Are We Identical?

 

So, are we identical?

We can’t be.

When I see myself, I see a great man in the making.

I see a hard-working brother who is striving for great things.

I made a few mistakes cause I’m still finding out who I am,

But I continue to push forward cause being a mistake is not all that I am.

So, are we identical?

We can’t be.

Cause when I look at you, I see a lost boy crying for help.

Why you always walking around with your head down.

You better keep it up because you might trip on your next step.

And all those mistakes you made, man its written all over your face.

Don’t even think about moving on from your past.

You left that girl, now your lonely, man you’re a disgrace.

So, are we identical?

We can’t be.

I’ve earned my respect. Yeah, I work hard for it.

I’ve been working with my father when I was young, the age I don’t even remember.

From washing clothes to washing dishes,

From mowing the grass in the summer,

To raking the leaves in November.

“Hard-work pays off, Stay Strong-Stay Focus Son”

Just a few thoughts from my father, that I could remember.

Are we identical?

Nahh, we can’t be.

Cause your father passed away before you even became a man.

I remember your pops was gone in the military for a season.

Where was your guidance?

I think you were 16, a junior in high school,

When you thought, you were cool.

I would just sit back and watch and be like “damn, look at this fool.”

“He over there trying to be the man,”

But that wasn’t the man that your father raised.

“Stand up and take a stand young brother!

Be all the man that your father & mother prayed for you to be.

Be encouraged young king. You can & will achieve ANYTHING!”

Because I wasn’t perfect either.

Unfortunately, I got caught stealing from the Air Force Base my 1st year in college.

Went to jail for the night, I lacked judgment & knowledge.

I had to find out who I was & accept the fact that,

I am a KING in the making who loves the Most High,

Then myself,

Then my family,

Then everyone else

Cause how can you truly love anyone else if you don’t love yourself?

So, are we identical?

Nahh, we can’t be.

I just don’t understand how you feel that you are exactly like ME

You’re lazy, a procrastinator, you wait till the last minute to get things accomplished

So many great ideas!. But nothing you say actually prospers

So now, you look in the mirror and ask YOURSELF,

Are we identical?

You know we can’t be!

Aint no way as I look in the mirror, as I see myself, while I’m looking at you that we can actually be identical…….

Damn….we are identical

As I reflect on about this poem, I was trying to describe two different people,

Only to realize that I was describing…..myself

My strengths, my weaknesses

My accomplishments & when I’m most defeated

Only to accept the fact that this is WHO I AM

I’m not perfect, I will never strive for that

The decisions that I have made, have brought me to where I am at

I am Austin M. James

The man standing in the mirror

Seeking & Finding Thyself, I’m beginning to see myself clearer

The fog is beginning to separate from the glass

And as I reflect on my identical self, the man that I see, I can honestly say that I am glad

So are we identical?

That’s the question I need to know

Are we identical?

My reflection honestly shows that

I am identical

Yes, I am identical to the man I am coming to be

Picture Challenge: Silence

Silence

Since the beginning of this year, I wanted my students to create a personal blog so they can have an outlet to express themselves whenever they feel the need too.

Instead of using Facebook or Instagram, I wanted my students to use another platform where they can create something from scratch. This gives our youth a chance to use their creativity in a positive way.

So for today’s lesson, I used the Picture Challenge: Silence and allowed my students to take pictures of whatever they felt the word meant to them.

These are a few examples of the pictures my students took.

I will not take any credit for these photos at all.

I hope you all enjoy!

Library
Courtyard
Hall Way
Football Stadium

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

I just want to say Thank You for all the wonderful things you have done for me

There were a lot of things in life that I never deserved

But You still blessed me with everything I have, You did it all for me

I just want to say Thank You for my life health and strength

I’m saying Thank You because You always gave me another chance again

When I messed up again and again and again so many times before

You still gave me one more chance just when I thought You wouldn’t give me any more

I Thank You for just waking me up this morning, tomorrow isn’t promise for no man so that’s why I have to praise You every morning

From sun up to sun down I need to let your light shine through me

So everyone can understand why I just Thank You because you set me free!

I see the world different now than how I did before

I Thank You for bringing me through my past, I can’t go back to that life anymore

I Thank You for blessing me with the two best parents in the world

Even though my father passed away, I just Thank You for letting Your will be done

Through him so now he can just rest and praise You

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

For being there for me when no one else would

Only by myself with no one to talk too

Except You because now I see that You were always right beside me

I would hear voices in my head look around and wonder who is calling me?

It was You all along and I Thank You for that!

I Thank You for the encouraging words because I needed that the most

I was scared to continue on with my life but I Thank You for never letting me go

I shouldn’t be here right now, You saved my life countless times

I Thank You because You were never late saving me, You was always there right on time

And even after I see all the great things You’ve done for me

I sit back and end up doing the same things because living wrong is easy as 1, 2, 3

But some odd reason You always forgave me You giving me a second chance

And I Thank You for that because the first chance could had been my last chance

I can go on forever on why all the glory honor and praises belong to you

so I will end this poem by just saying

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

One Word Prompt Exercise: Shock

Shock

She said, “You made a mistake and you will never find anything or anyone better coming your way.”

I laughed cause I know that NO ONE can or will determine your path.

You see the God in ME has already shown me that I will be GREAT!

And ending this relationship just shown me that we are heading two different ways.

NO ONE can hold ANYONE down.

On this journey called life, you need to find yourself, take a step back and look around

and see that….

We are already GREAT!

I’m a living, breathing, God-fearing black man with two (2) college degrees living out my passion by challenging and uplifting my kids, I mean my students, I mean OUR future

To become bigger, better, and stronger than the man that I am.

You can’t push a KING down.

I’m striding thru my journey to take a seat on the throne with my queen on the side raising my young prince and princess at home.

I’m taking to every young boy & girl.

No more settling.

If someone is trying to keep you down,

Use that same energy and begin to turn your life around.

Don’t be shocked when the enemy comes around.

He already knows how great you are and how great you are going to be.

So he wants to destroy you right now

So just keep your head to the sky and don’t be shocked when those blessings begin to come around.

The Truth

Earlier today we were on the phone talking, discussing the importance of being spiritually connected with one another

The discussion led to disagreements about each other beliefs, the fact that its hard to see is cause we love one another

But one thing that you said that really caught my attention that I have to agree is the fact I don’t know who I am.

You are correct. I don’t know.

I’ve been suffering from self-identity since I can remember. I don’t know if it was when I was molested when I was young that got me tripping.

Trying to find some answers to some questions that I have mistaken.

I don’t know who I am and it hurts to admit that

I feel that I’m bipolar at times cause one-minute I’m saying this but then my actions show I meaning that

And its confusing at times cause I don’t know when to wear the different hats

I have created for myself to find acceptance for myself.

I say I don’t want to be popular but I’m always the first to talk to a group

I say I’m humble at times but when “Jax” comes out oh boy that’s the truth

so in order to figure out who I am, first I have to consider the facts

I’m a young black male, with a college degree living in Amerikkka.

That’s a known fact,

so that means I’m a threat to this society with a big target on my back.

I was born to two parents and my father passed away and that hurts cause I looked up to him for my guidance and my direction to figure out who I am not.

I know I want to change the world and music is the way to do it.

Exactly how am I’m going to achieve that? Well, that’s why I came to Full Sail to pursue it.

I know I’m spiritually disconnected and finding out the truth is what I want to do.

So far it’s been great and other times its been really confusing.

If somebody asks me, who is “Austin M. James”, I can tell them some things today but next week those things may change.

I’m on a personal journey to finally answer my own questions, the truth is what I’m seeking.

I think when I continue to say I’m looking for “truth”, deep down inside of me is what I really am meaning.

One Word Prompt Exercise: Loophole

Loophole

There are many ways to get her.

And at times its only one thing I want from her.

Something that’s inside, oh I know she will be surpirse that once I get it

She’ll be on my mind all the time.

You see I’m diggin her.

Climing thru these loopholes to reach her

To touch her, treat her like a queen queen

Climbing thru these loopholes to show her I can be her kingking-crown-clipart-dT8gEKGTe.png

I don’t break the code for anyone

But I feel like its a spell or something

Cause now I’m breaking all the rules am I the fool?

Just to come drowing in her pooldcli

of love, I can’t even consintrate anymore

I guess I am falling in love

Reaching thru these loopholes in order to show her that I’m all for her.

As I sit back and watch everyone put their BEST picture of their life on social media, I always wonder why not show the WORST?

Image, perception and what others may think of them are some reason what I think

So in order to change things, sometimes you need to be the FIRST.

In December 2016, I lost a child before birth.

I isolated myself from everyone cause I was hurt.

I allowed a woman to come in my life and I gave her my all cause I didn’t love ME as much as I loved her.

Asked her to be my wife on June 3rd, 2017.

The relationship didn’t even make it to 2018.

I’m not saying you should feel bad for me.

I don’t even want any likes.

Maybe I’m just trying to stress to you, with EVERYTHING that you’re going thru, it’s going to be alright.

So smile thru it all, change is going to come.

Smile thru all the storms, whether it’s rain, hail, or snow.

Smile when no one is looking when you want to cry yourself to sleep.

Smile with your head up high, knowing that God will supply all of your needs.

So just smile. =)

smile