“If It’s Meant To Be”

“What’s a trait that you are most well-known for?”

What God has for you is meant for you. Don’t believe in God? Y’all know I do. So let me say it a different way — what the universe has for you is for you. What’s meant for you will find you.

This weekend I watched for like the hundredth time, the movie Gladiator. And that movie actually sparked this blog post. I got to enjoy a 3-day weekend because Georgia recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day (old “Columbus Day”) as a State holiday! Yay! And I knew I wanted to write at least 2 blog posts during the weekend, but I just wasn’t sure on what topic. As you know, I have 4 categories my blog posts usually fall into, and I like to rotate my blog topics weekly as much as I can. So this will be a blog post that falls under “OTR with Me.”

As I was watching Gladiator (for those who haven’t seen it, shame on you! lol kidding, but it’s a classic and a great movie! Actually my mom’s favorite movie!), I was thinking about myself and my skills. No, I cannot fight or have no idea what to do with a sword, but I thought about myself and my skills within my career.

Gladiator is a movie about a very skilled and respected Roman General slick seeking his revenge. He is good in the battle for his country, and his soldiers follow him and respect him. He is a great leader. But then when the plot twists, and he ends up somewhere he never expected to be, his leadership qualities and his overall battling skills never leave. His new “army” recognizes them right away. And us people in the audience always see Maximus in his “prime.”

Now, that plot twist Maximus (played by Russel Crowe) experienced wasn’t ideal by any means, but I still say we see him in his prime because we don’t see him training. We don’t ever meet his mentor. We don’t ever see him studying. We don’t become privy to his conversations with the Emperor that made the Emperor and country so fond of him. We don’t see the soldiers rolling their eyes or giving him lip as he leads his first battle for the first time. We don’t see him ever doubting himself or his capabilities or if he’s the right person for the job. We meet Maximus in his prime. And when the world was literally stripped away from Maximus in a blink of an eye, his purpose was still within him.

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

Maximus to commodus

What’s meant for you will find you. What God has for you is for YOU. We hear versions of those statements all the time, and we may roll our eyes at those Positive Pattys (opposite of Negative Nancys lol), but there’s some truth to it. Think about the thing that makes you feel whole. That makes you feel complete. That makes you feel worthy. It doesn’t have to necessarily be your career but then think about the valleys you’ve experienced in your life. When some things were stripped away from you. Even after those setbacks, you still came out on top and your skills and recognition followed you! They’re embedded in you. They’re a part of your nature. And once we recognize and accept that, we can navigate our setbacks, downfalls, and losses better.

(Let’s not forget that Maximus may have had all the skill and recognition, but he also recognized the importance of a solid team. Not necessarily followers, but a team. And that is a key characteristic of a good leader — someone who understands how important and beneficial a team is to the mission. A servant leader is the best leader and that might be a topic for another blog post).

I may not be a Gladiator on the battlefield, but I truly believe I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord! (Lol that’s a classic song in the Black church). I truly believe I’m a gladiator in the courtroom. I’m a part of the 2% of Black women attorneys in the U.S. I am probably one of the very few Black female attorneys that enter into the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse on a regular basis. I’ve been in my profession in this location for over 6 years. People know my name. People know what work I do. People don’t know everything about me, but they know I’m a pioneer. I’m a leader. And I may have some losses in the courtroom, but I fight hard for all of those cases. I’m not yet in my prime, but just like Maximus in Gladiator, people recognize what gifts and skills that are meant for me.

Won’t you recognize what’s meant for you?

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:17, NKJV.

Moni Jay, Off the Record