Jay Simpson: Nothing glamorous about living in the struggle

Jay Simpson, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
·2 min read

Apr. 17—Coming from where I come from and how I was raised, being able to see 30 years old without any convictions or felonies is a huge accomplishment. I know it sounds crazy to say that obeying the law is an accomplishment, but peer pressure and trying to fit in has ruined or nearly ruined 80 percent of my childhood friends' lives.

I've seen kids who had everything a kid could ask for or dream of still crave the feeling of being in poverty or living in the struggle, and I never could grasp why. I mean, it was to the point to where they would completely abandon their family who provide them with the absolute best of everything they need and more just to portray an image that looks cool.

I can almost guarantee that any kid that grew up poor and in poverty would give anything to be able to live life with no worries and have everything they needed. From the outside looking in, it can look like people are glorifying the hood, but in all reality, they are not.

They understand it's not fun or cute, but they make the best out of their situations and they look happy doing it, which is why I believe so many privileged kids admire and desire to live that lifestyle. It's only until they get themselves caught up in something Mommy and Daddy can't get them out of before they realize they were going about it all wrong, and now they have to deal with the consequences.

Take it from me, a guy who has never been incarcerated but been around it his whole life. I've visited prisons and jails to see loved ones ever since I can remember and still do to this day. That is not a place you want to go, because once you're in there, it's a whole different world, and there's nothing anyone can do to save you.

It's not worth it at all. If you are blessed enough to come from a privileged family, you should embrace it, because there's a lot of unfortunate kids like the ones I grew up with who would love to be in your shoes.

Everything is not always what it seems. What may look fun to you is actually real life for someone else. Keep that in mind.

Much love!