Itasca Bryant

Rising to the Middle with Grace

The lady who has been the biggest inspiration to me is my mom. She's not a famous actress. Nor a movie star. She's not a recording artist or a millionaire. She is however, mine. I unfortunately have to share her with two other siblings, but it's okay. Life has taught me how to share. My mom has been my inspiration not because she taught me how to rise and be on top but because she's always inspired me to rise and hit the middle and through watching her land in the middle or just barely above ground has helped me see that there's hurdles that she couldn't jump that she left for me and it's up to me to jump these hurdles and lift her up, to help her climb over. My mom showed me how to get beat up. How to get knocked down. How to stay humble and Rise when people say you'll never amount to anything. My mom taught me how to smile in the face of adversity and believe in a greater power. She has shown me that her unequivocal unshakeable undeniable faith In the universeIs what gets you to a place of joy and happiness. A place without fear or torment? It allows you to have $3 in your pocket, a black in your hand and no lighter. It allows you to be at peace with yourself when no one calls for days to see if you're alive. When you have fallen and you wonder universe how am I going to get up and make it to the bed? It's because of her that I believe that I am enough. And I am so much enough that this world doesn't deserve the privilege of belittling me and putting me down or making me feel like less than who I am. I am someone special. I am magnificent. I am that special person that our higher power ntended me to be. And when I am looking through her eyes I see how wonderful I am and the potential that I have to do great things. For years, I watched my mom work tirelessly at 2 jobs trying to keep food on the table. Trying to keep a roof over our head. I saw how to cheat the electrical system by plugging an electrical cord up to your neighbors power because you couldn't afford to pay your own electric bill and you had to use someone else's energy because you couldn't afford to get your lights back on. I know what it feels like to have to boil hot water to take a bath. I know what it's like to go to a food pantry and eat beans for a week. And when everybody says you stink you realize it's because you're gassy from the beans that you've been eating all week and the fart smell has absorbed into your clothing hasn't been washed in a week. Because of my mom I made a personal vow to myself to do better, to be better. Not because I don't love her but because I watch her struggle and I realized I don't want that for me or my children. I don't want my legacy to be pinto beans, Baked beans, Navy beans, flour, water and unleavened bread. Syrup wish sandwiches and stale crackers. And for those of you who have never heard of a wish sandwich you have bread, Syrup and you wish there was something else to put in between. I strive for greatness not because I necessarily want to achieve it. It's because I want to be able to share it with the people that I love. People who've always dreamed of being admired and of having an overflow or an abundance of money, nice things, fancy cars, and big houses. I am completely content being poor, broke I don't mind not having money because what I cherish more than anything money can't buy. And that's love. But if it takes me acquiring lots of money in order to obtain the love that I so desire that my soul longs for then universe I pray to thee let me be rich. I am currently an up-and-coming author. When you hear the name Itasca Bryant, please remember this story. Buy the book not because you feel sorry for me. But because you want to feel the love that I put into my writing and you want to help me accomplish my dream. My dreams of acquiring more love and helping others feel loved. Support me because you want to support the universe and the potential that it holds when my words are shared.