Leon Jackson Boone

Through the Eyes of Leon Jackson Boone: Being Black in America

As I look back over my life, it was a good ride. I experienced many potholes along the way. I'm not tired yet. The last thing I think about is death. I am not afraid of it. Why should I be? I can't do anything about it. It's just a sleep. I can't move as fast as I once did, but I can still dance. This may be surprising to some; I still have fun with my wife. Someone may ask, "How often?" I will say to them, "Stop hating." It would be foolish to ignore the bad, the good, and the ugly in my life. Those experiences caused my faith in Christ Jesus to be stronger. My faith in Jesus made it possible for me to be here seventy-five years as of January 17, 2014. I hear what I want to hear, see what I want to see, and remember what I want to remember. I realize that I am only important to myself. And to preserve whatever life I have left, I must be cooperative with matters of confrontation. Exhaustion will kill you before old age. I refuse to call myself old. I call myself blessed. To those people who think that they are too old to enjoy life and that they are walking through one of life's valleys: Perhaps you are trusting in your exhaustion, not in God. And you are thinking this is how you are supposed to feel as years pass you by. You don't have to be older than you are. When your load gets too heavy to carry, don't give up-this is an opportunity for God, in Christ Jesus's name, to take charge of you. There is no competition or stereotypes in God; just be who you are. Refuse to give up your happiness because you are older and instead think about your accomplishments and enjoy all of your abilities. The thought of loneliness and bitter disappointments brings self-pity and fear. When you dwell too long on bad circumstances, it will make you feel old and rob you of peace of mind. Respond to the love of God-you no longer need to speculate upon the quality of your life. It is good because God is good.