When You Believe

“Go”, followed by a smile from the mouth of a lady to the left of me. I slowly climbed the stairs, I was on stage. I shook the hands of dignitaries and stopped at the last one. Photo op as the  announcer  spoke, "Erica Franklin-Jones Master of Health Administration with a concentration in Informatics." My eyes scanned the crowd my ears listening for a yell from my support group in attendance. These people are clapping for me. Cheering me on, celebrating my accomplishment and congratulating me. I took the right hand of the usher as he guided me down the stairs. I walked forward past a few rows, turned right and walked proudly to my seat. Fellow graduates near me said, “Congrats, you did it girl!” I didn’t know these people. I hadn’t even introduced myself to some of  them. Yet we shared the same joy, the same success. It’s odd. Life is odd. Why is it that those whom applaud, cheer for, celebrate, encourage and love you from a distance become the ones to solidify your being the most?  Yes, I had my family there with me. I had a sister friend there as well. I was so grateful for their presence and I acknowledged it as confirmation of genuine support for me. However, what about the people at the hotel the ones in the elevator that looked at my robe and said, “You’re getting your Master’s, congratulations!" Or the lady on the sidewalk that smiled and yelled, “Alright my sister”, as I passed her before entering the holding area for graduates. Even the undergraduates stated that they were inspired. How? They didn’t know me. I even said that to a young lady and her response was, “No but I know what it took for you to get here. I’m just getting my Associates but I’m not stopping until I get my Masters. There are so many of us (African American women) here, I’m almost in tears.” I smiled, thanked, hugged her and wished her luck. It was at that moment that it hit me. A few years ago, I was standing in a line for Bachelor graduates watching many African American women lining up in the graduate area… master and doctorial candidates. Yes!!! My heart smiled! I had the same feeling. The same pride rose  within my soul. On February 1, 2014 I remembered saying, “Erica that WILL be you.”  On May 14, 2016, it was me and it wasn’t by chance… it was on FAITH.