How I learned to be grateful

I'm standing outside of a meeting a few feet from my moped. A pretty girl and a young guy are outside too. The young guy (I'm guessing to impress the pretty girl) starts making fun of whoever rides that moped. I informed him that it was mine in sort of a negative way. I'll leave it at that. He apologized and all but man that messed with me.

I think of all that I've accomplished in my life but took for granted. I used to own a home, now I rent a studio. I used to drive a luxury car, now I ride a moped. I used to make 70k a year working only 20 hours a week, now I don't make half that and I work 40.

So I thought about this in the meeting. How I brag on Facebook about my studio, I used to complain about how small the house I owned was. I was so excited about getting my moped, the luxury car was never good enough for me at the time either. I'm proud of the factory job where I'm not even really employed yet. I'm still temporary hoping and praying I get hired permanent. When I was the most sought after salesman in Wichita by all the home security companies I never even appreciated it.

So I was sitting there thinking to myself how foolish I am for getting so excited about the meager things I have now, that young kids who have a little more make fun of. Then it dawned on me. I know what its like to have it all and lose it. I know what it's like to be owned by the state. State Property my name wasn't Jack my name was Inmate 86650. I didn't own my own body. I've been all the way to nothing and back.

So I'll never take for granted anything that I have today, ever again. I am proud of this ghetto studio LOL cause it's not a cell! Thank God for my moped I love it and her name is Baby Girl. I didn't name my luxury car cause I didn't need it like I need this bike. If this job does hire me they will not regret it because I am the cream. Not because I'm special but because I will be that employee that is grateful for more than just the money they pay but for the opportunity they gave an ex-convict, ex dope dealing dope fiend to be a man again.

So I'll let the young kid be a kid and I pray that he never gets to learn the lessons I did.