The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to appreciate our relationships with each other. Nothing is promised to any of us except a choice of the action we take, and being held accountable for these actions. Why don’t we do all we can, when we can, and quit making weak excuses as to why we can’t. After all, a disregard for somebody else’s feelings, whether intended or not, takes us away from contributing to the well being of the universe we all share.
I had an opportunity to visit my great nephew in Chicago, and found him confined to a wheelchair as a result of having been shot some months ago. He’s nineteen now, and the last time I saw him he was eight years old. It was on 35th and Prairie at an auto repair shop, and I heard him call my name. Upon asking him what he was doing there, he responded that he had asked the owner for a job, and was told to come back in a few years. Seemingly undismayed by the owner’s response, he asked if I could give him a couple of dollars. How could I refuse such an enterprising young man.
His younger sister called me recently, told me she was graduating from high school, and asked if I could attend her graduation. My schedule being what it was, I answered in the affirmative and it was from her that I learned the circumstances of her brother’s condition.
He and two of his friends had just entered an apartment building when a gunman, looking for someone else, opened fire on all three. None of them were able to stand after being shot, but my great nephew, being at the top of the stairs, was pushed by the young man beneath him and was able to knock on the door at the next landing. A little girl answered that she could not let him in, and he told her to call 911 right before losing consciousness. He came to in the hospital hours later, and found that had it not been for his quick response, he and his two friends would have died.
Age, relationship, attitude towards, or our alleged busyness should not be the criteria for when and with whom we spend our time. Our honest appraisal of if we have time, should be the only basis for our decision.
You see, I was blessed by merely being in the presence of my young relatives. Just by being there, I was given an opportunity to be reminded that some of my so-called ‘problems’ are minuscule when compared to those of others. I was also given a chance to see that the resilience and resourcefulness of our young people far outweighs the negativity that we bound them to. As I put my hand on my great nephew’s shoulder, I was blessed with the understanding that love was being shared, and that something as seemingly insignificant as spending a little time with someone else, is an investment in which all involved can share in the benefits that coming together can bring.
In the words of our beloved Maya Angelou “People may forget what you said. People may forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” I heard that at the graduation I attended, and for me it served as a confirmation that we have the power to better someone’s life by merely being with them. We will always be given opportunities to spend time with one another, and our response to the request will either contribute to or take away from the universal consequences that will inevitably come about. Let’s choose wisely y’all, cause it ain’t just about him or her, you or me…it’s about us.
I’ll holla...
To comment or respond please click on the word comments at the bottom of this page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment