Image: National Association of Black Journalist’s Logo
Navigating life is almost always challenging. We are faced with self-doubt on days when we tend to seek love the most. Reminded of the harshness of the human mind, we often criticize ourselves for the mistakes that we make; the same mistakes that, for others, we always extend an abundance of grace. The ins and outs of this path that we walk are far from easy, and we’re far from finished. Our stories, the ones that we create, that we live, that we shape, often feel like we’re the clay and others are the artist. Most days we confide in the wavering truth of the world to guide us, seeking validation. Lost is how we feel — unsure of who we’re becoming. We’re constantly trying to find hope and a future through the lens of our past, to connect the dots between everything that we’ve been through and everything that’s to come. Confused is how we feel. We lie in the presence of blank pages for peace in hopes that we can start over. We sit in the chaos of our thoughts, searching for the key to clarity. “Who am I?” is what we ask. Faced with fear, we underestimate our potential to grow. Reminding ourselves of everything we didn’t do, everything we could’ve done, regret fills our hearts about everything that we should’ve done. Then the truth reveals itself about the way of life. The reality is that life doesn’t come with an eraser or a map to show us where to turn, but still our hope for the future lies in the lessons we choose to learn.
Cierra Everett Is a fourth-year Psychology major. (NABJ’s Programs Coordinator) CE981959@wcupa.edu