"We Beat the Street" Cont.

I am still reading "We Beat the Street"; a story about three, African American men from a rough neighborhood who grew up to become Doctors. So far, what I am loving about this book, along with "Wonder", is the different perspectives and different accounts the book gives across the line. I feel that I am personally getting to know each man as boys, to teenagers, to young adults, all the way up to their lives now. For me, this is a unique way of getting invested in each character. I truly cannot imagine having to live in some of the conditions of these young men. Here is an excerpt from one of the Doctors as he reflects on his youth:

"You learned to grow up quickly around the Dayton Street Projects, where I lived when I was a boy. It was necessary to prove how tough you were, especially in the eyes of older boys. Hanging out with the older boys was always cool, and I loved being a part of that group, even though it sometimes got me in trouble."

I feel as though, through this account, that we can gain a glimpse into the lives of these boys' upbringing and how it truly influenced who they are today.

The lesson I feel that I am learning this week is this: Life has a way of giving you many experiences. These experiences can either make you or break you but ultimately, the choice is always yours. I have more reasons than I can count to not work, or go to school, or try to better myself; but for each reason I have against me, there are two more that I have the power to turn in my favor.

These men were taught many hard lessons along the way and developed a variety of experiences. The beauty in this story is that instead of letting the negative control them, they took coal and made it into diamonds. In the end, I feel their message is loud and clear. Make no excuses, anything is possible, and success begins within.