*Please note that these points apply to adults, not children.

As I imagined it would be, the Oscar slap heard around the world was news for a few days and then it was on to the next things. But I have been mulling it over for the past few weeks and came up with five life lessons that this situation can teach all of us.

1. We need to dig deep to find our self-worth. I understand and know too well that we can believe we are okay with ourselves and our circumstances and then something happens that makes us realize that we still have work to do. I believe that is the situation that Jada faced. She thought she was okay but was not yet mentally prepared for the negative.
2. We need to prepare ourselves for negative comments and naysayers. Because I guarantee you that they are coming. What I mean by that is that we can’t just be okay with ourselves while everyone is giving us praise, telling us how brave or beautiful we are. We need to be mentally and emotionally prepared for those who do not like our decisions and may, in fact, be downright rude. We need to prepare for that, too. 
3. Before you find yourself protecting someone, make sure they want to be protected. It was Jada’s fight to fight. Indeed, I feel that these situations are ours to fight. Even in the case of Will and Jada, Will stood up for her but it may not have been wanted. I may be wrong, but I have yet to see Jada come out and defend him. 

I don’t expect nor want my husband, RJ, to jump up and fight my battles for me every time someone says something to me that may hurt my feelings. I much prefer him in the background saying, “That a girl!”

4. We can't allow self-worth to come from the outside. We need to find our self-acceptance and self-worth on the inside. Otherwise, we will only feel confident when everything is lined up in our favor. We need to be able to feel good about ourselves and our situation no matter what others may think.
5. Seriously challenge the things that people say to you in your own mind. Does no hair undeniably make a woman look like a man, or does a man who has long hair all of a sudden look like a woman? Or, if it is some smart-aleck saying it, does it make it a fact? 

What are your thoughts? Do you think we need a hero to save us, or do we need to be our own hero and save ourselves? 

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