Episode 26: Bruised But Not Broken

Someone was knocking at the door when I realized, I must have drifted off to sleep just that quick.
“Syrah, it’s just me, Mina from next door,” I heard a voice say.

I rubbed my eyes as I got up from my big comfy couch and let her in.

“What’s going on Mina?” I asked as I yawned and stretched on my way back to my warm spot on the couch.

“I need to talk. I guess I’m not feeling too good today, a little down about things. Girl, me and Ned are over, done, out of commission, through,” she said sadly as I looked up and noticed a somber look on her face.

“Aw, Mina, I’m sorry you’re feeling bad about that, but I promise, you’ll be okay. You know what? This too shall pass, trust me. It might not feel so good right now, but you’ll be alright. This is not the end of you. You’re bruised, but not broken. This is your opportunity to either lay down and die or learn from this, live on to the next level, a better place in your life and do things differently when the right man for you comes to you. The little bit of hurt and pain you feel is going to fade away soon, baby, sooner than you think,” I said, hoping to give her some comfort.

She nodded yes to agree as tears began to roll down her cheeks. I gave her a few tissues.

“Okay now Mina, after today, I don’t want you to keep crying over this. You know why? All this means is that you’re about to meet somebody that runs circles around Ned, with his leeching self. So he had to go! You deserve a man better than him anyway. Honey, you can do bad by yourself. Trust me I know. You did all you could do to help him girl, and you didn’t need to be supporting a grown man like that anyway,” I said.

“Yeah, I know Syrah. Do you know this broke joke got mad at me when I looked at him crazy after he asked me for $20? I admit I gave him the stupid look and went off because I was tired and I told him he needed to get off his behind and go find himself a real job, stop acting like he has a problem working for people, like he’s too good. At some point, it should have registered in his mind that in life you do what you have to do to get where you want to be. So if that means getting a job until you can get on your feet as an entrepreneur then you do that. He is so selfish girl. He wouldn’t even work for the sake of his kids. I mean could you just get a job because you know your kids need things like food, clothes, lunch money? Do it for them. I saw how self absorbed, self righteous and self centered he is. No one and nothing matters to him but himself. Pitiful. Do you know he told me he didn’t want to work? Yeah, well me neither but I don’t want to be hungry and homeless either so, I work! Sometimes, God wants you to be faithful to what belongs to another man before He gives you your own. Instead all Ned seemed to do was take from me, never giving back anything but criticism of course, criticized my cooking, criticized my hair, criticized my driving, criticized anything about me he could find. Not once did I talk down to him even though in my mind I was thinking he was a sorry excuse for a man, not to mention a deadbeat dad for not taking care of his kids. Those boys deserve a better father. I guess I felt kind of sorry for him too, really. It seemed like nothing would work out for him with the business. He got ripped off twice and lost out because he wasn’t doing things right, not communicating in the proper tone with people he was doing business with. He has this way of talking to people like they are the biggest idiots and people sense that arrogance and didn’t want to work with him. Too many business people we met just didn’t call him back, canceled meetings, or didn’t show up at all. That’s funny because when I went to meet with some of his potential clients, they showed up, talked and it was cool until he started talking to them. So it had to be him. Girl, he has a lot to learn or he will continue to have problems. But I know he’ll never get another dime or another $20 from me. Half of the time he was buying weed with it, like I didn’t know. A shame. You know, I believe God was trying to tell him something though, like you are out of order. Get a job first so I can teach you some things about business, communication, and respect,” she said as she vented about Ned.

“I hear that,” I replied.

I listed as Mina talked and I could tell she was just fine. I was glad that she was able to see Ned was not the man she needed in her life. How many times do we as women “help a brother out” and end up bruised and taken for granted? Way too many. But I can say, it has made us stronger, wiser, and better because we know how to forgive, heal, and move on to someone better, who is destined to come find that good thing within us. Mina was knocked down today, but I could see her getting up and dusting herself off at that very moment. She kept talking and I kept listening. What she told me happened between her and Ned that ultimately caused her to sever all ties with him was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Click Here To See Video–> Bruised But Not Broken: Joss Stone

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