Too Soon

Hey WWRS I have started writing a few times and stopped because I wasn't fully engaged! I don't know if this happens to you sometimes when you have something to do and you just can't get your brain to settle down enough to write. I would start writing and think I need to do xyz....This is what happens to most of us because when we get really busy we tend to have issues when we slow down. We slow down and fall asleep, procrastinate, scroll through social media, or get caught up in something that comes television. So yesterday I decided I would work on a creative project using my hands. There is just something about me working with my hands that calms me. No matter what I am doing. Sometimes I enjoy repurposing items or coloring in my adult coloring book. Either way it seems to be something I don't have to think to much about which clears my mind from all the jumble. Even for those women who are always on the run and extremely busy find something to do that soothes you. We sometimes need to do something mindless.....I had a funny thought....have you ever been trying to watch some mindless television show and got super caught up and it just caused you stress. LOL...No just me??!!! Those of us who are in the helping field profession can pick up someone's issues, baggage and problems in the blink of an eye. I mean we can be in the grocery store or Target and find ourselves listening to the story of a complete stranger.

One time I was in Target headed to the fitting room. This lady was standing there kind staring at me...Sidebar as a tall woman who loves pretty shoes I get stares a lot of time. When I came out of the dressing room she approached me and said "You have great energy!" I said thanks and she proceeded to just spill her life and her life story to me in the middle of Target. I have become used to these types of meetings. In fact, I think I get this from my mom. She always ends up being asked cooking questions or some other question everywhere she goes. Yesterday while scrolling through social media I came a cross a RIP post. Sadly, I recognized the young man in the picture. A few years back I did a stint as a car salesman. I sold Cadillacs in the Washington, DC area. The store I worked for had plenty of relationships with celebrities and others. So I was working the showroom on a normal day and I noticed a really tall guy who had a bunch of tattoos and lots of jewelry. Some of the other sales people just let him walk by but, I sensed he was serious about buying a car. So I walked up and spoke. This is the first time I met Cliff Dixon. I am one of those people who doesn't get star struck in the first place. We immediately started joking around. The encounter came to about three days worth of time spent with Cliff. I ended up googling him because the finance manager was giving me shit. When I did I found out that he was a very close friend and brother of Kevin Durant. That changed the game for everyone once that fact was uncovered. But, for me and Cliff we just continued our repoire of trash talk and laughs.

Sometimes I would see Cliff around DC or read about him on blogs like The Shade Room, Bossip etc. He was always dating someone famous and his picture would end up on the internet. He also would be in pictures with different celebrities. He was always smiling and joking around. On his birthday at the age of 32 years old Cliff was murdered going into a club in Atlanta at a party he was hosting. According to the media he was about to enter the club when he was shot numerous times in the head. Gone too soon. When I saw Cliff's picture on IG I was prepared to hear about something he was doing. But, this time it was announcing his death. I struggled to wrap my brain around this type of senseless murder of one black man by another. My years of working with young people, my desire to see our communities become safer and the my brief encounter with Cliff all made me mourn his death. However, I also became angry with the headlines. "Kevin Durant's Close Friend and Adopted Brother Murdered" and "Love and Hip Hop's Erica Mena's Ex Boyfriend Killed in Atlanta Nightclub." Only one outlet said "Former Western Kentucky and Professional Athlete Cliff Dixon Killed" This bothered me because this man lost his life and the world can only associate him with other people. As I let that sink in I think about myself. Cliff played ball in college and professionally overseas but the media connected him to people they felt were more famous than him.

Kevin Durant played last night with the heaviness of losing someone really close to him. He was not allowed the opportunity to grieve privately because everyone wanted to see what he was going to do. I look at this world we live in where so many things are about who you know. People want to know where you went to school...Is there a fraternity or sorority that you are connected with....Oh you know Kymira that means your good people. I know that in life having a good reputation is great. I get the networking thing. I am basically a serial networker. But this man's death put me in a place to think about who I have surrounding me. The outpouring from many celebrities all saying the same things about him made me smile. I had a chance encounter with Cliff, in that small amount of time he made an impression on me. Ladies, I ask you to think about this....when we go to meet our maker what will people say about us? Are there chance encounters where you missed a chance to learn someones story? Will people all say the same thing about you? Are you authentic in who you are as a person? For Cliff 32 years was all the time he had to shine his light. My prayers are with his family and friends who are heartbroken their friend died in such a tragic way. I want to challenge each one of you to love on and hug those who are really close to you. Be kind to yourself and Be kind to others. You will never know how much your words in a chance meeting might mean. RIP Cliff...see you on the other side.