"I Get it How I Live!"

There were this saying a few of the girls would chant from time to time in my girls program. Some of them would be arguing about God knows what, and one of the comebacks to the others character belittling was, “I get it how I live.” She would be hopping up and down rolling her head , all while rolling her hair into a neat bun. Only to have it pulled out by the roots.

I was so puzzled at the statement that during one of our sessions, I decided to gain some insight on the matter. The girls were all excited to share their stories about the nature in which this particular phrase rang true individually.

However, once I started to hear the stories behind the truth of this so called badge of honor, I refused to listen to anymore of the bad girl chronicles. I needed desperately to set the record straight.

A way of life is proclaimed to be the definition of the phrase, “I Get it How I live.” So what do we do, to obtain these things? When I invited the boys to join our discussion, the girls were amazed at the concepts the young men had about the statement. The boy’s brought light to the situation. While the ladies prized their understanding of the slang term. The boys demeaning views were not only disrespectful but graphic in nature, which opened the eyes of many.

As we all know in this society we are not all created equal. No matter the change in season or turn of the century women and men are from two different worlds and praised for different things. The boys were rowdy and pleased to announce their gang affiliations, and poor respect for women. They used the term Bitch and Hoe loosely and referred to the behaviors of girls unacceptable; but condoned such acts of misconduct when there were the recipients thereof.

Again stating that, “I Get it How I live.” The girls sadly agreed, but couldn’t knock the next person for what they participated in for the simple fact that to each his or her own. Another statement that suggests freedom of choice, but clearly leaves room for ridicule.

After our long chat which included the gentlemen, I asked them to leave and we had a girl session to clarify the matter. The girls were really eager to lay into the boys for their rudeness, but didn’t give any further clarification to the phrase at hand. Some of the girls said that it’s just some stupid phrase they heard a rap artist say so like many trends others followed.

Again an old saying comes to mind, “If so and so jumped off of a bridge, would you?” Of course not is always the answer, yet and still we choose to follow the crowd. Some of the most ridiculous notions are made public and because someone with a little cash said it, we jump in the boat.

I will be one to tell you that I am quick to abandon ship, if the boat even looks like it may have a crack in it. You should always come prepared with your own life raft.

So, as the discussion progressed, I decided to break down the statement and perhaps change the focal point of its meaning. We were going to continue to, “Get it how we lived!” Though we were going to positively reinforce the nature of what we were getting.

We would still get money, but by way of jobs and education. We would also seek popularity, but by way of healthy character building, and social clubs that benefit affirmative outcomes.

I had to put a stop to the “Get it how I live,” mess. They were simply running around like chickens with their heads cut off, babbling such madness. As the Butler family says, “Not all money is good money, folks.” We as adults need to be reminded of that just as much as these teens do, when confronted with get rich quick schemes and the like.

Parents we much teach our kids about the dangers of in this world, while we school them on matters of the streets and how to avoid getting caught in between, we need to encourage positive reinforcement. Teach them about the importance of education and stability. Lecture them on the true meanings of these slurs slang language they hear, before they repeat it.

I can appreciate the term, “I get it how I live.” It was simply the way they were accumulating these items that scared me. Also the fact that it didn’t mean the same thing across both genders, not equally for that matter. You could acquire materials, in any such way, but you could also be looked down upon by ways in which you chose to participate, depending on your gender.