Originally posted March 2019
I find these truths to be self-evident. A child cannot continuously make the decisions a man would without creating chaotic consequences. This does not excuse the actions or the ignorance, yet confirms my explanations of the reasons for those actions. I seek not atonement from any sin I was guilty of. There is no retribution that can be paid beyond the suffering I have caused to known and unknown victims of my actions. I pay daily, hourly, and by the second of my existence for the crimes I committed. I sought not freedom alone but liberation from an immature mental state. A man has risen from the ashes of these laborious times, with its unstable demographics, unbalanced environments and its unrealistic ideologies that govern this institutional culture. Realizing one’s follies and working to strengthen the weaknesses that birth the opportunities for these mistakes define this man. I have found that my actions are the only evidence needed to judge me by. Regardless of how I define myself, if my actions do not coincide with the definition of a man, then I remain a pariah to society. I am to blame if I do not succeed in life or take those around me to a higher state of being. This is my promise to myself, this is my guarantee to those I love and who love me. No longer will they have to suffer the impact of explosions from adolescent vision, when immature thoughts trigger catastrophic situations forgotten loved ones are left to struggle through alone. Immature ideals are as deadly as weapons of mass destruction. Our ignorance and our willingness to resign hold us accountable for the welfare, mental health, poverty, and deterioration of our environments. Only through knowledge and righteous endeavors can I give my family what they deserve in life. I will not accept excuses to failure, will not indulge in chaos, nor will I allow anyone to jeopardize my freedom or the growth of my family. If an individual chooses to remain stagnant in his/her lifestyle, they will face the consequences of those choices alone.
Do not believe that I ask you to see the world as I do. My perspectives are muddled and harsh due to my past experiences. Yet, I do ask you to want to grow and to develop. I do ask you to learn to live and to appreciate life. And while these things are being thought of, being accepted, be warned that with knowledge come responsibilities and obligations that must be fulfilled. Know this: Enoch’s’ Redemption is not the ending of a tragic tale but the beginning of a new way to perceive and live life. This mindset, this growth, is not just for my benefit, but also for all those I love and for all those things that are important to me: God, family, friends, identity and our culture. Has this objective become self-evident? Do you seek redemption? From what?
