Your opinion of me
means
absolutely nothing.
I am difficult.
I do have a big mouth.
I say
it as I see it, extremely opinionated.
If that intimidates or bothers
you I
really don’t care.
I
know who I am.
I
have been through some shit
and I
am still going through shit
Shit
you know nothing about.
I am strong, confident, & independent!!
 |
| Black's & White's Attitudes |
I live in the heart of a ghetto in
Macon, Georgia. Living in the ghetto is
nothing new to me. In fact I would not
have it any other way. These are my
people, my upbringing, and my experiences in my sixty-five years of living. I feel embraced, not safe, but embraced
here.
I was raised by a mother I saw as
strong, confident, and independent. She
was a single parent raising four and at times six children. We lived in mixed income (not low income)
neighborhoods. Mixed income
neighborhoods you never hear about in the description of black neighborhoods,
but that’s another story for another time.
My mother was a unique single parent, to me. I had never known her not to work , even when
her physical condition would have incapacitated a lesser woman. You see, she was hit by a car when I was four
years old crossing the street of a busy street (Vineville Ave) going to
work. And that accident darn near crippled
her for the remainder of her life,
but it did not cripple her desire
for the better things in life. There begins
my journey developing a mindset of confidence and independence. My
family, growing up probably lived
in every mixed neighborhood (mixed as in income not race) in Macon, GA. Each move for us was a step up from where we
lived previously. Until my mother was
finally able to be one of many blacks to move into a predominately white
neighborhood. Were we welcomed with open
arms, absolutely not, the attitudes of our neighbors on both sides were so
apparent and also verbalized to our faces.
I to this day admire my mother’s stamina, attitude, and strength. It shaped me into who I am and what I hold
near and dear, in friends, attitudes, people, family, neighbors……………….
She taught me not to think I was better
than people but to strive for better and not to allow people or things define
me. So no matter where I live or resides
(employment/public contact), I come in with the attitude to add to my
environment in a positive way and to exceed the expectation with the thought in
mind this is who I am. Primarily based
on how I was raised. She taught me no matter what side of the tracks and/or
city you are from it’s what you bring to the table, not where you live. Bottom line, improving on your situation,
rather than bring it down.
My experience
has been that some of my people bring nothing to table and are angry with you
when it is not acceptable,and form attitudes.
Mediocre is not acceptable from any race of people.
My experience has been that some white folks
receive more so they expect more from people and life. On the contrary some black folks receive less so
they expect less from people and life.
Thereby different experience, but understandably different attitudes.
