By Demetrius Moffett

As we enter into the graduation season, I’m reflecting on the day I graduated from high school.

Being the first male to graduate high school, what stands out to me is the words that my father spoke to me after I got home from hanging out.

I walked in the house my dad looked at me with a warm smile. He told me how proud of me that I had accomplished a task that no other male in our family line had done. He told me how proud he was that I had no babies, no alcohol or drug issues and no criminal record.

To some of you, this may not seem like much. Understand, this is coming from a man of very little words and “I love you” is not a phase he ever used until I was 23.

I was feeling really good and excited with anticipation that I will finally hear those words.

What he said was true to form but still hit me deep.

He looked me eye to eye and said, “You have two weeks to find you a place to stay. I don’t take care of grown folks.”

At seventeen, I had two weeks to find a place to stay.

Some may think that my dad was kicking me out or putting me out.

What he was doing is launching me out.

From the first day of my freshman year in high school, my dad told me and was preparing me to leave and it was time. He may not have graduated high school but he had a Ph.D in life and what it takes to be successful.

At that time, I was shocked and had to start the process of putting into action what I was taught to do with my life.

As a dad, myself, I found myself doing the same but at the Jr. High/middle school level.

Are we doing a good job in preparing our children to leave and stand on their own? Are we giving them the tools they need to have good credit financial management skills?

If we were to tell our children that they had two weeks to find a place to stay. How confident are we that they will be successful and not return home two weeks later?

I thought it wasn’t fair to only have two weeks.

My dad said, two weeks is more than fair when you’ve had four years to prepare.

You have two weeks.

 

Demetrius Moffett is Senior Pastor of Orange Church of God, 1911 North 16th Street in Orange.