MOTIVATION

I had the pleasure of meeting a young man at the courthouse back in April who, at first blush, seemed to me thuggish. His looks spoke that he was an older person over the age of 35, but his attire was that of a youthful 16 year old (you really are only as old as you feel). Anyway, what really struck my attention was his baseball hat. It was doused with colorful rhinestones that said "HATERS" on the front and "Keep Me Motivated" along the arc in the back. We both sat in a side conference room and he began to regale me about the reason for his appearance in court that day. He was pretty down about the current state of his situation and during the course of our very short exchange, he looked at his hat at least 6 times. He commented on the fact that the people that showed up at court on his behalf were not really genuine to his cause, they were only there for the show of it. He chose to separate himself from the crowd for a moment of reflection before his case was called. He commented to me that people in his circle were always "hatin' " on him because he took care of his family by going to work everyday and teaching his young children that there was a better way of life than that of the streets. I could sense the passion of his conviction to remain the course of teaching his 4 year old son how to be a real man. With his cap perched upon his knee, he looked at it once more with a crack in his voice. He was grieved that his children had been taken into DCFS custody for, what seemed to him, foolish reasons. He stated yet again, "Haters keep me motivated. The more they hate on me, the higher and higher I'm gonna get." To him I replied, "Continue to be focused on what you want and you will get it. Nothing is gonna keep you from it. Stay strong and everything will work out in your favor. I promise you that." His case was called and he rose from his seat. Before he exited the room, i said to him, "Stay strong, God." He smiled and nodded his head.

I was today jolted to remember that moment in my life and particularly that young man's hat. At the time of our meeting, i really wasn't tuned into the full meaning of what he posted on his baseball cap. Actually, i thought it was rather ghetto at the time. Today, i am in a whole new state of awareness about his hat and can now come to appreciate the sentiment of it. "HATERS KEEP ME MOTIVATED." There is nothing like the sense of power that comes from other people trying to stop you from achieving your goals. i could be foolish enough to ask WHY, but i already know that answer. THEY REALLY WANT WHAT YOU HAVE! At this space in my life with all that is going on in it, i don't have time to focus on the haters. i really don't! But i do so enjoy the energy that they send. In my own warped reality, it is invigorating. Knowing that they are focusing on trying to trip me up and stop me from doing what i need to do, means that they are not wholly paying attention to their own life. Worrying about me and what i got going on instead of working to correct their own mess of a life lets me know that what i have (whatever it is) is and will continue to be the benchmark for them to aspire to. i am gratified to know that what i am doing is the right thing. If you continue to do the right things for the right reasons, you yield the right result at the right time.

i am motivated to continue my quest for righteousness and LIFE (Living In Full Enjoyment) for all the right reasons. No one will stop me from being me. No one will change my course. No one will dictate my rights and cast harsh judgment about my wrongs. No one will tell me that my ME is wrong. i will again go back to my motto of "To Thine Own Self Be True." That message got me through a pretty rough period of my life. It reminded me to stay on my course and not to allow anyone to knock me off my square.

HATERS KEEP HATIN'! THE MORE YOU HATE ON ME, THE HIGHER AND HIGHER I'M GONNA GET!

Believe That!