Proudest Moment

It's ironic that this post came up because this week my parents cleaned out their storage unit. The mantel over the fireplace is now covered with  trophies, medals and awards from my childhood. My dad proudly displayed the dust covered articles and I have caught him staring at them a couple times. He even asked me "What do you think of my display?"

It makes me happy to know that he thinks of me and my siblings accomplishments as significant and great.

My daughter told me my proudest moment is when I had her or when I graduated. My mom would say it would be the day I found Christ. And while these moments are wonderful my proudest moment is one that I have yet to be recognized publicly. 

MVP trophy from high school 

 I remember the first time I saw her. She was holding her head down and would barely look in my direction. Her clothes said, "tease me". She was skinny and a little awkward. I loved her instantly. I see this girl all the time. Sometimes she's black, Sometimes she's white. Sometimes she comes from a two parent home, foster care, and sometimes a single parent home. Sometimes she older or younger. I've gone to see her in the hospital when she tried to kill herself, I was there when she had a child. I was there when she got out of jail. I wiped her tears after she gave her child up for adoption. I threw away her cigarettes. I took her on job interviews. I was there when her baby turned one. I was there when she got her GED. I bought her prom shoes. 

Unfortunately sometimes I wasn't there. Sometimes I got to busy with my own life. I got distracted.  I ignored her. I avoided her. I pretended like she couldn't be helped. I pretended like she was burden. She wasn't my problem. She wasn't my concern. 

I try to run from her, but she always finds me. My proudest moments come when I am there for her. When I listen to her. When I give her my time. My proudest moments are when I pray for her. Encourage her. Give to her. Empower her. "She" is my proudest moment. Sometimes "she" makes mistakes or disappoints me, but she is my mission. Maybe because I see some of myself in her. A girl that struggled with feeling beautiful and smart. A girl that struggled with self worth until I became someone's "She". 

I will do all I can for every "she" I meet. She is my mission. She is my proudest moment. 

Yo's Truly,

Yolanda