June 21, 2005

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  Believe

  
  
  
  

  I have spent the last weekend with my sister and the rest of the family, and since last week there has been this amazing aura around the whole of us.  It's not unexplainable.  This Wednesday I saw my niece graduate and its an amazing event to watch.  To see someone who means so much to you reach their goal. It's breathtaking!  To know that this young woman is now even closer to reaching her dreams.  My sister has always been an achiever, out of all of us she was the best when it came to education, its no mistake I ended up in I.T. as it was the only thing I was good at, make no mistake, double F in Geography, so pray I never have to guide you anywhere or we will never get there.  Back to my sister, she was always the one who got the honors, and the predictable Valedictorian, so to see my niece achieve the same is no surprise to me.  What was a surprise to me was the pride and the sheer happiness that I felt watching her up there receive what she had worked so hard for.  I rarely talk about my niece because she holds a special place in my heart.  She is the bridge between my sister and I, through her I am able to be closer to my sister in my own way.  We understand each other even though I never had the pleasure of really seeing her grow up and since she is in effect the only one, it was something I always wish I could turn back, but I am lucky for now I get to watch from the front while she becomes the strong intelligent woman I always knew she would be. 

  
  

  I guess watching her up there reminded me of the time when she would stay awake for hours to complete her work, the days when she would be falling asleep yet she would keep going, only to wake up early to go to school the next day.  The days when even if she was ill she would go to school because it was too important to her.  Someone very wise once told me, "Personality is only a fraction, the rest of who you are is based on the foundation that your parent/s build within you."  I finally understood what my sister was trying to tell me.  No matter who your child is, if you plant a strong and resilient seed within them, it will flourish into something most wonderful. 

  
  

  You know someone is extra ordinary when even at a young age they teach you about yourself and they lead by example even to those older than they are.  There are days when I hear things from my niece that hit me like a freight train. She once told me "I told my friend I don't need a boyfriend because I have so many people who love me"  Within that sentence lies knowledge so profound.  It is true that if as children we are secured in our environment and we are loved, as in truly loved, we will never put up with anything less than what we have known to be the standard in our homes.   This young woman who is 11 years younger than me, who I can to this very day still remember holding in my arms as a tiny baby, is now wiser and more emotionally secure than I ever was at her age. 

  
  

  So what have I learned from all this.  Work hard and believe in what you can do.  Never give up and keep going, Whether its in something so small or something big.  Quitters never achieve anything, for they give up too easily.   I know also that some of us are luckier than most, with strong foundations in their lives from their parents, but once you decide that if you have no one to hold you up, so you will hold yourself up, stand tall and keep working towards that dream.  Know that within you lies all that you need to achieve anything that you set your mind to.  Age, sex, race and size has no bearing on achievement, its limitless and it depends only on your determination.  Kick your fears aside and remember that you can be whatever you want to be.  Anything! Get pass the sky and know that the universe is the limit.

  
  

  So to my niece Hazel for graduating and for reminding me that anything is possible in this world if you work hard.  Congratulations Bey! You are and always will be the best niece I could ever wish for.  I am so proud of you Kep!

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