Opportunities Come in Many Forms
Which circumstances made a difference in Rashied’s life and set him on a path to success? The short version of his life could be characterized as a classic “up from poverty” story. A child with eight siblings, raised by his mother and aunt after his father’s death, finds his way out of a poor neighborhood, marries his college sweetheart, plays professional football, moves to the suburbs, works to provide a secure future for his family and finds a way to help others. But a simple narrative does not account for the discipline needed to overcome obstacles, nor does it chronicle the seemingly backward moves that prove to be the greatest lessons. And, it does not explain those small miracles and inexplicable tugs that pull one forward.
Lives are shaped by many twists and turns. Only in retrospect, from a safe distance between now and then can one begin to take inventory. It is from this outpost that Rashied examines his life, unpacking the past to connect the dots and trace the trajectory.