At All Costs

It's hard to believe that black people could find life so horrible but still enjoy it after coming out of slavery and barely surviving the great depression. Some find it truly amazing that we have enough spirit left within to laugh, sing, dance or smile after having been raped, castrated, beaten and brainwashed. many often ask where we find resources to even dream. The road to prosperity is rough and the obstacles are many. Even when we find change for ourselves, what is there to say for the unyielding world we live in? We must accept and know that every level of success we obtain will be accompanied by some degree of struggle. So what is the true reward? For some when we are not able to love ourselves, we settle for loving our children. Our faith motivates us to continue working towards things we may not live to see. And what truly defines love or family? Sometimes we forget how easy it is to forget what it was like when we were once family. The times we shared... and how easy it is to love... how easy it is to forget how to smile... It's easy to forget But it is even harder not to love and even when our loved ones love us when we don't love ourselves, family is still forever. When we can't find forgiveness for ourselves, love is the only connective tissue that truly keeps us together. The great escape from the torture of our own self-imposed reality is the prospect of sacrifice for our children's future. Jefferson Crenshaw comes from humble beginnings. He has less than one lifetime to raise himself, a wife, an ex-lover, four children, a dog and countless other family members in several different households. There is always more than one side to every story. Jeff may or may not have accomplished his goals, depending on who tell their version of the story. These five perspectives tell five different stories for different reasons. Who will have the last word?