Holding On

He had to endure the changes that were happening to his life. He couldn't control them, but he could survive if he could hold on to the pieces of his life that were important. The things that were food for his soul were the healthy relationships he had with his family. He was still active in baseball and basketball, and he enjoyed his time on the field and the courts. Now his career was finally on track and working at his grandfather's company as a designer was all he had ever dreamed it would be. He had to resist letting go of those things vital to his existence. But there was no lover with whom he could share his life and love. To add to his loneliness was the heartache of losing someone that had always been a part of his life. As he stood over his grandfather's grave, he said aloud, "You drive a hard bargain old man, but I accept your challenge. It's time for me to become the captain of the ship, even with this heavy heart." He remembered a quote from his favorite childhood book, "Blind as a Bat, Wise as an Owl". His grandfather had read the story to him until he started reading himself at four years of age. The line that fed his spirit now was, "To fight pain is to anger it and pain always win." And Kwame Jr (KJ) let his tears flow.