Leonard Pitts, journalist for The Miami Herald, (one of my favs) wrote today about the Chinese-American basketball player for the New York Knicks whom everyone is talking about, Jeremy Lin.  (No, I’m not a big basketball fan but I love his “hero’s journey” story – from a total nobody to a star in a couple of weeks.)  Pitts was talking to young black men in today’s column “Attention, young blacks: ‘Linsanity’ has crucial message for you” and was talking about the stereotypes we give to people: “a form of mental laziness in which people believe they can know who and what you are simply by seeing you.”

This is what Pitts’ message is to “young blacks”: 

“So, the most admirable thing about him is neither his scoring nor his assists, but, rather, the fact that he refused to allow other people to define him.  He knew he was capable of things they’d never expect or believe.  And guess what?  So are you.”

Why am I sending this to the heroines that read my Journey Notes?  Simply because Pitts’ advice applies to all of us.  Refuse to allow other people to define you.

And…you are capable of things they’d never expect or believe.