It doesn’t seem like much, I know, but I put everything on the back burner to help others, which is what I want to shed light on.
It was ingrained in me to give to others. I saw my mother do it every day of her life and it gave her joy. Because of her, I would give my last bit of myself to my family. I didn’t stop there, I also gave to friends, not financially because most of my life I’ve been poor.
I believe “time” is something people can give. I’ve never given so much of my time as I have while incarcerated. For example, I recently got my GED and the next day, I started helping others get theirs. To this day, as a tutor, I have helped ten people receive their GED.
I’m an artist, performer, musician, actor and writer. I recently found that I love education and seeing the joy on peoples faces when they have their “Ah ha” moments or saying, “I’ve passed the GED”. There is no feeling like it.
It’s still not something I want to do all day. My passion is writing songs, stories, and screenplays. I try to spend most of my time doing such, but for me and my great friend, Mr. Ayers, we don’t get to do what we want when we want, because we give ourselves to others. It is a way of living. It doesn’t stop, and it never takes a break.
Mr. Ayers, or Jesse has been my inspiration to open up to the world. He is an amazing performer and his comedy is to die for. He gives to others by being able to change a gloomy day with a laugh or smile.
In the bible, Jesus said the greatest thing you can do is lay down your life for a friend, and Jesse does that everyday. He doesn’t take any days off. Recently, I asked him to read an excerpt from my autobiography titled “Too Black For Some, Not Black Enough For Others” and he liked it, edited and typed it for me.
I didn’t ask him to. He jumped to help out a friend because that’s what he does. He puts himself aside and for the love of writing, he types, writes, and researches. What an amazing man. I pray many blessings on his future. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” (author unknown).
