I'm glad this year is coming to a close. Really glad. This year especially the latter part of this year, a lot of changes in my perception, acumen, and life has occurred. I've learned that this year I moved from living in the fear of religion, other people's thoughts, and "saving face" to a life of newness and freedom. To be honest, I had enough of a lot of things. As one of old mentors (Paul Williams - RIP) used to tell me when he was teaching me how to play pool ( while kicking my behind in pool), "when you get tired of getting beat down, you'll fight back." It's funny, because I showed him a thing or two, and "he didn't like that at all." Haha. This year, my wife and I had to fight to get our lives back that was sucked dry by things of little to no value. For myself, I broke out of a lot of manipulation, coercion, bitterness, lies, foolishness, churchiness, and various types of abuse. This has been the year I fought back and won. Have people lately been "offended, hurt, shocked, etc.?" Yep. But where I'm from, there's an old saying that says, "real recognize real." When other know there's a change in you and know its time for you to move forward, there are going to be two responses, support or suppression. When the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s occurred, leaders in that era faced a lot suppression at first but then received support. So many other happenings in history I can name but don't have the time (for if we don't know our history, we will repeat it - Mr. King - 1995). I've faced and experienced a lot of suppression but now I'm free from it. I can finally be who I'm supposed to be and don't need anyone's validation except for God's. Thus, I'm walking in my new beginning. Before we walk in a new chapter, we must finish the preceding one. Everyone and everything that was in one chapter can't go into the next chapter of life. If they do, you might as we'll stop writing your book (I.e.- stop living). Something I've learned is that you van t put new things in old situations, it just doesn't work. I've tried and many times this year, I've failed. But I've learned my lesson. New beginnings means starting fresh, starting over. This may include changing the way you believe things, changes I'm relationships, job changes, etc. Change is inevitable. As human beings, we are not supposed to be the same, in the same place, or in the same situation. If we stay the same, how can God Himself bless us with newness. Think about that. Right now, I'm going thru changes and though some don't like it, I really don't care. I understand evolution, the metamorphosis of the human life. We are called to go from one change to another change. This is how we experience new beginnings. We must prepare for them and when the time comes, roll with it. Noah had to prepare an ark and though many people didn't hear him, all the animals and 8 folks heard the call for change. Only 8 of them survived and were blessed with a new beginning. For new beginnings to happen, the old has to get phased out. Word of advice, if people who know you try to deride you, tell them and yourself, "what you think about me and my decision is none of my business." My friends, embrace the new beginnings with joy and only walk with those who will support you wholeheartedly without judgement, inconsideration, gossip, and without jealousy. Well this is it my friends, 2013 is out. 2014 is in. Til next time, esta luego.
References:
Read the Bible, history books, and wisdom from the old school.
