For brothers only - Letters To The Editor

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The column, "New Year, New Goal, New Peace" (Jan. 2003) by Kevin Chappell confirmed a very important perspective in my life.

I'm a 23-year-old Black male about to graduate from college. And I, like many other Brothers my age, am about to enter into the real, working world and have fallen victim to the notion that success and contentment come in the form of money and other tangible concepts.

I have constantly beaten myself up because I'm not 6-foot-4 or weigh 260 pounds. And I can't seem to ignore all the immature and juvenile mentalities of people I come across on campus. They just keep getting on my nerves! And above all this, there's this fear I have of failing to achieve success in my career (print journalism), in love (still single) and in life. This fear has plagued the deep recesses of my brain, annoyed and discouraged me.

But the reality of my situation, which I say more clearly after reading Kevin Chappell's column, is that I'm a broke college student. I'm 5-foot-9. I weigh 150 pounds. I'm afraid I might stumble on my path to career success, and I'm not currently involved in a committed relationship.

And I'm OK with all of that! I've realized that I am human. I've realized that I am a child of God, and that God loves me. And that's all I need to know. I've realized that I'm indeed destined for great things because I have God on my side. I've finally tapped into my inner peace. And that's a success that not many Brothers my age have been humble enough, courageous enough, or fortunate enough to experience.

ZACH MILLS
Bowling Green, Ky.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group