Tough Enough!



Credit: wwe.com

Hi, Everyone!

Before I begin with today’s blog post, I want to wish a Happy 49^th birthday to my eldest uncle, Anthony Thomas Jones. I trust that Auntie Stephie and Cousin Candace treat you someplace, Uncle Tony—love ya lots!

 

So, this afternoon in the cafeteria, I was chattin’ it up with Ruby and Theo about our dreams and goals. Y’all already know that I’m studying to be a teacher, but I never told y’all (until now) that Ruby is studying business administration with an emphasis in business management, and Theo is studying broadcast journalism. In the midst of our conversation, Ruby brought up Season One of a reality show called Tough Enough, where these young kids wanted to be future wrestlers. In the first fifteen minutes of the show, some quit because they were only in it for the bright lights and the roar of the crowd. Ruby then asked a damn good question:

“Are y’all tough enough to stick with your major?”

 

While Theo boldly declared that he knew he had the passion, the drive, and the charisma to be a broadcast journalist, I thought about how my Grampa Clark didn’t see his dream come true until he was 43 years old, yet he still had a desire for teaching. As a matter of fact, Grampa Clark taught Sunday School, Bible Study, and Vacation Bible School until he finally became a kindergarten teacher. Suddenly, a smile ran across my face—I pretended that Ruby and Theo were rowdy children, and I just stood up and said: “Campbell! Hudspeth! Hush up all that talkin’!”

 

Believe it or not, Ruby and Theo both sat up straight and looked at me with such attentiveness, and then Ruby raised her hand. I decided to play along, so I acknowledged her. Ruby pointed at me and said, “Miss Stewart, pardon my language, but you are damn sure tough enough to be a kindergarten teacher.”

 

“Amen!” Theo declared, only to give me an expression where he realized that he was “talking out of turn.”

 

I want to state for the record that Ruby, Theo, and I do not plan on becoming professional wrestlers anytime soon, but when it comes to being the best journalists, entrepreneurs, and teachers that we can be, we do have the drive and the passion. We both agreed that if we do not have the desire to reach our dreams and goals, then obviously we’re in the wrong damn field.

 

As I close today’s blog post, I just want to say: Yes, I am indeed tough enough!


Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha