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In Our Own Words
Living With Literature/Writing Our Stories
SELECTION TEN
In response to “Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self," by Alice Walker
Something happened in my life long ago that has an impact on my life today.
I was very young. I started using drugs and living a very negative lifestyle, and I loved that lifestyle, but now I have seen all my wrongs, and I know that I must make things right for myself so I will feel good about myself. I do believe I can be a positive, successful man, a good Christian and a man of God.
As a young man growing up in the Projects, I was always fighting and I did not receive the education that the teachers wanted me to learn, so in growing up, I had many problems. I let the streets become my father.
My father was not a positive person in my life and I wish that I had a good, loving and caring father in my life. But today I know that God is my father, who is in control. So now I am praying to my father to direct my path, so I can become the man God wants for me to be, free, happy and joyful.
I am learning to read and spell, and I am feeling good for myself, having a high self-esteem now, and I am working on changing my old lifestyle to become very successful in my future. I will trust in the Lord and life my life of recovery. I do believe that by my faith in God, who I now know is in control and will help me. My blessings are from the Lord and the change that the Lord has done for me. My lifestyle will be a blessing to many people.
by PS