Where You At?

I love Jennifer Hudson. She was on Oprah yesterday and talked about her weight loss, the loss of three members of her family, her son and fiance and her life in general. There were many members of her family at the show because many of them are also participating in the weight watchers program.

I am proud of what she has done with her life, especially after having to deal with an unspeakable tragedy. I am sure that a day does not go by when she does not think about it, but she said that with the help of family, her son, and God, she has been able to move on.

At the end of the show she sang a song from her new album. The song is about a man she loved (or thought she loved) who is never there when she needs him. She gives many examples of what they have shared, what she has done for him and vice versa. The refrain is "Where You At." At first I was appalled by this awful grammatical deliberate snafu, but now that I have thought about it, it was needed.

I know someone whose friend was always there--calls at all hours of the day or night, unannounced visits, laughter, family sharing, being herself, independent,
and not a "friend by appointment." We have to be careful not to let "new" things destroy the old things. As I was doing my daily morning meditation/devotion the verse for today was from Proverbs l8:24: "A man (woman) of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (sister). I was fascinated by this because it made the song more real to me.

We cannot forget those who have been there with us through thick, very thick, and thin. We cannot let solid relationships be ruined because of something or someone who may or may not be there for the long run. We must know ourselves, maintain our independence, be honest and trust friends who are honest. I don't like having people around me who will not tell me the truth. I can dish it out and I can take it.

But more than all of this, I would not want a friend of mine to ever have to write a song about me called "Where You At?" We all need to look at all of our relationships and think about if we have to wonder "Where You At?" Thank you Jennifer.