Who's Driving?

A wife follows her husband and a sunflower follows the sun but who does your soul follow?

I can recall as a teenager when my friends and I would plan what we wanted to do over the weekend. I would have to ask for permission and the first question that my parents would ask me is, “who’s driving”? I honestly never cared how I got there when I was younger; I just wanted to be there on time.

As I got older, I understood that whoever the driver was controlled our destination. After many nights of breaking curfew, getting pulled over because the driver was speeding, or just being in places I did not volunteer to be, I began driving myself! Not to say that my friends were always into mischief but if I was caught tiptoeing in the house, that was my punishment, not theirs!

With that being said, take heed to who leads your life. As a child, my parents led me to the church doors until I was old enough to find God on my own. That was the beginning of my Indigo Trip.

Through high school, I made more friends and gained more independence and privacy. I will admit that I was in places I should have never been and I thank God that I was never truly harmed during those years. I stopped going to church for a very long time because I did not understand half of what was being said in the sermon or the Bible.

What my parents instilled in me spiritually was seeping through the cracks of my upbringing. I began lying and hiding and the burdens of covering my tracks weighed down on me. When my mother convinced me to go to church, I would sit anxiously next to them and eventually sneak out and call friends just to see what I could get into after service.

I knew that I was spiritually out of focus. I did not realize that where I went, the type of music that I listened to, and even the type of television shows I watched were all a counter-play in following my morals.

I was never a follower of groups and trends until I began denying righteousness over my soul. Living right was harder; I could not fit in by following everything my parents taught. I started “smelling myself” like the elders would say to kids who stepped out of line. Rebellion was fun until it was revealed. I was forced to feel the consequences until I found myself crying like a baby for spiritual revelation.

I found a minister who I could relate to and he made me interested in changing my habits.

First, I began listening to more uplifting music genres. Although I love rap/ hip-hop, I mimicked what I heard without even realizing it. I love Lil’ Wayne and Future but I can guarantee I would not have experimented with half of that stuff if I was not hearing it on my way to, during, and from school. I had some very dysfunctional relationships and I can remember habitually watching reality dating shows with whomever I was dating at the time. I barely watch television now because I know the negative influence it ultimately have over our mind and soul.

Be careful whom you follow because anyone can be manipulated out of his or her souls. Like my parents would always tell me, “don’t jump in the car with just anyone”… you really need to know who’s driving.

-De'Laurenz