Ditra Graves
Bio
I am a writer and photographer ❤️
Stories (14/0)
Exposure
Have you ever met someone that challenges your mind to another level? A person that makes you think... "I haven't been living life?" I can remember growing up with little but desiring much. It was not until 12 years ago that I began to see more. I'm not just speaking of material things. But many times, we cannot grow beyond our surroundings. I recall my parents having their dreams for me, what they thought I should do with my life. Truthfully, it was a fight even when I conceded to do what they thought I should do with my life. I'm sure many can understand the influence our surroundings have on us. I recently learned that we gain 92% of our knowledge between the ages of 1-5. Research tells us that, what have we been taught during our early childhood years that we are now living out. It's okay to have the best and to be the best version of you. Your environment does not limit you to what and who you can become. Your trauma or life experiences are to be used to shape you to be more and to do more. Your experiences aren't just for you as an individual, it's for the next person you will help. I'm almost 40 years old and just beginning to tap into a greater level of me. Can I encourage you, that anything is possible, but you have to put the work in. You are worth it! You desire the best and so does your family. Please know my first step in my journey is knowing and loving yourself first. You will never find your true identity in another human being. Born to be great! Ride with it.
By Ditra Graves5 months ago in Confessions
Fight Mode
Often when a person hears support you think monetary contributions. Support doesn’t mean just finances it could be encouragement. I would have never thought in 2012 when my parents told the family my mom had breast cancer that years later, I would still be talking about it and encouraging other women and their families.
By Ditra Graves5 months ago in Motivation
Open Letter
Dear E, It's crazy, I didn't even know that you had passed. I had seen you months before and pasted. You were with your girl; I didn't know what to say. I didn't recognize her, and I didn't want to cause you any issues because O could see it was something going on when you all were in the store. Now looking back, I just over thought the moment. Prior to that moment it had been years since we see each other. You always had my back growing up. I can't remember one time you had an ill motive towards me. You put me on to game when my little sister was acting up. Almost 20 years since we walked that stage, we all went our own separate ways. I never knew you had a kid until I tried to play the funeral services back.
By Ditra Graves2 years ago in Poets
High School Days
I remember being in high school, I was always different. Honestly, I can think back to middle school it was the same way. I was picked on for not having name brand clothes, for being shy, for not doing what the "popular kids" did. I grew up with both parents in the home, my father went to work every day and watched us get on the bus every morning before he went to work. My mom was home every day when we came home. We may not have had the "name brands' but we had a home, lights, running water, a hot meal every day, food in the pantry, etc. My parents balanced taken care of the home and providing for their three children that lived in the home and one that was grown and continued to come by for food, groceries, and to drop off her children to be watched. I remember being picked on in the hallways and in the classroom especially in middle school. I had what old school would consider a little shape as I began to age.
By Ditra Graves2 years ago in Motivation
Tested
Have you ever said to yourself or out loud that you would do something for free because you were just that passionate?! Well, I have been saying for an extended period of time that I love training dogs so much that money really isn't. Ha! I don't think I ever said it like that but something along those lines. My heart really was to be available to for a security position that was given to me, and my current employer had me on a schedule that was a hit and a miss at times. The opportunity came to do two things that I have a passion for all at one time at the same job. The condition was a pay cut but everything else sounded so great. I made the transition and quickly realized what was initially presented to me was not the total truth. Was this an opportunity to do two of the things that I enjoy at one time in a new environment, absolutely... BUT it was the other stuff that I was not expecting.
By Ditra Graves2 years ago in Journal
Apologizes
I apologized to you the other day. I really didn't have much else to say. You cared for me; I would dare say. It wasn't the way that I would have thought it to be displayed but either way. You cared for me in your best way. The toxicity got in my way. It made it hard to digest the friendship and that's how we got here today. You were broken, dare I say shattered. You started walking with me tattered. I was gain for love.
By Ditra Graves2 years ago in Poets
Reset
If you could hit the reset button in one area of your life, what area would you start all over? Would it be in the area of finances, love, lost, career, school. At the age and point in my life I can't help but sit and mentally review the place I'm at. I should be much further than I am currently. The truth of the matter is, I have made bad choices in all relationships outside of your common ones. How do I define common relationship? Glad you asked. I define common as a relationship with a family member, coworker, a neighbor.
By Ditra Graves2 years ago in Motivation