Many times my journey is challenging. I am instructing people how to have a better life while continuing to fight my own self-worth battles. There was one particular issue that annoyed me the most this week. An individual continued to use a vernacular conducive to having more experience than me. At one point, I presumed that it may not have been the intent. However, when the person began to disregard others blatantly, it was apparent that it was a mission of intent. Therefore, my perception again was one that I called discernment.
Coming from a place in my journey, people with an extensive education were often shunned because they were considered nerds or their vocabulary was shunned; many would take what they had to get what they required rather it was for illegal purposes or selfish reasons. I wanted to go backward and call her out on her bullshit tactics. I saw the frivolous tactics of down-talking or using your degrees to make others feel less than others. I began to understand precisely why I needed to be in that room. It was my duty to represent those who had no voice, those who I left behind, who did not have the education or the big words, and who would walk away and not change a thing because they felt they did not fit. Those who would walk away if it was not for people like me who represent people like them. I had to remember that hurt people hurt people. Keep your head higher; they would love to see you fail.