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Rest Well, My Friend: A Short Story

March 7, 2025

Friendship, Grief, Loss

I’m here at Lizzette’s house starting to go through her things, packing up and getting it ready to sell. I hate fucking cancer! Liz was the cream of the crop. She was a tall, gorgeous woman with a voluptuous shape, long, thick hair, a beautiful smile and flawless golden skin. Men would fall all over themselves whenever she walked into a room and she knew it, even though she was the most humble person you could ever meet. I used to tell her how I wished I had her shape, then she would admonish me. She always said that I was voluptuous too, just in a small frame. You see, I’ve always been tiny. No matter what I do, I cannot seem to gain weight. But, I work out regularly, and if I must say so myself, I have a bangin’ body! It’s just small. She was probably the smartest person I knew, at the top of her game. She spoke Spanish and French and was always on business trips to Canada and Europe. As young girls, we always used to dream together, and she knew exactly what she wanted; to get a degree in finance and an MBA with a focus in international business. She did just that! I was always flip flopping my dream. One day I wanted to be a lawyer, then an architect or a career singer. I was more on the creative side. The main thing for me was I wanted to get the hell out of my mama and daddy’s house! I ended up becoming a court reporter. Go figure!

I’m LaBrea, Lizzette’s best friend since we were in elementary school. When my family moved on 56^th and Pennsylvania in Merrillville, Indiana, she lived a couple of doors down. Back then, you could go outside to play, and your parents didn’t have worry about stuff parents have to worry about today. Even though I had a sister, she was just a baby, and it was like I was an only child. I was always good at entertaining myself. I was outside playing school with my dolls one day, and Liz walked up and said, “Hi! My name is Lizzette. What’s your name?” “Hi. I’m LaBrea. You want to play school with me?” We were pretty much inseparable after that! Our parents ended up becoming the best of friends too. We were like family. We spent holidays together, had lots of barbecues, and sometimes we would all go out to Miller to the beach. Liz and I told each other everything from when our periods started to when we started having sex and everything in between. We were thick as thieves and had each other’s backs. After going through high school, college and starting our careers, we made a pact that we would go on vacation together every year. I loved traveling with Liz because she knew all the good spots domestically and internationally. We would always have fabulous accommodations. Now, one thing about Liz, she loved to have a good time. We laughed so much ‘til our stomachs would hurt! I got married not too long after college, but Liz never got married. Neither of us had kids. My marriage didn’t last long at all, only three years. I guess you just don’t know folks until you know ‘em. I came in early from work one day and caught this fool prancing around in women’s pumps! When I asked him about it, he said he liked the way they felt. Things got weirder and weirder! He even tried to get me to wear pumps while we were having sex. I was piddling around in the basement shortly after that and opened an old suitcase. It was full of women’s shoes! Expensive women’s shoes! When I confronted him, he told me I needed to get over it. Since I had peeped his hole card, I guess he decided he was just going to be out in the open with the shit. This was so repulsive to me! If he was wearing women’s shoes, what the fuck else was he doing? I didn’t want him touching me. After a while, I filed for divorce. We parted ways amicably, but I knew I couldn’t continue like that. When I told Liz about it, we must have laughed for two hours! But, she was also sensitive to my feelings. She wanted to make sure that I was okay no matter how things turned out. She was in a few relationships, but none of them lasted too long, except one with this guy named Jonathan. They had a whirlwind romance. He treated her like a queen, and she reciprocated. I thought for sure they were going to tie the knot, until she told me she found out that he was married with children! She had no idea. They were both busy professionals, so the time they spent together was out at dinner after work, weekends, and some nice vacations. He had a nice ass condo in downtown Chicago, so when she went over to his place things seemed very normal. Apparently, his family was living on the west coast. With him being a high falutin’ businessman, his wife probably didn’t question his travels. The way Liz found out was through a mutual colleague. This guy named Michael Henley. He didn’t know Liz was dating Jonathan, but they all knew each other through their various social circles. One day, she ran into Michael at a business conference when he said that he would be heading out to Cali for Jonathan’s daughter’s wedding and asked if she was going. He said that Jonathan and his wife insisted that he stay with them while he was out there. It wasn’t until he saw Liz turn red as a beet with tears welled up in her eyes that he put two and two together. He apologized profusely as he tried to console her. She ended up telling Michael all about her and Jonathan’s relationship. He was outdone! Never had he suspected that they were a couple. He thought they were good friends and colleagues. She sent a message with him to Cali:

“Jonathan,

I hope you and your wife have a fabulous time at your daughter’s wedding.

Peace

Lizzi”

They had been seeing each other for over four years. She was devastated! We would talk about her moving on and finding love, but I think that she decided she would never give anyone else the opportunity to hurt her like that again. My heart hurt for my friend.

Liz and I shared milestones, victories, secrets…..everything. I could always count on her to be there, no matter where in the world she was physically. We made time for one another. There were never long periods of time without us talking. A couple of days after my 51^st birthday, I got the shock of my life! She called me and asked me to come over to her place. She said it very casually like she just wanted to see me. Sundays are usually pretty open for me, and I didn’t have court the next day so I got ready and went right over. When I got there, she greeted me at the door with a glass of champagne, and had prepared my favorite meal; some lasagna, salad, breadsticks, and her scrumptious chocolate rum cake! “Happy belated birthday, girl!” Liz knew how to make anyone feel special! It was cold out so she had the fireplace going and we had a nice, relaxing afternoon. After we ate, we both refilled our champagne flutes and went into the living room. Once we sat down, I noticed that she was kind of quiet. “Are you okay, Liz? You’re kind of quiet sitting over there.” “Brea, I have something to tell you.” “Okay. What’s up? Am I going to be an auntie??” She smirked but paused long enough to make me very nervous. “Liz, what is it? Are you okay?” “I’ve been diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer called fibrosarcoma. It’s already at stage 4. It started out as a lump on my leg. I didn’t think much about it. After a while, it was hurting and I noticed the lump seemed to be getting bigger. I went to the doctor then, and I knew something was wrong when she started running all these tests. She referred me to a specialist, and that’s when I initially found out. I didn’t say anything right away because I wanted to make absolute sure it was true.” By this time, Liz and I both were hugging each other and boohooing! I couldn’t play it off. I could hardly breathe! Not my Liz! “What does this mean? Can they remove it? What is the treatment for it?” “I wanted to get a second opinion, so I went to the University of Chicago. They confirmed it. I just found out Thursday.” “Liz, what do you want me to do? You name it. Anything!” “Well, I have to determine where I will go for treatment. I’m leaning towards the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. They have treated the most cases of this type of cancer. I believe I will be able to start as early as next week. The doctors here asked me to make a decision as quickly as I could.” “I’m coming with you! I’ll take a leave so that I can be there. What about your parents? How did they take it?” “I haven’t told them yet. I’m planning to go see them tomorrow. It just happens that Emmit is in town, so I will be able to tell everyone all together.” “Okay. I’m spending the night tonight. You don’t need to be here all alone. What about the job?” “I did go to the office on Friday to go HR to set up medical leave and find out what else I needed to do. Spoke with my manager, Larry as well. I didn’t go into detail. Just told him that I have a medical diagnosis that will require me to be out for a while. I was so grateful he didn’t pry. He just wanted to know if I had everything I needed and told me to keep him posted.”

On May 1, 2018, my best friend made her transition. I was numb. I could not believe that she was gone and gone so quickly. The treatment didn’t work, and the tumor grew rapidly. I took leave and became her caretaker. Her parents are elderly and not in a position to take care of anyone. Her brother, Emmit, came back and stayed with their parents while everything was going on. He was a tremendous help. Liz gave me her medical power of attorney and made me the executor of her estate. Once she realized how quickly things were progressing, she made sure all of her business affairs were in order. I am making sure that all of her wishes are carried out, and I am preparing to put her house up for sale. Liz was a neat freak so everything is in it’s place, and I am oh so grateful for that. I just have her bedroom and I’ll be finished.

Hmmm, what’s this box up on the shelf in her closet? That heifer know she was boujee! Even the damned box on the shelf looked like it was encased in gold with jewels! I need to get a stool so I can reach it. Oh shit! It has a lock on it, and I have no idea where the key might be. I started looking around. I did find a small key in the back of the drawer in her nightstand. This looks like it might be it. Bingo! I opened the box and it’s a bunch of letters. All of them seem to be from a lady in London. That makes sense ‘cause Liz had to travel there a lot for her job. Maybe I should write this woman and let her know about Liz. Things happened so quickly that I’m sure a lot of people don’t even know.

Letter #1

My dearest love,

I so enjoyed our time together when you were here last. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. No one else has ever made me feel the way you do. When we make love, it’s like I am carried away into another world, never wanting to come back. I hope you seriously consider our conversation about you relocating here. We’re so good together, and I can’t imagine life without you.

Letter #2

My dearest love,

I’ve been making plans for your next visit. I thought we could take the Eurostar to Paris and enjoy a romantic holiday………..

Letter #3

My dearest love,

I thought of you this morning as I could smell the scent of your perfume on my pillow…….

What the fuck! Liz and I shared everything. I can’t believe she kept this secret from me all of these years! This shit has been going on for over seven years! My best friend was having an affair with a woman! No one could have told me this in a million years. We never judged each other, and we shared our deepest, darkest secrets. I can’t believe she didn’t share this with me. I would have never told anyone.

Two weeks later……

Liz, girl, how you gonna get up outta here without telling me this? Thought we didn’t keep secrets from one another. I guess you said you would take this one to your grave, and you succeeded! Can’t even say I’m hurt. More than anything, I’m shocked. Never saw that coming! With all of the conversations we had about sex and how we were “strictly dickly!” In hinds’ sight, I can kind of see it. After what Jonathan did to you, I felt that you never got over it. I just want you to know that I am so glad you found love. As always, your secret is safe with me! Rest well, my friend.

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Buckle Up: A Quick Ride Through My Life

March 5, 2025

Daily Prompt

Daily writing prompt
You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?
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Buckle up!! I don’t look like what I’ve been through, and if you have a hard time with transparency, my story is full of it. Oh, it’s not that I’m going to tell you the vivid details of my sexual experience or the horrid abuse I endured while serving these United States. But, as I tell my story I don’t believe in sugar coating things. It has been what it has been, and it is what it is.

I was called peculiar as a small child. They didn’t know what to make of me because I was different. At two, as my mom shared with me, I was on a train ride with her and a group of conductors were talking. I tried getting their attention, but they kept talking like I was invisible. I interrupted them by tugging on one of their jackets. I had something to say, and they were going to listen! By the time I was a kindergartener, I would try to tell my mother how to cook. Some days, I would come home with new words, tell her how to spell them and use them in a sentence. I remember my teacher taking me to the principal’s office to share about a picture I colored. I didn’t seem to be in trouble. I was telling them that on my picture was a Negro boy and a Caucasian boy…..the principal and all of the ladies in office were laughing and hugging me. At the time, I had no idea what they were so happy about. I went from there to being an excellent student, until my rebellious teen years. I spent exactly six months in college, only to discover that I did not want to be there, which lead me to enlisting in the Marine Corps. Some of the other significant events were giving birth to my one and only son, being married for a brief stint, having a spiritual awakening, being ordained, becoming an author and award-winning songwriter, becoming a grandmother and an abstract artist, and all of the stories intertwined therein.

My life consists of many twists and turns, good and bad. It has been interesting, scary, shocking, inspiring, dark and triumphant. Every bit of it makes up the fibers that have formed who I am and what I believe. I am as grateful for the bad times as I am the good because it made me strong and resilient. The “Forrest Gump-like” experiences I’ve had would be unlikely had I not lived them. There is not a dull moment in my story, thus, my opening line….buckle up!

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Essential Elements

March 1, 2025

Daily Prompt

Daily writing prompt
What are three objects you couldn’t live without?
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Three objects that I couldn’t live without are my phone, my car and my computer. These things help me to stay organized, active and informed. I do everything using these items. What in the world would I do?

My phone has all of my contacts. In today’s world of technology, you don’t even have to memorize anyone’s phone number. How did we ever do that?!! I check my emails and text messages from my phone. I have certain apps that I use as tools and entertainment on my phone. I have thousands of pictures on my phone. I talk to my sisters and my son daily. I can pay for things with my phone. Hell, I can work from my phone. I have to have it!

I live in an area where public transportation is not the greatest. It’s almost non-existent. I drive everywhere; to work, church, grocery shopping, family outings. I have to have a car. I cannot depend on other people. Calling for ride share is way too expensive. It’s not like I am independently wealthy and can afford a driver. Trust me, I would if I could. The thought of feeling stuck makes me cringe!

Yes, I could use a tablet or my phone to write, but there is nothing like having a nice-sized screen while I am writing short stories, poetry and songs. I know we have the cloud now and technology is ever-evolving, but I need my laptop readily available. The feel of it suits my needs. I have to have it!

I will admit that I am spoiled, and it is easy to say that I cannot live without these things because there is no threat of not having them at the time. I have left home and forgotten my phone before. I had to take a deep breath and accept it, but I did make it through the day until I could retrieve it. I went for years without a car. It was difficult and sometimes costly, but I managed to make it wherever I needed to go. I’m rarely without a computer of some sort, but since I know that I do not usually have it while I am on vacation or just out and about, I suppose the world wouldn’t end without it either. Like many things in life, I have honestly made my wants my needs and decided that these are things I cannot live without.

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What Happened: The Loss of Being Desired

March 1, 2025

Daily Prompt, Encourage, Inspire, Motivate

Daily writing prompt
Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.
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When did this happen? One day I just woke up and realized that I wasn’t getting any attention. Let me explain. I am in my 60s and still energetic, youthful and pursuing my dreams. I am approachable, friendly, gainfully employed and I think I am fairly attractive. I know that I am an interesting person. I’m stylish. So, I am wondering why I am never approached anymore. I have to admit that this is a difficult phase saying goodbye to the time that I was constantly approached, propositioned, winked at or asked out. All gestures were not necessarily desirable, but honestly, it fed the ego. I just did not realize how much this mattered until now.

This is a story that I hear too often from women within a 10-year older or younger radius of my age. The dating scene and relationships seem to be hard to come by, but no one can answer the $64,000 question, “Why?” I’m talking about women who have moral values, integrity, they’re attractive, self-sufficient…..not damsels in distress looking for prince charming to show up. Women who are desirable and would make great companions. I know that by this time in life, most of us have had different experiences with relationships. Many of us are divorced for one reason or another. Some are widows. Some have never been married, but may have experienced abuse or betrayal. You name it, we’ve been through it! But, we still want to be desired and to have companionship.

I am fairly active in my community. I attend different events. I go to church. I do work from home, so I am not out as much as I used to be in the big city. No matter what I am doing, I don’t seem to get noticed. I even went as far as to do a survey with men I know and trust. I asked them was there something about me or something I was doing that would make men not want to approach me. Some of the answers I got were, “You’re intimidating,” “You look like you’re married,” and “You seem like you’re high maintenance.” Wow! It is amazing how many assumptions people make about people. I can’t believe that a man would look at me without having a conversation or as much as a hello, and determine these things about me.

As I said earlier, giving up the phase of being approached, desired or asked out is not easy. I have come to a conclusion, though. I have decided that any man who would make all of these assumptions about me is not worthy of my company. I know that I am a good person. Beyond that, I am gifted, talented, fun-loving, intelligent, caring and kind. I would love to be in a committed relationship, but I refuse to stop living because it has not happened for me. I encourage any woman reading this and can relate to enjoy life to the fullest. A relationship does not define you. Don’t close yourself off, but do not allow your relationship status to be a hindrance. Loving YOU is the best thing you can do.

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As Fate Would Have It

February 28, 2025

Encourage, Inspire, Motivate

Daily writing prompt
Do you believe in fate/destiny?
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It is amazing the turns our lives take. I got bored during the pandemic and I did something no one could have ever told me I would do. I started writing erotic poetry. I would write, read…..and chuckle. I never had any intention of publishing any of it. Later, I was talking with a friend who shared with me a project she did with a couple of other ladies that was a compilation of erotic stories. When she shared it, I told her that I had written some erotic poetry and she wanted to read what I had written. Once she did, she encouraged me to publish it. I hesitated, but I decided I would publish under a pseudonym.

In September 2023, I saw an interview with the author, Zane, on YouTube. For those who do not know her work, Zane is world-renowned author known mostly for her erotic novels. One of her novels was made into a Cinemax movie entitled Addicted with the actor, Boris Kodjoe. When I was close to the printing phase, I thought it would be cool to have Zane write a foreword. I reached out to the person who was interviewing her to see if she could connect me. To my surprise, she responded to me the next day. After vetting me, she put me in touch with Zane’s daughter who is her manager. She informed me that there was a cost associated with Zane reading my book and writing the foreword. This was understandable given Zane’s status as an author, but I just didn’t have it. Dead end!

I published my book in June 2024. It turned out great, both the content and the design. I had a book signing and began selling out of my trunk. I didn’t place it on Amazon because I didn’t want to give them 40%. In August, the wildest thing happened. I was on Instagram and a post popped up from Zane. She was starting a writing group and said only serious writers needed to respond. There are so many scams on social media, but I decided that I was going to check it out. I sent a DM, and Zane responded within 24 hours with all of the information for the writing group. I took a deep breath then decided I would take a chance. Zane’s real name is Kristina Roberts, and I also happen to know what she looks like. I thought, “When I get onto this Zoom, if it’s not her I am going to report this person.” It was her!!

I have now been in Zane’s writing group since September 2024. It is much more than I bargained for. She has a wealth of knowledge about writing, publishing, script writing, and her network is HUGE! Myself and the other ladies will be writing an anthology with her, and she will be promoting each of us as the novels she challenged us to write are published. I thought that there was no hope for me to meet Zane, but fate connected us.

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A Day as Shonda Rhimes

February 28, 2025

Daily Prompt, Inspire, Motivate

Daily writing prompt
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
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Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Bridgerton, etc., etc. What brilliant mind can produce all of these hit series and have people all over the world mesmerized? Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland and as I personally refer to her, “The Queen of Drama,” is someone I would love to be for a day!

I don’t know Shonda Rhimes personally, but she seems to have the freedom to allow her imagination go wherever it wants to go, then put it on screen and it becomes a hit. Instead of going to work, it must be like going to the playground. I think about how, as children, we would go to the playground and there were the swings, the see-saw, the sliding board, the jungle gym and even the protective gates and guardrails surrounding the playground were used to play on. Whatever our imagination told us to do, including becoming human tilt-a-whirl rides, we knew how to make our own fun.

Shonda is someone I would love to meet and work with someday. I have her Masterclass on writing. I follow her Instagram page. She is a phenomenal woman who comes from a neighborhood that is not that far from where I live. Somehow, that makes my dreams seem more attainable. I have a wild imagination. If I could be Shonda Rhimes for just one day, I would produce ten hit shows!

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DIY Generated Success

February 26, 2025

Challenge, Encourage, Inspire, Motivate

Daily writing prompt
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
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I was the only female in an all-male bulk fuel unit in Hawaii. When I arrived, I almost kissed the ground because I was so excited. I couldn’t believe that I was going to be living in “paradise” for the next three years! My five year old son was equally as excited. As a small child, moving to different places was like an adventure, but moving to Hawaii was like being in a dream. Base housing wasn’t available when we arrived, so we got to stay in a nice hotel for two months with all expenses paid. It was like being on a luxury vacation. Ironically, Hawaii was my least favorite duty station of all. Why, you ask?

My original assignment when I arrived was to a bulk fuel platoon at Ford Island, located a depressing ferry ride away from Pearl Harbor in this dingy hangar with refueling equipment. I say depressing because we passed the Arizona Memorial every single day! There were 30 or so Marines besides the Gunnery Sergeant and the officer in charge, or the OIC. I have to admit that it was a bit intimidating being the only woman Marine. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but let’s just say the shenanigans started almost immediately. After about six months, all of the sergeants who were there before me received orders and left. I instantly became the platoon sergeant for 24 remaining Marines. Not only was I the only woman, but I was one of only two Black Marines in the entire unit at this location. This was my first encounter with racism and sexual harassment, and it was undeniable.

About a year after I arrived , I was transferred to the other bulk fuel platoon located at the Marine Corps Air Station in Kaneohe Bay. Once again, I was the only female. As a matter of fact, I was the only female Marine in Hawaii with this occupational specialty. I thought things would be a little different, until I discovered that the OIC at this location was best friends with the OIC at Ford Island. Talk about giving someone the blues! I guess they figured they would finish me off over here. They started with some of the same games, then things escalated. Behind the building where we were located, there were 20 or more generators. These monstrosities looked like they were from WWII. I don’t have one mechanical bone in my body. My occupation was changed after my first four years of active duty. I had been an admin clerk prior to this. Well, I was assigned one of the generators and told that I had two months to get it running. They were banking on me not being able to complete this assignment. I looked at this thing and thought, “What in the hell am I going to do?!!” It had all of these cables and wires attached to it. It was about as foreign to me as walking is to a newborn. There must have been years of paint covering the entire machine, including the cables. I took a screwdriver and started chipping away at the paint. Once I chipped off a good piece on one of the cables, I saw how new it looked so that’s where I focused. Long story short, I got all of the paint off of the cables, wires and crevices around the knobs. I unplugged the cables and cleaned them off. I made notes for where I pulled everything so that I knew where to plug them back. Once everything was clean, I plugged back into the generator and I prayed. That baby started right up! Before I knew it, I was celebrating and didn’t care who was watching. I could tell by the beet red countenance of the OIC’s face that he was perturbed. That was absolutely the most ambitious DIY project I ever had in my life. I had been set up for failure, but that plan backfired!

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Debating the Usage of ‘Bitch’

February 25, 2025

Uncategorized

Daily writing prompt
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
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One word that has evolved and become out of control, from my perspective, is the word “bitch.” If I could I would ban it from general usage. The original meaning of the word, female dog, is not necessary since most people refer to dogs as dogs. In today’s terms, this word has morphed into all sorts of meanings and usages both bad and “good.”

An image that many can relate to is Miranda Priestly, the character portrayed by Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada; a woman in power who is this demanding, icy, ruthless boss, or as some would say, bitch. Now, she’s a character in a movie, but how many women in powerful leadership positions are referred to as bitches? Another negative connotation of the word refers to a man who is seen as soft or weak. I’ve heard things like, “He’s acting like a bitch!” and “That was a bitch move!”

Today, we have people referring to themselves as bitches. It has become symbolic of someone who feels that they have themselves together professionally, financially and/or socially. I’ve seen it on vanity license plates, t-shirts and social media pages. It’s not necessarily gender specific. I have witnessed it being spoken out of some people’s mouths, and then others start to refer to them as such! It has also become a term of endearment in some circles. You might hear someone say, “What’s up, bitch?” or “Bitch, you know you look good!” I’ve heard compliments like, “That’s a bad bitch!”

There was a time when being called a bitch was cause for an altercation. It was a derogatory term, just by the mere fact that it referred to a female dog. It is mind boggling that such a word has evolved and is being used so loosely by so many people. If I could, I would ban it! What do you think?

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Wardrobe Woes!

February 25, 2025

Challenge
Daily writing prompt
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
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What is life without a little humor? I have been on a weight loss journey, and in the last six months I lost 40 pounds! The majority of my clothes, including under garments, do not fit any longer. Something you must understand is that my appearance is important to me….for several reasons:
- I’m single. I can’t leave home, or even answer my door without being presentable! This has always been the case from as far as I can remember. As a teen, my mom would ask me to run to the grocery store for something she needed to prepare dinner. My clothes had to be pressed. My hair had to be perfect, and lip gloss was of utmost importance! It was usually an hour before I even left home. Do you think, being a single woman of a certain age, that I would go out with my clothes not fitting properly?
- Secondly, I am a beauty consultant. What would I look like going out with my clothes swallowing me? No matter how beautifully my makeup is applied I can just hear comments like, “Did you see the size of her outfit??” I’m just saying! I even tested this. I put on a dress that had previously fit snugly. Since it had a belt, I thought I could camouflage with that. One of my sisters saw me and said, “Unh unh! That dress is way too big. It doesn’t look right!” People do notice these things.
- Finally, I am in all types of activities that require me to be in public. I’m involved with the art district in my community. I am an author and poet. Sometimes I do speaking engagements. I also have to go into the office once a week for my job. I never know who I will see at any given time. When I am dressed well, I feel confident. If I were to try and get by with what I have, I would spend have the time trying to hide!
I have to either have clothes altered, which can be extremely costly, or I will have to make some new purchases. The way I see it, with all of the things I have mentioned and the fact that I have plans in the days and months ahead, the biggest challenge I will face in the next six months will be what in the world I am going to wear!
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Be Ready for Life

February 24, 2025

Daily Prompt

Daily writing prompt
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
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My parents were old school. As I was growing up, they took great care of my four sisters and me. We always had hot, homecooked meals. They worked really hard to make sure that we had everything we needed and a little extra. They instilled good values in us. We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they loved us. But, my parents both grew up in a time that, unfortunately, taught them some myths. A time of segregation. A time where racial injustices were at an all time high. When they had to cross the street, and where some places were off limits because of the color of their skin. Times that they had to fear for their lives.

I remember moving into a neighborhood at eight years old where there were eight White families and four Black families on our block. Before too long, this flip flopped. I was too young to understand what had occurred. At this point in life, I had not experienced racism. I didn’t know anything about discrimination. All I knew was that I was supposed to respect people, especially my elders. It wasn’t until I was older that I understood why my parents would sometimes tell me or my sisters, “Be quiet so you don’t disturb those White people!” It would anger me. I didn’t understand why the fact that they were White meant that I had to respect them any more than I would respect anyone else. I was a vocal child. I was always the one who was going to speak my mind. It got me in trouble sometimes, but it didn’t deter me.

If I were to give my young self advice, it would go something like this. “Young lady, you are very valuable. You are about to go out into the world soon, and you need to understand a few things. Though you are extremely bright and have done well educationally, you must continue to work hard and don’t let anything get in your way. There will be distractions, but if you keep your goals in mind, that is what will help you stay on track. You have not had to deal with things like prejudice or racism so far, but you will now be exposed to many more people from various backgrounds. You are bound to run up against these things. Do not allow anything to cause you to act out of character. Operate in the values that have been instilled in you. Be assertive, but tactful. Be respectful, but do not allow anyone to harm or mistreat you. Take whatever measures necessary to defend and protect yourself. I want you to understand that you have every right to be where you are whether it’s a classroom, a boardroom or whatever profession you choose. Never let anyone tell you that you are not worthy. You are just as good as anyone else, and you deserve to take advantage of every opportunity you have worked so hard to receive. Do not allow the despicable actions of others cause you to become bitter, or to isolate yourself. You are destined for greatness. Keep close to your faith. That is where you will draw strength, strategies and solutions. Love yourself. Before you expend time and energy helping others, make sure that you are taking care of you.”

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