I remember it like it was yesterday. "So, the transmission is on it's way out. It's going to cost about $4,000 to repair." The Dodge dealership mechanic's words shot through our hearts like a guided arrow, seeking out its target. We relied on our second vehicle heavily as our sole form of transportation to our jobs at that time, which were 30+ miles away from our home. I looked at my husband in the eyes and said, "Well I guess its time to upgrade, and purchase the car of our dreams." On December 12, 2015, we made that leap of faith, and purchased a luxury car with low mileage and that has a history of reliability.
Many of our closest friends were happy for us, and literally celebrated with us in parking lots when they got to see our new car for the first time, but others did not, and questioned our purchase, even to the point of ridicule. "Is this really your car?" "Are you really driving this car to work everyday?" "You think your car is better than the rest of the cars here at work?" These are actual phrases that we heard from peers and colleagues at our places of employment. We became apologetic, and very careful who knew about our new car in fear of being socially isolated and labeled "bourgeoisie black folks." Until one day, I had an epiphany. I did not have to apologize for being successful. My husband and I worked painstakingly through four years of undergraduate school, two years of graduate schools, and endless hours in our careers perfecting our craft to live our lives on our terms. How many hours did we spend together on transit buses and the BART going to and from school and work? How many times did we have to walk or ride our bikes to work, because we didn't have enough money to ride the bus? I did not have to apologize for those moments in time, so why should I apologize now? Likewise, people may resent you unnecessarily because of the level of success you were able to obtain in life. However, this is no reason for you to dim your light to make others feel comfortable. I'm not saying we should become braggers or flaunt our successes to diminish others, nor am I saying that we should live double lives to hide our success to be socially accepted. Find a healthy balance between the two, live your life, and stop apologizing. What are your thoughts? Please comment and share.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorAkon M. Walker, MPA, motivates readers to transform words of inspiration into life application. Archives
June 2019
Categories |