I graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 2008 and I was a member of both the baseball and football teams. Ive had the pleasure of playing with young men who were blessed with talent that I dream every night that I had. If it werent for the negative influences that surround us, I could be watching them on TV, or even playing against them or with them in college. But for many more reasons than one, these young men chose to live the life that they see around them. They chose to follow the drugs, the girls, the lifestyle of crime. I remember one of my coaches saying "If you ever leave the program, the odds of you making it are slim." Now from the outside looking in, one might think that the statement he made was harsh, but to this day i stand amazed at how true and accurate that statement is. There are dudes who had great talent who are struggling to finish school, who have taken to the life of drugs, who totally dismissed the thought of persuing a higher education, and unfortunately have either lost their lives or are sitting behind steel bars in a prison cell. Many may look at this as a story line for a television series, but for me this is my life. I hope that I can touch on this topic at a later time, because as this matter isnt getting better we must turn the tables quick.

The Absolute Measure...

I know im a little late, but Happy New Years to all my readers, followers, friends and family. 2010, much like 2009 has brought about new change in my life. In 2009 I took for granted how blessed I was. I began my journey as not only a man, but a Black man in our world, and our struggling society. I set myself among the elite men, the future of our world, our next generation of doctors, lawyers, politicians, professional athletes, CEO's, presidents and so forth as I embarked on my matricultion through Morehouse College. It was in 2009 that I realized that there was no one step that I took on my own, rather it was the grace of God that carried me through each and every day. But in 2010, I have come to the realization and understanding that God works in mysterious ways, and through mysterious people. As 2009 came to a close, I began to turn to African American authors, writers, and motivational speakers as my source of inspiration. Now as I said, God works through mysterious people, Ive never met any of these writers whose work ive dilligently deciphered, nor have I spoken to them on any occasion, but through their words I feel as if ive known them all of my life, and I have spoken to them about everything and every problem or issue that is in my life and weve developed a bond similar to that of an older brother with his younger brother. Ive found answers to all my questions and ive began to develop my identity as not only an individual, but as a Black man coming from not a whole lot looking to give it all. I guess you can say that ive reached my "coming of age." I am truly blessed.
Many people at the beginning of each year, set aside goals that they seek to achieve throughout the year. Commonly these goals are called "Resolutions." Well aside from your typical, "I wanna lose 15 lbs", or "Im not going to eat red meat", or "Im going to faithfully attend church service"...i decided that im going to be different and set a more personal new years resolution if you will. I look back on those who have been influential in my life, and I look back on the events, and the surroundings that I have been in that have inspired me to succeed. I feel that its necessary to be the beacon of light, that influential figure to all that I can. So ive decided that my 2010 resolution would be to inspire at LEAST one person per day. Now many may look at me and say why? But lets think about this...If I inspire at least one person per day to live a positive and a healthy lifestyle, if i inspire at least one person per day to live each day striving to reach whatever goal that they may set, or to reach their personal level of success, or if I inspire at least one person per day to inspire another individual...that should leave me at the end of 2010 with at LEAST 365 people whom i have hopefully inspired, and if out of that 365 each person seeks to inspire at least one person, imagine how much positive damage can be done in this world? Thats positive change that not even President Obama cant bring about. Now as you may or may not have noticed i love to write, and I personally feel that my writing at times is more influential than the words that I speak. So on that note, im going to leave you with a quote by author Elmer G. Letterman: "Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open"

Remember positive thoghts lead to positive words which lead to positive actions ultimately leading to a positive lifestyle...

Stay tuned for more! I love you all , and God Bless.