Dear Self

by Gary Scott

Dear Self,

I don’t think that you could comprehend how much you mean to me.
I yearn for you to have an early enlightenment because our future lies
in your decisions. The future of others is desperately hanging on a thin
line of your choices. So please meditate on these precious words I now
write to you.

I really don’t know how I can penetrate the force-field of stubbornness
that surrounds you, but if you only knew what awaits you, that force-field would shatter into a billion pieces. You might not recognize it, but I know what you’re going through. You are trying to find yourself, but you are looking in the wrong places. You’re looking in places of false love being that you have never learned what true love is in a broken home. Since you’re fatherless, you walk in the footsteps of the fatherless. Footsteps of some men with secret motives and selfish gain and some young men searching for love because love wasn’t found at home. Peer pressure is surrounding you like an island is surrounded by water. You don’t have to be that island. Only time will tell when the volcano on that island will erupt.

Think about your little sister, Comeal. Who’s going to guide her?
Imagine her life without you. It would be selfish not to take her into
consideration. What about the sacrifices your mother made for you?
Despite all the bad things you’ve done, she never gave up on you. So
don’t give up on her.

Believing that you’re the product of your environment is foolish. It
is just an excuse people use to justify their evil doings. A real man will
take responsibility for his own actions. Therefore, you are accountable
for everything you chose to do. Only if you could feel the pain, the guilt, the regrets and the suffering going on inside of me; maybe it would spark a change within you.

One thing that you can count on is that I will never give up on you—no
matter what happens. But what I do need from you is to love and respect all the men and women that share this world with you. You are not the only one that suffers inside. Everyone deserves to have a better life. There are people that are in this struggle with you.

Don’t let your dreams and aspirations come to an end because of greed. Slow Down! The fast lane is too fast for you. Not to mention that your affiliations have you living close to the edge of existence. What benefit is it to represent a group of people that doesn’t care if you die or spend the rest of your life in prison? It’s like being a pawn in a chess game against a formidable opponent—just a sacrifice for a cause that is impossible to win. You are so much better than that. I still don’t believe that you understand how much you really mean to me—choose life—be great. And always remember that love is the reason for being.