What I Know For Sure

When I was younger, I used to look up to the Black women I saw on TV; people like, Oprah Winfrey and Phylicia Rashad…I remember watching Oprah interview countless icons and ask them all the same question:

“What do you know for sure?”

I was always very intrigued to hear their answers and always used them as inspiration. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Phylicia Rashad and although I could barely get the question out, I had to ask…

“Ms. Phylicia, what do you know for sure?”

Lately, I’ve been thinking about her response and challenged myself to answer this very question…

Nothing…If I’m being honest with myself; I know nothing for sure. As a 30-something year old woman who is still striving to figure out how to leave her mark on this world, I’ve realized I know nothing. It’s kind of daunting though. To realize that in my experiences of good times, learning points, come-ups and even setbacks, nothing is absolute…Not a job, not a relationship, not a mood and sometimes not even daily plans.

(I’m clearly a planner. LOL)

The hope is, or at least we are taught that this formula will work…

Be a good person, live right, make plans, do your work,and essentially, you can have everything you want. But there’s one very important question I forgot to ask when learning how to navigate the labyrinth of life...

When?

When will these “plans” come into fruition? When will the uncertainty cease? Is there a point in life where we can actually say “I know this will happen for me...FOR SURE”?!?

Or am I asking too much? Has the over-thinker in me created a boomerang effect that essentially always puts me back where I began? Forgive my frustration, but I just want to know…

WHEN?

Ms. Rashad’s answer actually tells me everything I need to know…She simply stated:

“What I know for sure is...The sun will come out tomorrow”

Although this may seem vague and opened ended, it actually answers all of my questions…The ones of when and how.

I’m learning those details aren’t important because when it’s all said and done, the sun will come out tomorrow. The woes and worries of today can only last for so long before the sun is ready to shine again.

The lesson, you ask?

Stay hopeful; understand that no matter what this world throws at you, you will prevail. I challenge you to live in a state of possibility, a mindset of readiness, as what’s meant to be will always find its way. I don’t know what this life has in store for me next but, what I know for sure is... what is meant to be will always find it's way.