My inspiration to keep going was the look on my mom’s face as I took my college graduation photos back in the early 1990’s. Her eyes sparkled then as she told me how proud she was that I graduated. I never forgot her eyes and her smile, and when life would get rough for me in my early years of teaching, I would remember that I owed it to her to stick and stay, to take the lessons forward and leave the guilt behind, as she did in working to raise me.
When I graduated with my Master’s degree a few years ago, she had the same look of pride in her eyes, and I knew that redemption was mine. I knew what she sacrificed to pour into me, and I knew that I couldn’t continue to make excuses. Life was all about living, learning and producing from there. I took the pride in her eyes, my faith in God and the lessons of my trials, and surged forward into a career that embraces all of me.
Every time I enter my classroom, I remember my journey and the choices I made that led me astray. I remember God showing me how to forgive myself, dust myself off, and try again. I let go of the shame and embarrassment of messing up, and reminded myself that I was not the mistake; I was the lesson learned. I then remember that God helped me get it back together, and with God’s help, I would continue to stand tall and live the dream out. I also remember my mother’s pride and her knowing glances. She knew that if I had the courage to live out the lessons, that I would travel far and fly high. The key difference in standing tall and moving forward is releasing the negativity of you past errors, and looking forward to the possibilities of the future. Hold on to memories that pushed you to be your best; reviews what your highs and lows taught you. Forgetting the shame of our mistakes doesn’t mean forgetting the lessons they teach us; the lessons make the load lighter so that we can fly.
Isai Efuru is a 45 year-old writer and pastor who currently ministers in Charlotte, NC. Email her at esihefuru@gmail.com
More article by Isai Efuru
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Dream Big And Watch It Take Shape
The Lesson Learned was originally published on praisecharlotte.com
