The Russell Effect

I now understand how powerful the mind is and how we can manifest thoughts and energy that play a major part in our everyday life. How easy it is to tap into a frequency and not realize you’re there. We see many people everyday who are living according to their feelings and beliefs that has manifested into a way of life. Sometimes it’s hard to see the reflection of yourself. We become blind to who we really are. I’ve learned that most things I dislike about others are things I do myself. I am always searching for truth, redemption and salvation. I’ve also learned every time I think about who I am I take a step in the right direction. This means I have to focus on my past and learn from it. The fears and challenges of being the best person I can be, but I can’t truly focus on being the best me without truly focusing on things that has happen to me, and having to admit to myself that something or someone got the best of me. No story of mine is as significant as my beef with a childhood enemy RUSSELL!

My brother and I were at Burger King located at the end of my block. Now if you had enemies in the neighborhood nine times out of ten you would run into them at Burger King, Harold’s Chicken or McDonald’s. Russell and a few of his friends pull up in a car. He walks up to me and swings! I swing back! One of his friends gets behind me. Now I didn’t think anything of it until I felt a fist hit me from behind. There was a sharp pain in my neck and my entire body went numb. My brother pushes him and says, “Let them fight one on one.” At that time another car pulls up with Russell friends and before I knew it I was being hit from all directions. I began to swing wildly to get myself out the circle. If I trip and fall I will be stomped. So I swing! Swing! Boom! Hitting two or three of em in front of me. As soon as I saw an opening I ran and two of em chased me. At this point I’m little dizzy and apparently not running fast enough because they catch me in the alley. Boom! I hit em and started to run a little faster. I got tired really fast. I was out of breath and my mouth was dry. I approached my house. SHIT! Where is my brother? I enter the back door of my house and grab my sawed-off shotgun and then ran out the front door. When I step outside there’s kids playing everywhere. All the neighbors are outside. My sister runs behind me to stop me. Then I see my brother, but they had jumped him for trying to help me.

For years one thought clouded my mind, “If I ever see Russell l I’m going to kick his ass.” Now I’ve had this thought for about twenty years. Russell was my nemesis. We fought a few times in high school and he was coward. The type of guy who didn’t go anywhere without his boys. One day I was on my way to the park and I seen Russell coming out the store. He didn’t see me right way. I waited for a second because I knew he was never by himself. I zoned in on him and said,“What’s up, Nigga!” He looked. ‘Yeah what’s up now Nigga!” He seemed scared. “Yeah nigga I got yo ass.” Russell stops looking at me and started looking down the block. Oh snap! There go his crew. Turns out he was the last one to leave out the store so he trotted to them before I could get to him and the tables turned.

Russell began to call his boys. I had to make a run for it. The Burger King incident played out in my mind. I went from bad ass to the running man! I thought I had him. It was nothing scary about Russell he was a punk.But he always had an advantage over me. He was never by himself. Ever! I was always by myself. This will play out for years. One day I made a promise to myself that no matter when or where if I ever catch Russell by himself he would have to fight me. I manifested this anger that lasted for years. I can honestly say I just let the anger go maybe a few years ago. Russell was my nemesis. He always got the best of me. Even though I was now living in the South and left him behind in Chicago I still had thoughts of running into him and kicking his ass. That’s how serious it was for me.

One day I woke up and literally said, “Fuck Russell!” then rolled over and went back to sleep. That was it, at that moment I let the anger go. But I’ve spent the last year trying to figure out how to write about it and what would be the purpose behind it. It took me so many years to let that anger go, but I learned something more important:Never give your emotions away to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Learn when to respond and when to react.

I wanted to be a different person. I am who I am today because I made choices. I was different person in my past. It’s like living in a book going from one chapter to the next. Never knowing where the story is going or how it’s going to end. I was the quiet boy in the beginning, trying to be like everyone else. I didn’t have a voice. I didn’t know how to be accepted. I learned quickly how to be unaccepted and that’s when I found my voice. I’m at the age now where I understand we can manifest thoughts that guide us to who we are, but sometimes our imperfections get in our way. We have to break down every page in the chapter and read every word and correct every typo.

The Point ↓

The truth is the first time I had an argument with Russell we were in class. I was a freshmen and he was a sophomore. I could have beaten his ass that day because that was the only day the opportunity presented itself and I didn’t do it. Russell was never alone after that. Until this day I don’t give anyone a second chance to do me wrong. Sometimes it works in my favor, sometimes it doesn’t, but the cool thing is that I can choose to change. My life has helped me manifest great vision and blessings. I can assure you it’s never too late for YOU to get started.