surroundings

"You are only as good as your surroundings allow you to be." I found this saying to be very true, unfortunately most of the time our surroundings are often not a good influence and that is not our fault because we don't have a choice in the neighborhood or the people we are surrounded with. On the other hand, we do have a say on the people we choose to hang around with unfortunately most of the time we hang around with the wrong crowd because we want to be cool and popular, but that moment in the spot light blinds us and we are unable to see the consequences we have to pay for our "popularity" just like my friend Nathan Martinez he ended up paying that price with his life. I mean don't give me wrong I am very proud to be from Oak Cliff "the hood" but tears come to my eyes when I think how different would it have been if by friend Nathan could had seen the price of popularity, he would still be alive now and we would be chilling and laughing just like old times, but those days are gone now all that is left is memories that are painful to deal with. So choose your friends wisely and beware of your surrounding or your life can turn into a tragic Julius Caesar story!