Crossroad

This life always brings us to crossroads one point or the other. Where we have to make decisions either to do what’s wrong or right. It’s times like this we know who we really are. It’s time like this you know if you are just following the crowd or you really have got a stand.

The sun was setting and casting deep orange glows on her as she sat facing the sun on that lone bench. The dried grasses swayed in the little breeze. Her hair flew in the breeze and she cleared it from her face.
“Joey” Her mother called.
She looked back and saw her mother calling from the backdoor of the house.
“What Mum?”
“Supper’s ready, we’re setting down to eat!”
“Coming, Mum.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. And a stray tear rolled down her right cheek. She blinked hard and breathed. She went into the house.
“Pass the sauce Joey.” Her mother said.
“Skylar, pass it to her.” Joey told her younger brother. Skylar picked the plate of sauce but spilled it on the table as he tried to pass it to his mother.
“Look what you’ve done Sky. You’re so clumsy.” Joey said.
“Joey, why couldn’t you pass it? It was right next to you. And Sky had stretched his hands across the table to pick it up.”
“I was eating.” Joey answered and rolled her eyes.
“Joey, you’ll clean up this mess on the table.”
“No -”
“I wasn’t asking you -”
“Why can’t Sky do it. He spilled it.”
“Joey.”
Joey rolled her eyes and continued digging into her food.”
“What is wrong with you these days, Joey?”
“Nothing…”
‘’I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”
“Yeah. Whatever.” Joey stood up from the table and walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

Her mother ran her hands through her hair. Joey was becoming someone else. It looked like she was losing Joey. She knew teenagers had their crisis period but she’d hope Joey would turn out better.

Joey slumped on her bed and hugged her pillow to her chest. She sobbed heavily and soaked her pillow with tears. She angrily threw the pillow on the floor and ran to the bathroom. She washed her face and dried it. She looked intently at her reflection in the bathroom’s mirror. She felt she didn’t know who she was anymore. She began crying again. She fell to the floor and sat up by the wall, crying.

The door to her room opened and her mother came in.
“Joey, are you alright” Her mother rushed to her side and sat down by her.
“Are you okay? You’re crying.”
“I’m not Mum. I’ve just got something in my eyes, that’s all. ”
“Joey, you can talk to me ‘bout anything.”
Joey took a deep breath and wiped her tears off. She stood up and walked across the room and sat on an edge of her bed and looked out of the window. Her mother sat behind her and wrapped her hands around her.
“I love you Joey.” She said.
Joey sighed. “Mum, I don’t really mean to be rude. It’s just that…I don’t know how to…”
“That’s alright sweetheart. I understand it’s hard for you and that you’re going through a lot of things right now.”
“Mum, I got something to tell you. Actually, a lot to tell you. I know I may look like a terrible daughter after I say this but I know that sometimes we wander far and get lost so we can understand the importance of home.”

A crossroad is when you’re faced with a major decision in your life. When each road you decide to take changes your life forever.
“I’ve always wanted to fit in Mum. I tried so hard so people won’t see me as a nerd, whose father ran away and left his family. And whose mother struggles to take care of her. I did a lot of things. I lied to you about so many things. I did some totally wrong things. Remember the sleep over at Tricia’s. I never went to her place that night; I was at Kyle’s apartment.” Joey began to sob as tears rolled down her cheek. I’ve skipped school countless number of times just so I could hang out with the coolest dudes in School. That leather jacket I told you Kim gave me as a birthday present, the truth is I stole the money from you to buy it. There was never an excursion to Hollywood; I did that because I didn’t want not to attend three consecutive parties. I left the church choir because I didn’t want anyone to call me a Jesus freak, not because of my asthma.” Joey covered her face in shame.
“I thought trying to fit in would make me fulfilled, but I ended up ruining my integrity. Crushing my standards, and cheapening myself. I lost my self esteem and I don’t know who I really am anymore. But Yesterday at Sunday School when the preacher talked about crossroads I saw that I couldn’t continue this. I want to take the right turn, and even if I can’t undo the wrongs I’ve done…I want to make things right.”
Joey turned to look at her mother the look on her face wasn’t one of shock or hate or anger or judgment. She had Love written on her face and she just wanted to tell Joey that none of that mattered anymore.
“I’m Sorry Mum. But will you forgive me, just like Christ that the preacher said has forgiven me.”
Joey’s mother hugged her and for once Joey felt she was making the right decision. Being at a Crossroad is not something to avoid. It’s Just a phase in life we learn to discover ourselves and all we have to do is take the right turn; leading to everlasting life.