Most people perceive my life as being filled with cotton candy clouds, diamond stars and heavenly gardens. In other words, they see me as a spoiled brat, who has no worries and gets everything served on a silver platter. They think my name is Lola, whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.
I can assure you, I am no Lola, however, I do like the name. I have worked diligently for everything I have or accomplished in this world. My parents don’t just hand out rewards because they believe I am so AWESOME!
No, everything has to be earned the old fashioned way. There is an old fashioned saying which best describes their ideology, “To whom much is given, much is asked of in return….”
In my family, there are no free lunches, everyone has to pull their weight.
I happen to be kind hearted and sympathetic so sometimes I may get a bligh or two, but that is only because my Granny often impressed upon me the benefits of being a good Samaritan. It is not so much that you do kind deeds for something in return. But it is knowing that God rewards you through others when you are kind and thoughtful.
I have experienced my own days of upsets, turmoil and broken hearts.
In one year, the company I worked for went under, I lost my apartment, my grandmother died and my boyfriend broke up with me. I thought the world was coming to an end. Although people were cheering me on telling me there would be better days, I just could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.
But like the Patsy Cline song says, “One day at a time, sweet Jesus…” I just took little steps each and every day, and then one day the sunshine began to feel good again.
I have been stood up on dates, and I have even had the displeasure of a suitor telling me, “I would never marry you!”
As if that was supposed to crumble and decay my world. For the record, Marriage was never a destination for me ever!
I always felt if my life took that course, fine, but I never hunted it down or sought it. I have never “hoodwinkled” anyone into taking me to the altar, because it is just not my way. Nor did I ever dole out ultimatums to paramours.
Men believe when they pass scathing remarks like that, they will have you shriveled up like a snail when salt gets thrown on it. For me, it is quite the contrary, it only reminds me never to go slumming again!
So, when people look at my life from the outside in, and think it is perfect, all I can say is, “The world is a stage.”
Fighting For My Life Memoir 