Lost Soul

It was a beautiful morning in Michigan. However, a distraught father lived a life of worry and heartache because he lost all control of his child. Bobby, the father of the house, was a hard working man. He did all that he could to support his family. After the death of his wife, while she was giving birth to their son Jamal, Bobby took on the responsibility of raising his child just as his wife asked him on her death bed.
  Bobby got up that morning and made breakfast as usual. His son Jamal came down the stairs with his pants sagging, his shirt too big, and his hat on backwards. Bobby saw that and stopped his son as he begin to open the front door and leave.
  "Jamal, sit down and let me talk to you for a minute", Bobby said. Jamal sat down in the chair at the table and said, " Can we make this quick because my friends waiting for me?" Bobby said, " That's what I want to talk to you about Jamal. You are always on the go with your friends son. You gave up every opportunity you had to be somebody when you started hanging with them." Jamal sat back in the chair and sighed heavily and then said, " Really we going to do this today? I am tired of having this conversation with you". Bobby looked at his son with this angry look in his eyes. He never liked raising his voice, but his son needed it that day. "Well we are going to keep having it. You don't know how much I worry about you when your out there in the streets doing things you know you shouldn't be doing. Your mother would turn over in her grave if she see you now." Bobby yelled. Jamal stood up, but Bobby stopped him before he did something he regretted. " Don't bring my mother into this", Jamal said. "Why not? She asked me on her death bed to take care of you and send you to the best school. She asked me to let you achieve the best opportunities and I did that. You played football and basketball, you were MVP each year through high school. You gave all that up and for what, so you can run the streets and be a follower instead of a leader. Your living life wrong son. Life is too short son, you need to right your wrongs before it's too late. The last thing I wanna do as a father is bury a child, I wanna see you have kids, and further your education and give them the wisdom I gave to you", Bobby preached to his son.
    Jamal stood up and walked toward the door. Before he went out of it he said, "Daddy, I am doing just fine as I am, I don't have any wrongs I need to right. I am good. I do not need you preaching to me everyday about my life, my life is good. Just get off my back please". His dad looked up at his song and said "Ok, your 18 years old. As a father I have done everything I was suppose to do. What you choose to do with your life is on you. But, remember, if you choose to leave and never come back that's on you, but the door is always open if you want to come back. I just have to give you over to the Lord, he will take care of you."
    Jamal walked out the door and Bobby looked to the ceiling and silently prayed for GOD to look over his son.
    Weeks went by before Bobby heard from Jamal. When he did hear from him
It wasn't the call he wanted. A lady from the hospital called the house that day. Bobby answered the phone and the lady said, " Mr. Carson, we have a Jamal Carson here in the emergency, he is in critical condition, I am not at liberty to give you the details over the phone, but we need you to come down here." Bobby dropped the phone and ran to his car. He sped in and out of lanes trying to get to the hospital. He prayed all the way there, hoping his son was going to pull through. He got to the hospital and ran to the desk. He gave his name and his son name. A doctor took him into the family room. They sat down and the doctor said, "Mr. Carson, your son was in an apparent gun fight. He was shot in the chest and the bullet apparently pierced his lung. We were able to stop the bleeding. He is in a slight coma, and it's pretty hard to tell if he is going to make it. We are doing everything we can. We got a match for lung coming in right now. You can go in and talk to him for 10 minutes. He can hear you but he can't respond".
  Bobby went into the room and looked at his son laid on the table with his life slowly going. Bobby cried and cried and prayed that his son pull through. He had so much to live for and so many gifted talents. An hour later the helicopter came in with the lung and Jamal was taken right into surgery. Another hour later the doctor came out the recovery room with a look of relief. He went back into the family room with Bobby and said, "Mr. Carson, your son is going to make a full recovery. He is a very lucky kid. He is in recovery one, but in about another hour he will be put into a room and you can go up and see him." Bobby cried and through sobs he said, "Thank you doc, you are a life saver." The doctor walked away and Bobby looked up and said, "Thank you Lord."
  About an hour later, Bobby went up to his son room. When he walked in his son was asleep, but he awoke when Bobby got closer to the bed. Through shallow breaths Jamal said, "Dad, I'm sorry, you were right about everything. I promise I am going to get it together and let go of my street life. I love you so much." " Son hush, don't worry about that right now, just worry about making a full recovery and getting well." Jamal went back to sleep while Bobby sat there and watched him all night.
  Six months has gone by. Jamal made a full recovery and started attending community college. His grades were good enough for him to make the basketball team that year. He was the star football player that fall. Bobby was able to persuade his son to change his life and right his wrongs. Jamal even gave his life over to the highest of them all. Prayer is power in the moment of trouble. Cherish each moment herer on earth because tomorrow isn't promised to anyone.