By Jada

These beautiful bracelets are from a young girl named Jada.

I was walking towards the train quickly, eager to get to my next destination. Outside the entrance of the train vestibule was this young girl and her father.

She approached me and asked me if I would like to buy a bracelet, explaining her reasoning with a large smile on her face. I only half listened to her as I found myself automatically replying, "I'm sorry I don't carry cash with me." Her smile was not deterred as she accepted my response and I bid her and her father a good evening.

I had $10 in my wallet.

I started to feel guilt while entering the station and even ran straight into the turnstile forgetting to swipe my card to pass.

On my way to the platform my conscious got louder. I just lied. That lie was now a heavy weight on my heart. I could either turn my back on it and get on the train or do something about it.

I found a bench where I proceeded to dig out my wallet with the $10 waiting inside. It's funny, because normally I am not good at keeping cash. I tend to spend it right away but for some reason I've been able to hang onto this $10 for the past month. Maybe, I finally found a reason for it.

Once I grabbed that $10 my feet dashed up the stairs to the exit. The young girl was still approaching others and even with each rejection or brush of the shoulder she was still hopping excitedly to the next person. She hopped excitedly back to me.

"I actually found $10 digging in my pockets, how many can I get for it?" Note: another lie.

With wide eyes, she replied, "With that you can have all of them!" (Referring to the ones carried in her hands)

"But if you give me all of them how will you sell more beautiful bracelets?"

"That's okay! I have more I made!"

I now carry a reminder of Jada with me, she's hanging out with Kookie. 😊

For those who live in the city, you can get accustomed to getting asked for money and it becomes an automatic response to tell someone, "no" or personally for myself I say I don't carry cash as if that would make them feel better. It's hard, I can't always give or sometimes you have to be wary of those who are trying to take advantage of those who are giving.

I think the moral this story is not to give (although you should!), or that I myself gave, in the end I still lied to save face and did not completely own up to my truth.

This is the story of Jada and her smiling confident face even when the world seems so cold and rejecting you. Hopping excitedly along to the next opportunity that is presented to you despite the circumstances.

I feel blessed to have her come up to me and teach/remind me how I have so much more learning to go.

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Thanks for reading! I hope Jada inspires you as well! ❤️

P.S. I realized later they aren't bracelets, just at the time they were presented to me that's what I thought she said they were haha!