The Evils
Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes
Whenever you strike out on your own there will be people who say probably the most horrible shit you’ll ever hear. I know when I left I had my own sister hold my hand and tell me I’m making a horrible mistake. Out of all the people who shitted on me on my way to the Empire she hurt me the most. My brothers I said fvck’em old cowards and my mother I just thought she don’t know what this world is about. But, my sister who knew me very well had me second guessing for days as I drove on the 10fwy to the 40fwy and finally to Baltimore. She cut me deep.
Now fastforward some years and the next generation of Freeman’s are about to take on the world. My cousin who is 21 got up and moved from the Bay to Vegas with some friends. Now I’m thinking she better not be out there prostituting or stripping as the only devils that live in Vegas are feins. My nephew and I are definitely into his feeling himself phase where everything we talk about seems to be worth fighting over. I can’t knock it though as I prefer aggression over passiveness any day. But, nonetheless he’s in full asshole mode.
Now I sit back and think damn why do I think so negatively about where they are going in life. It’s like I’m worried they aren’t prepared but shit I was there when they came up and I know they can maneuver like me if not better. I could be sitting with cats with a Key and I was like where’s the nachos. I had cats around me with militia artillery and was cracking on them like they were punks. I mean if I could survive the evils why can’t my kin who come after me.
So this time instead of being a asshole I’ve been the other way. I tell them all they are going to make it but be ready to adjust to what life throws your way. I tell my girl cousin to not depend on any Man at this age because none of them are serious and if they are they’ll be it at 25. I tell my nephew it’s his time to be his own man and to no longer be beneath us but beside us. I tell him until he produces he’ll always be thought of as kid.
I just decided I wasn’t going to worry about the evils as they are wise enough to avoid them, strong enough to endure and smart enough to outsmart them. Now I would be lying if I didn’t sit here thinking about what else might come their way. But, I decided I won’t be the kind in the family that discourages you and makes you second guess yourself. I decided to be the kind of family that encourages and let’s you know if you need my help just call and we’ll get through it. In the end they come from me and my family blood line so if the majority of us are tough enough then they should be too.
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Ah, this one hits home, real deep.
Worrying about your people is one thing, bringing them down is another.
It’s great that you been involved in training your family this way. Its a lesson for the rest of us who fought or are fighting the same discouragement not to bring crap to the table with the younger generation coming up after us, but to arm them with the skills and knowledge to hold their own and conquer when their time comes!
Thanks for sharing Freeman, this one to me is real personal!
Was told by family its because they still think of you as a child. Like they are worried something will happen to you because you want to play 2 blocks over and not in front of the house where they can see you.
They are scared you can’t fend for yourself so they try to tear you down to prevent you from going out into this world.
Hell, when I told my family I was charging businesses to put flyers on cars on the weekends at the local malls, to make extra change, they started talking about what if someone’s car alarm went off and I was arrested by the cops for car burglary or if someone saw me by their car and pulled out a gun and shot me.
They are just putting their own fears on you.
I feel you. Fam can be your friend and your enemy. I don’t expect them to help me in my goals, so it’s all good. Black families..hate hard on cats not doing the status quo. I still love them though. Having a wealthy relative will make the family reunion interesting. lol.
@Reader – Well it crossed my mind yesterday so I made it a post. I was thinking about how I felt when I took off and how I was thinking everyone thought I wasn’t smart enough. All this second guessing something I knew I would bring into being. I just decided I wasn’t going to continue that line of thinking. So Viola this post.
@JGalt – True they were putting their fears on me but as a teenager I didn’t have the wisdom to understand it. So I wanted to make sure I don’t say anything like that to anyone in my family. Rather just make sure they are prepared as much as possible and leave a open line for them to call for advice if need be.
@AH – I think it’s a non race issue as anyone who doesn’t follow the plan usually gets it somehow someway. When you make it it’ll make it easier for those who come after you. Even right now my family gives my next of kin a pass because they cite me as proof that it’s possible.
Not to get off topic, but about your nephew. I remember being his age and not fully understanding the game. My pops had a furniture store with a couple apartment rooms above it. He tried to put me up on game like “Hey Kozi if you can get you an HVAC cert I can give you the business and the properties I have” Me trying to be an undecided college major should have listened to him and I might have been able to take his business and help expand it. Hey may be hard headed now but I think he is going to get the game, hopefully it wont be too late because Im suffering from bad past decisions currently but we live and we learn to earn!
He actually isn’t that bad of a kid just wants to somewhat prove me wrong in the application of the game. Each man determines the world they want to live in and sooner or later falls back to game someone put them on to a while ago.
Youngins want to fight instead of build as it’s their nature. I was no different so I can’t knock him as my older brother used to school me to all kinds of ways to see the world. Luckily I took my shot on my own angle and it paid off.
It’s his time now for sure. So I don’t feel he is disrespecting me at all. I more feel like he is saying he had enough theory and he needs to apply the knowledge with his own angle to it. So to me it’s a sign to fallback more than anything else.
So I have and will and now we just chop it up regular like two men. We still talk business ideas but this time it’s not in a teaching way but more in a exploratory way. So the relationship is changing but it had to as he’s not a kid anymore.
My family really didn’t discourage me per say..but they definitely made it known that they were more than displeased with me not finishing college. I come from a line of college grads, counselors, professors, teachers, deans, and pres of colleges and every damn time we are all around each other they gotsta bring up how “Pooh” didn’t finish college and had a full academic ride. So the fvck what!! I know a bang of peeps who finished..got one and two degrees and ain’t doing spit. Now in NO way am I telling ppl not to go to college..its not for everyone. I just knew deep down in my bones that I was meant for entreprenuership. I never wanted to work for someone else at a desk all day leaving unfufilled and depressed. Screw that…I wanted freedom! Now what I do ain’t total freedom but its hella close and I’m dang sure working to get there. I said all that to say…if u believe in your heart that what u want to do is for u and u will be successful at it….then damn what anybody else say. When u blow up..u can say “nah u wasn’t with me shooting in the gym” LOL
Well they laid the road out for you and you decided to walk away. In your case disappointment and constant condescension are the tactics used. But, for anyone who knows who they are early they will blaze a different path. You saw something they didn’t see OR you saw how they had to get it and you couldn’t live that way. Either way you’re going to make your angle pay so in the end they won’t have anything to say.
Just do your thing and lead. Most will eventually see your leadership. Some will somehow ask for advice. Others will just wait for you to fail…until their last breath. Not your problem, though. It’s theirs.
Tpackage
I’m with you totally! I’m not in the building stage and my self esteem is in tact. So I don’t see hate I just see the lost. They were nobody before I ever knew them and they will easily return back to nobody as I pass through on my way to the empire.
For the youngins they tie who they are into what they do. As you become seasoned I’m still the King and what I do is build empires.