Joy Cometh in the Morning

By Dr. James Sylvester Reed Jr.

As a child I found it quite difficult trying to sort out my own identity as a quasi-middle child. I say that because I had two sisters who were older and one sister just a year younger. I was the only male in the household other than my father. You would think that the situation would have worked in my favor since I was my father's only son. Believe it or not my situation worked completely opposite to the norm. My father had adopted a philosophy based on his own evolution as a child. Ironically, he had three sisters himself. He had left home while in the fourth grade with a lumber company and didn't reunite with any of them until I was 5 years old; at the time he was 61. For a large part of my developmental years I was under the impression that my father really didn't like me at all. As a result I became my own best friend. My sister's had my mother and my father more especially they had each other. Just as I had begun to become accustom to the idea of my own independence and to compensate for the lack thereof my father passed away. It seems such a very long time ago. I was only 16 years old and he was 73, but that was only the beginning of my blessed journey to this juncture in my life. The following year, my dear mother passed away-at age 59. This time I felt that my life had also come to an abrupt end; I never shall forget. I went into my pitch black room crying out to the Lord, 'Why me at this particular time in my life?' I was a mixed up teenager completely dissolute concerning my future. My father unequivocally felt that the male gender could survive with little to no assistance because he had done so. Thus, his virtue ultimately became my manifesto. No excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781682898284

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Joy

Cometh

in the

Morning

Dr. James Sylvester Reed, Jr.

Copyright © 2017 Dr. James Sylvester Reed, Jr.

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2017

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

ISBN 978-1-68289-826-0 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68289-828-4 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

—Psalm 30:5

Dallas Independent School District Elementary School Principal with an entire career of perfect attendance. After four years of retirement, I have returned to the profession as a middle school assistant principal for the past three years (2012–2015). I plan to return to my first love during the 2015–2016 school year, and that is teaching in some form or fashion.

My life is a result of my contentions that through Jesus Christ, good friends, hard work, and the desire to overcome obstacles rather than succumb to them, we all can be the best that we can possibly be.

Take it upon yourself to search out a youngster or youngsters who are in need of guidance. If you are already affiliated with a group, then serve as a positive role model. We need every role model in every area or field that we can identify. The children need to know that there’s a better way. With your help we can show them, not just tell them.

THE PURPOSE

During an era when we, the people, appear to be in a euphoric state of transformation, barring no particular entity of life from its perils, our perspectives are not of a wholesome nature. Drugs, AIDS, single-parent homes, racial tensions, illiteracy, the lack of literacy and crime cover the headlines of our daily newspapers across the country. Best sellers come as a result of the demise of individuals and bits and pieces and the like.

Our young people are in a maze that has quadrupled in complexity since the early sixties. I explore and expound on experiences that entail every aspect of this life from rejection to acceptance, from misunderstanding to distrust, from the pitfalls and upheavals to the calamity of life and death as a reality.

This book will serve to enlighten those of you who are unfamiliar with the semblance of my past lifestyle. For others who have had similar experiences, hopefully you will be enhanced to some degree. I am almost certain that after you live through some of the more personal episodes of my past life, you will receive some inspiration to continue on your journey through this life with a sigh of relief. You will find it to contain humor at times as well as a great degree of seriousness. There are remnants of the spititual and the educational independently listed as well as collectively meshed; the result of one man’s personal conception of forward motion.

DEDICATION

This particular book is dedicated to the fourteenth largest school district in the United States, the Dallas Independent School District. It goes without saying I will be forever indebted to the continued support and commitment of the community of Dallas.

I commend the DISD for its efforts toward the identification and the rehabilitation of our high-risk students during the latter stages of puberty and early adolescent development. Finally, someone is systematically reaching out to help rid this society of its overabundance of up-and-coming under-educated, non-productive young people. They need all the help we can muster.

Romans 5:35

We also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

PERSEVERANCE

Fight one more round. When your feet are so tired, you shuffle back to the center of the ring—fight one more round. When your arms are so tired you can hardly lift your hands to come on guard—fight one more round. When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you are so tired that you wish your opponent would crack you one on the jaw and put you to sleep, fight one more round, remembering that the man who always fights one more round is never whipped.

James J. Corbett

CHAPTER I

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING

Ihad returned from my hometown in attendance of a biannual class reunion held in honor of the once-infamous Meredith High School. Although I did not have an opportunity to attend the once all Afro-American high school located in Temple, Texas, I accompanied my oldest sister and her husband.

It was July 3, 1988. The following day was the Fourth of July, our Family’s Reunion. After two