Valderia RENA Richards:
CLASS OF 1985
Decatur High SchoolClass of 1985
Decatur, GA
Valderia RENA's Story
At, the moment I'll say I am a woman who is finally beginning to arrive. I am a woman who has come from beginning addicted to crack cocaine for 15 years(or so), to now beening a single, working, mom of two beautiful girls(Tamaria18,Tiffany4). I work at a Kroger in the Sandy Springs area which is where my kids and I live.I hold a lower management position which pays pretty darn good.I am also a person who is seeking to have and understand a real life with God as the head of my life. Because of the life I have lived, the things I have done, the way I haved loved, and been loved, by friends, and family, in spite of, it all it is only by his grace, and his mercy that I am now among the living and I (as we all are), I am blessed and highly, highly favored. I have been free from crack now for 4 and a half years now. So just so you know give a girl a holla, pray for me.I celebrate every year on May 25th thanking God for one more year without the need, or desire to use crack. "GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!"And I thank him for a wonderful family, who stayed down with a sister during all those years, and loved me no matter what.A mother who raised my oldest daughter, with no hesitation, no questions asked, and who loved us both so much (inspite of her hurt and feelings of love and disappointment for me) she instilled love, and respect, for me in my daughter's heart,(although I was pretty much absent in their lives) . Because of that my daughter(Tamaria,18) and I have a great (mother-daughter) relationship we do have teenage problems, but who has a teenager without the problems of a teenager.A middle sister(Runt) who did not quite understand and I am sure had a hard time accepting the fact that I had chosen(because in all honesty that's what I did(unknowingly)chose), to live a lifestyle that would have me "messed up" for years to come. And that was a hard pill for her to swallow(as it was for them all). So inspite of her hurt, she loved me still.And my youngest sister(Erica) well she is and always has been a light in my life. She's the youngest but was then for all those years and is now a rock(of love and constant support) in my life.She stayed down with her "big sister", no matter what it was, and had no problem checking a sister then, and even now. She had then and have now no problems cluing m...Expand for more
e in on her disappointments or her joy. I also have to mention a dear, dear, friend who has been a freind to me since Decatur High and that is "Sunja Blassingame"(Friends), ("85"). She has been in my corner from the beginning to the end.She is to this day not just "my best friend" from high school(as I tell everyone), but she has proven to be my friend for life. I love you Sunja. She is one of the few people that I stayed in touch with over the years. Other friends would include "Athur Ross"("83"), and "Ernest Cameron"("86"), I wanna say thanks to you guys for "always beening my friends, even when I did not want you to be my friends, you guys were always there trying to help bring a sister back to the land of the living, and for that I love the three of you and always will. Because to this day they still call and check on a sister. You guys never fell to let me know what a real friend is. But, Thanks to their prayers, and "My" prayers, prayers from friends, and family,(along with an unexpected, and late pregancy during my addiction, (Tiffany4)) the light finally begin to shine for me when I woke up on the morning of May 25,2004. And I have been on the road to recovery and living a life free of using crack cocaine every since but the struggle goes on only now its a struggle in which I control, a struggle that gives me meaning, and a purpose, to do and be all I can be, not just for me, or my kids, or my family, and friends, but for the next person that "will" be struggling to get out of the darkness of "crack cocaine" and into the light, of the living, and productive, members of society.By coming through that darkness and into the light I am telling that next person, I did it, and so can you and as I was raised believing, and still believe, but I am now accepting, and becoming willing to embrass, and to live by"the fact" that: "It is through God, that all things are possible" which is why I am seeking him as the head of my life because "I never wanna go back, if I do, I may never return."And I want to be remembered as one whom overcame."I mean we all have struggles in life this has been my stuggle, and to some degree,it will always be, my struggle, but, I know as long as I don't use I win hands down. AMEN, in Jesus, name. Thanks for reading my story.
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