Joy Stealers

I was walking home today from my mother's house and I saw a young lady that I once knew in Daycare/After school program. She was one of those little girls that everyone wanted to be around because she was just so darn cute. Well all little girls are cute, but some are cuter than others and those are the ones everyone wants to be around. I think it has to do with their smile. When they smile, their whole face lights up, especially the eyes. Well I saw this girl today. When she was younger her eyes would shine so bright when she smiled. However, I saw her pushing a stroller today. All light and life sucked right out of her eyes. She lost color, if that's even possible. She looked exhausted. Not to say that being a mother is bad or wrong, but when you're young and your whole life ahead of you, it's not the best situation to be in. Sadly, this happens to many of the girls that I once knew when I was younger. An even sadder note is that the guys who I grew up with are the ones standing on the street corner doing who knows what. And these guys are the ones who prey on girls who have that light in their eyes. They tell them what they want to hear, get what they want and sometimes that leads to a baby. And when things get tough, they usually leave. I know I'm making a lot of generalizations, I just feel like girls should have the freedom to walk down the street and not have to be hit on. Yes, it may be flattering, but some girls get use to it and expect it. Their joy depends on it. It depends on a man and his compliments. And I think that is wrong. Girls today need to know that their joy does not come from compliments from a man or the looks men give as she walks buy. Your joy should not depend on whether someone has access to whats between your legs. A man should be attracted to what's in your head and in your heart. So many young girls in my neighborhood don't go to college, don't leave Harlem or even their mother's apartment. I think it's about time that girls realize that they should not relinquish power to men, because as surely as the sun sets and flowers fad, as man will surely let you down and steal your joy if you let him.