Don't miss your calling......

I never had a true understanding of the meaning of this phrase until I was an adult. I always felt like it was an adults way of forcing their expectations on you.

"Oh chile you so smart, you should go to law school. You know you don't want to miss your calling."

Law school wasn't my calling. Medical school was not my calling either. Even though at an early age I wanted to go into sports medicine. That was until I got a "D" in Biology and failed Math my freshman year in college. So was I missing my calling because I was drinking too much and having the best time of my life? Naw, because I still graduated on time and that Biology just did not keep my interest. I wasn't passionate about it or anything for that matter. At that point in my life at 17, people had told me twice not to miss my calling. And of course I brushed it completely off and paid those two men no mind. But now that I look back, they saw something in me that I had no idea was there.

The first man was my summer school teacher. He was a really goofy man who was suppose to be teaching government, but I learned more about vigilante justice than anything. He asked us to write a paper about vigilante justice. I wrote an elaborate story about my sister being raped and my father killing the men that did it. (I see you John Gresham a la A Time to Kill) My goofy teacher actually believed it to be real and said to me, "you are a great writer, please don't miss your calling." Humpff, whatever dude. I was on my way to being the LA Lakers team doctor, writing is not for me.

The second man was a man of God who worked with me at the city's summer recreation program for kids 5 to 11. i only took the job to see if I could stand kids. I knew I wanted to have them, but I had no patience with my little cousins ( I love you Stacey, Erika, Donte and LJ). Well I was having a time with the kids, but when I spoke to them in a certain manner they always listened. It was really neat to see them learn something new from what I was saying. And one day during one of my moments with the kids, my co worker turned to me and said, "they really listen to what you say and take well to you speak with them, don't miss your calling. Have you ever thought about ministering or counseling people?" This time I look at him strangely. Why the awkward glance? Because I had just changed my major to Psychology. So now I was spooked.

After those two incidents, I never thought about my calling until last night. As most of you know, I am an academic advisor at a small school in ATL, who is an aspiring writer. I ran into one of my students on my way to the car and she looked a little frazzled. I knew that recently she had some serious life changes and it looked as if it had taken its toll on her. So instead of rushing home, I stopped her and asked how she was doing. What happened then was something that did not come from me, but from a higher power. Most people when they are stressed just want comforting words of encouragement. And I stood in the cold and was able to do that for that student. And when I walked away, you know what I heard?

"Don't miss your calling"

I smiled and I looked up and I said, "I didn't."

I was inspired to write this blog based on that one moment in time. You never know who God puts in your path and why, but don't brush off what people say. Sometimes we don't have that type of vision to seewhat potential you have. Those men pinpointed some things in me that are the focal points of my life right now. It took me a while to get here but I am glad to know I did not miss it.