GATE TO LIFE
You Choose the Life that You Shall Experience
by
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As I stood on the playground, holding my baseball bat and eagerly awaiting my turn to hit the baseball, I turned to look at the pitcher as he prepared to send the ball into my direction. Suddenly, one of my second grade classmates tapped me on the shoulder and said “Nisha is about to fight your sister!” Instantly, I dropped the bat and followed Erica to the location where my sister was standing actively engaged in an argument with Nisha. Nisha was a dark-skinned girl who appeared to be at least 5 feet 6 inches tall in the second grade. Before receiving this ‘breaking news’ report from Erica, I never had a problem with Nisha; however, things changed today. As the adrenaline pumped through my veins, I pushed through the crowd of student gawkers in order to defend my sister. While my sister, Korena, was still using every curse word imaginable to tell Nisha how she truly felt about her, I pushed her out of the way. Then, I jumped as high as I could and began to hit Nisha with my left and right fists. I continued to thrash her until the principal grabbed both of us. Sitting in the main office fuming over what just took place, I threatened Nisha by saying, “If I get in trouble, you will get another beating.” Afterwards, Principal Thomas called us into her office to discuss the events surrounding the fight. As required by the school, she called both of our parents to inform them that we had been suspended for fighting. My grandmother, Grandma Kali, received the call and promptly arranged for my great aunt to pick me up from school. Her name was Auntie Catherine. When she arrived, the first thing she said was, “Did you beat her up?” I replied, “Yes”. “Then it’s ok. You had to do what you had to do. You don’t let nobody beat up your sister. You always take care of your family.” Later on that day, Grandma Kali arrived home. I already knew that I was about to get a whipping, but I didn’t expect what happened next. Before the whipping she asked, “Why were you fighting in school today?” Knowing that my response would have no affect on her decision to physically discipline me, I responded by rolling my eyes and spinning my head in a 360 degree motion as if it were a disc on a 1982 record player. Finally, I verbally responded to the question by saying, “Because the girl tried to fight my sister.” After I said that, Grandma Kali said her famous words to me: “Don’t be stupid all your life! At some point get a clue.” Needless to say, I was pissed! I thought she was calling me stupid so I said to her, “Grandma, you just called me stupid!” She said, “Don’t put words in my mouth. I said, ‘Don’t be stupid all of your life.’ What you did today was real stupid. Now you suspended and your sister is still able to go to school. You need to think sometimes. But I’m going to help you think by giving you something to think about. Each time you do something stupid like this, you will be getting a whipping.” Immediately, she began to whip me with her belt. The more she whipped me, the angrier I became. After the whipping, I had to sit in my room for 10-15 minutes. Once the time was over, I was able to go outside to play. Instead of playing, I walked the neighborhood to calm down. Typically someone in the neighborhood would be laughing and I would assume that they were laughing at me. Because I thought they must have been laughing at me, I would walk towards them and prepare to ‘defend myself’ by fighting. Every time I was caught fighting, Grandma Kali would say, “Don’t be stupid all your life! At some point, get a clue.” This cycle continued until my 10th grade year; however, it wasn’t until I became an adult that I finally realized what my grandmother’s statement truly meant. This book depicts my life as a youth through my young adulthood. It discusses the various different barriers that I faced and how I pushed beyond them to accomplish my dreams. Life presents us with many different gates, it’s up to us to use our keys, to open the gate that leads to the life we desire. In order to do this, we must think about all possible consequences of our actions before we act. For every action, there is a reaction; however, we can choose the type of reactions that we desire to experience.
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About the Book
“Don’t be stupid all your life. At some point, get a clue!” was a statement repeatedly given to Latresa Rice by her maternal grandmother as she accessed several “gates” throughout her childhood. Gates are points of access to lifestyles that one chooses to ascertain. Once the choice has been made, the person who selected the gate partakes of the life giving or self-destructive elements awaiting his or her arrival behind that gate. Some of the gates that Latresa chose to ascertain led to an increased possibility of her being murdered, committing murder or being incarcerated. Other gates led to educational success, restoration and prosperity. The statement, “Don’t be stupid all your life. At some point, get a clue,” became an internal self-check for Ms. Rice. To be stupid at any given point in time is to do the same things and expect or desire a different result. In this book, Ms. Rice discusses her moments of operating in stupidity by accessing self-destructive gates that led to a plethora of fights with relatives and peers within her community. She also discusses her moments of operating in wisdom by accessing life-giving gates as she used her writing, graphic design, problem solving and other skills as a launching pad to annihilate the barriers presented before her and was catapulted into a lifetime of victory. Considered an AIDS orphan by the world, Ms. Rice walks you through her life in an entertaining and invigorating manner. From learning how to effectively cope with emotional trauma as a result of unprotected sex, anger and other traumatic experiences, to being an entrepreneur and excelling academically, Ms. Rice provides her readers with a visual example of a barrier annihilator. She stands as a shining example of victory over emotional, socioeconomic, physical and familial barriers to success. Just as she chose the life that she desires to experience, so can you! Anyone who desires to push past the negative comments he/she has received from haters, emotional and financial barriers to success and much more must read this book! This book provides an example of how you can possess your dreams despite the obstacles that may be placed before you. Remember, there is a gate to life. By accessing it, you choose the life that you shall experience.
About the Author
“Introducing the heavyweight champion of the world….Latresa Rice!” When people think of heavyweight champions, they think of boxers who have consistently defeated their opponents. Although, she isn’t an actual boxer, her life reflects that of a heavy weight champion. Throughout her life, Ms. Rice has come against emotional, physical, financial, socioeconomic and other barriers to her successful possession of her dreams; however, she has and continues to annihilate them all. From overcoming the emotional trauma she experienced after discovering the truth regarding her mother’s death from AIDS and father’s sexuality, to learning at the age of eight how to use the skills she has to obtain the finances she needs to be successful in grade school, college and beyond, Ms. Rice stands as an undefeated heavyweight champion. Since 2000, she has been travelling to elementary, middle and high schools throughout Wayne and Oakland County delivering inspiring, captivating, empowering and entertaining (I.C.E.E.) speeches to youth in order to empower them to push beyond the barriers they face in life and possess their dreams. Ms. Rice has also empowered women within drug treatment facilities, young adults within alternative schools and other underprivileged individuals through the delivery of her power packed presentations. These presentations include “Thank You Haters”, “Employees Wanted,” “Sex & Truth”, “College Explosion” and “Young Queens”. Furthermore, Ms. Rice is a songwriter and singer. Her first song was a ringtone called, “Thank You Haters” which is available for only 99 cent on cdbaby.com, amazon.com itunes.com and many more. Although she is a very talented young woman, she is also fun to be around and loves to relax by water. Currently, Ms. Rice resides in the heart of the city of Detroit. Uniquely positioned to write such a life altering book, Ms. Rice shines as her life unfolds before your eyes in her first book, title ‘Gate to Life: You Choose the Life that You Shall Experience’. For more information regarding how you can purchase more copies of this book or if you would like your audience to not only receive information that will propel them into their glorious destiny but to embark on an experience unmatched by any other, stop what you are doing and pick up the phone to call Ms. Rice at 313-799-4864 or email her at lrice@itewisdom.com to book her for your event today! Don’t delay! Call Today!