nothing is for sure, nothing is for certain...but until they close the curtains....

You ever wonder if the things you chase after in life are worth it? The natural destruction that has erased New Orleans from the map makes me think that everything we desire in life has the ability to be destroyed. When I was a child, I was taught to excel academically to attain an established career. In shopping experiences, my mom always made it a point to teach me about quality shoes and clothing vs. the cheap stuff that does not last. I was taught about the important of your physical appearance and its relationship to upward mobility and networks. While all of these lessons were coupled with measures of truth...I recognize today as I have in times past that these lessons weren't everything.

As I watched a man sit on the roof of his home, completely surrounded by water, I realize that his career and material assets were irrelevant. What is there to hold on to when the tangible things pass away? I reflect on my experiences in the AUC and think about all the people who carried themselves haughtily. People I called friends that turned their noses at the homeless. I pitied these beings because I knew if all hell broke loose in their lives they would not be able to survive. For they were poor in spirit and character. My hearts desire is to be reachable and grounded. The only virtues we should seek in this life are faith, love, compassion, and humility. Depending on our measure of faith, the amount we have cannot be shaken. While relationships that began love can fade away, the true love does not die. Compassion to connect with the human experience is impossible to lose. The prideful man will be broken...and God gives grace to the humble. Let's begin to rethink the objectives we ambitiously seek after.

THE BOTTOM LINES:
"We run past what we need trying to chase what we want."--Talib Kweli