Educate yourselvez

When I speak of education, it doezn't alwayz mean book smartz. It also meanz educate yourself on life and where u fit in at. Educate ur mind to understand who u are and what ur about. See everyday I'm discovering new thingz about myself. But for the most part be open to the search. Most of all become open to the change in life. Thiz waz brought upon by a conversation i had with two yung dudez who were middle school age. So caught up in hood life, thinkin they're in the know. But through the conversation I enlightened them on the drama they seek and all of the fallen soliderz they glorify. How quick they're ready to protect the honor of someone they've never even met. Man I shake my head at timez when I look at how the New Haven Streetz misleadz theze yung kidz into beleaving in thiz hood nonsense. Almost had me at one point. One of the young men asked me, waz I known in my neighborhood? I smiled and said to him "I chooze not to be known, just seen." You should have seen hiz reaction. Becauze in the Elm city, having your name known and recognized in the streetz iz everybodiez dream. But after you've put in the work, shot people, robbed people, sold drugz, and you get my age, you come to realize that it all wazn't worth it. The danger u placed your family under wazn't worth it. Looking over ur shoulder, wazn't worth it. Watching them carrying ur best friendz casket, wazn't worth it. seeing hiz mother give up all hope and dying a few weekz after him wazn't worth it. Most guyz who get my age finally come to gripz with that. And they go on to make better livez for themselvez. But it all startz with educating urself, to know ur limitz, sso u won't be mislead.