My summer of adulting

Black Dreams Blue Sky

You know, for most of us adults, life throws these curveballs that make us pause and think, "Wow, this is peak adulthood, isn't it?"

For me, it wasn't the first, second, or even third kid that did it. Nope, it was juggling a new business, being a dad to three kids, holding down a day job, and still trying to be a half-decent husband, uncle, son, cousin, friend, and whatever other hats I’m supposed to wear without losing my mind. Welcome to my summer of adulting!

Sometimes, life hands you a season full of "good problems." Yep, that's what I was dealing with—a buffet of good problems. The catch? You're never quite sure when the not-so-good problems will pop up, so you're always bracing for that rainy day. Well, the rain did come, and surprise, surprise, it sucked, but I wasn't as shattered as I thought I'd be. It was almost like I had life disaster airbags equipped, or more like steady prayer and the comfort of our lord and savior Jesus Christ, who is a much better driver on the road of my life than I am.

I read somewhere that because the average African American faces a certain level of struggle, we're like adversity ninjas, handling tough situations like pros because, well, practice makes perfect. Maybe there's some truth to that; in the struggle, we've found a knack for success and resilience.

The key is to remember that no matter what grown-up mess lands in your lap, plenty of folks are either in the same boat or dealing with even bigger waves. They'll appreciate your empathy and kindness as you navigate life. These silent battles are sometimes why we take that extra-long coffee break, are fashionably late to the office, or have those little moments of unreliability. So, may the struggle keep us all grounded and grateful.