What The Obamas Taught Me About Perseverance

Sometimes politics can bring out the worst in people. Just downright mean, ugly, nasty, shocking stuff.

The increase of hatefulness stemming from the past presidential elections has been unbelievable. Watching people take sides, stop talking to each other, and experiencing relationships fall apart in churches, workplaces, and different communities has been disheartening and eye opening. For a long time, I was naïve when it came to the ways of the world regarding voting and supporting a particular group. I never had a major issue with someone being conservative, liberal, nonpartisan, or those who could care less, because I didn’t feel threatened by anyone who had an opinion or belief system that differed from my own. I’ve learned that a huge part of maturity is being able to coexist with others you may not relate to personally and to still respect them when they have different views from yours. Even if and when you don’t understand them.

When the Obamas were in office and as they exited, I couldn’t believe the different media stories, articles, threats, and horrific social media posts that rose during that time. A lot of people hated the Obamas. And still do. They hated what they supported and represented. And the hate intensified as each year progressed. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for them. But I believe they persevered as best as they could. To maintain one’s character under the scrutiny of constant criticism and blatant disrespect speaks volumes. I’m not certain I could have remained silent while enduring constant insults or being cut down and unsupported and attacked by different media outlets, public figures, and strangers on the internet who didn’t really know me. How do you move through something like that?

At first, I pretended I didn’t notice how different people I knew, some whom I once considered friends, continually exposed how racist, sexist, and prejudice they were. I was disappointed and a little hurt but have learned to be okay with letting people go. Perseverance isn’t easy. It can be difficult and discouraging, but if you can hold the positions and space God ordained for you to have and maintain your composure, even when you’re strongly disliked and people want to get rid of you or harm you or see you fail, move through your fears and stay strong. You’ve got this.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken t...

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