Life as we know it

Life As We Know it.

            “I’ve had some good days; I’ve had some hills to climb. I’ve had some weary days, and some sleepless nights, but when I look around, and I think things over, all of my good days out weigh my bad days, and I won’t complain”. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother used to always make try and make me sing this song to her. She would say “Rambo” (as only she could say) “come here and sing me this song”. Being a child growing up in the slums of our nation’s capital, the last thing I wanted to do was be in the house singing a song; especially when I could hear all my cousins outside running around, and playing games. Frustrated, I would sigh, “grandma I want to go outside” then she would let me go. Never letting up, at every family function, or at every one of her birthday celebrations, she would ask me to sing this song. Most times, I tried to sing the song, (mostly because I didn’t have much of a choice) but the song be written in a key too high for my screeching voice to reach, I would get upset and storm out as soon as I was done. I never under stood why of all the songs in the world to choose from, she always wanted me to sing this one.

            I was already a troubled youth. Watching my dad in his drunken mess, whip and beat my mom, I became angry. I remember one day my brother sister and I were all laying in the bed with my mom, my dad comes in and immediately kicks me off of the bed. Crying, I left the room and proceeded to the kitchen. My mom came in after me, and he after her. I grabbed the broom and began to lay the body of the plastic wrapped metal body of the broom, to my stumbling drunk dads head. Afraid that he would hurt me, my mother sent me to live with my grandmother. I love my grandmother dearly. People from the neighborhood would come over all the time, asking for Mama Greene. She would cook dinner for the hungry, provide shelter for the homeless, was a mother to the motherless and prayed for those who need prayer. This woman was truly a gift to us all. Eventually my mother came back into the picture of my life, but growing up with my grandmother, I had already far surpassed my years in wisdom.

            When I moved back in with my mother, it was like turmoil all over again. Now scared and emotionally damaged by my father, she begins to act out. I remember nights of her getting high and drunk, and partying. So I went from living the good life with grandma, to taking care of three kids, myself included. Thankfully, I remembered everything I had already learned from her, and was able to successfully take care of my siblings. Eventually, mom got it together. We began going to church, and developing a spirituality which helped in a lot of areas in our lives. Unfortunately, it didn’t really help with stability. I went to four elementary, three junior high schools, and six high school (five of which were in my senior year). I never really got the chance to build any long lasting relationships, all I knew is that my brother and sister had me, and I had them. At this point, we were living in Chesterfield County Va., a place where we finally thought we could call home. Then all of sudden, our foundation is rocked yet again. My mom tells us that were moving back to D.C... It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, especially since this meant that now I got to see my grandmother more often.

            Just out of high school, I had to watch my mother go through a second divorce, causing us to lose our home. Desperate, with no place to go, we moved in with my grandmother. That was an experience in itself. Children running around all, aunts and uncles loud talking and cursing all the time, and I can remember grand mom, calm in the midst of it all just sitting in her wheel chair, humming the song to herself, “but when I look around, and think things over, I won’t complain”. Tired and unrested from sleeping sitting up at the dinner table because there was no room on the couch or floor for me to sleep, I became frustrated. I counted sixteen people to this three bedroom apartment. Not to mention insects, and roaches. When we finally moved into our own place, it was little better. We moved into a one bedroom apartment, in Landover, where we stayed as I went off to college. The University of The District of Columbia, as the first person in my family to actually go to college, I was more than excited.

            By now I had a job, and thought it was ok to move out. After all, our place had begun to become full, with my mom and her new boyfriend, my pregnant sister and her boyfriend, myself and my brother; we were all right on top of each other. Thus, I moved in with my girlfriend at the time. We then went on to get married. Feeling the pressure and urge to provide for myself and my wife, I dropped out of school and started working full time. I worked from six thirty am, until about five pm... Making great money, and feeling financially stable, we decided it was time we moved into a real apartment. Wow, our first real apartment, stainless steel appliances, island in the kitchen, Jacuzzi style bath tub, vanity mirrors and a washer and dryer in the apartment. We had finally made it. Later that year, we were scammed, for all the money we had in the bank. Devastated we needed to get away, so we came to visit her parents in Philly for the Christmas holiday. Two days later, I get a phone call informing me that my grandmother had passed away. I immediately broke down in tears. Snot running down my nose, my face drenched in a pool of tears, I fell to my knees laid my face on my wife bosom. I had never felt anything like this before, literally my heart was broken and I could physically feel the pain.

            When we returned back to home, I was still in shock. Now preparing for the funeral, I pulled myself together. I knew I had to be strong for my family. Everyone weak, and worn out from the shock and pain. We comforted one another and tried to make the best out of the situation. Despite the pain and hurt I was going through, I volunteered to sing at the funeral. Everyone asked and asked “Ron what are you going to sing?” I never answered them. Finally we get to the ceremony and they are asking if people had anything to say, and everyone had something to say. Then I hear, “were going to ask Brother Ron to come up and render us a selection”. So I swallowed my tears, whipped my face, took a deep breath and shouted with a loud voice “I’ve had some good days, I’ve had some hills to climb; I’ve had some weary days, and some sleepless nights” now with my voice starting shake and tears running down my face, “but when I look around, and I think things over, all of my good days, outweigh my bad days, and I wont complain.”