1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, it's and guess what, We wrote a whole 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: ass book. That's right, y'all. Our book, We Over Me, 3 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: The Counterintuitive Approach to Getting Everything you Want from your Relationship, 4 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: discusses family, parenting, devours favorite topic, sex and intimacy, finances 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: and commitment with the honesty and raw truth y'all have 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: always gotten from us. We over Me, The Counterintuitive Approach 7 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: to Getting Everything you Want from your Relationship, is available 8 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: for preorder today. That's right, Run don't walk to www 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: dot p r h dot com slash we over Me 10 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: to pre order your book today. Every decision is not 11 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: agreed upon, but that doesn't mean that we can't move forward. 12 00:00:54,680 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: That is a fact. And when writing this book, We 13 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: over Me, I had to make a tough decision to 14 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:09,279 Speaker 1: include a particular moment in our lives, and I decided 15 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: to go for it. Dead ass. Hey, I'm Cadine and 16 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: we're the Ellises. You may know us from posting funny 17 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: videos without boys and reading each other publicly as a 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: form of therapy. Wait, I'll make you need therapy most days. Wow. 19 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: And one more important thing to mention, we're married. We are. 20 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: We created this podcast to open dialogue about some of 21 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: life's most taboo topics, things most folks don't want to 22 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: talk about. Through the lens of a millennium married couple. 23 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: Dead adds is the term that we say every day. 24 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: So when we say dead ass, we're actually saying facts, 25 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 26 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: Were about to think Philow talk to a whole new level. 27 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: Dead ads starts right now, as you guys know. Now, 28 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: we've gon a book call We over Me the counterintuitive 29 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: approach to getting everything you want out of your relationship. 30 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: And I remember when Cadina and I were sitting down 31 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: because the book idea was presented to us, shout out 32 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: to Carlos from CIA. He reached out through his fiance 33 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: at the time now wife Rainy, who went to college 34 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: with Codina and I. We shout and said, hey, Carlos, 35 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: wons talk to you guys about a possible project. Let's 36 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: see if you're interested. So Carlos came to us and said, 37 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: I have a couple of publishers who are interested in 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: you guys writing a book about your relationship. What do 39 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: you guys think? And I was like nah at first, 40 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: and they were like, what you mean? Nah, and I 41 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: was just like, we have a podcast, we utilize our 42 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 1: social media, you know, we have a travel show that's 43 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 1: out now with the Boys. I feel like we've shared 44 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: a lot, Like I don't. I really think there's anything 45 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: that we haven't shared with everyone on the podcast and 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: Codina was like, that's not true. I was like, what 47 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: you mean we have shared everything and she was like, no, 48 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: we haven't. And when I started to look in her eyes, 49 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: I could tell what she wanted to share. And at 50 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: first I was like, there's no way she wants to 51 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: share this because this is something that she and I 52 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: went through at a particular time in our life and 53 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: we're not going to disclose that. Will let you guys 54 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: read the book to see what we're talking about. But 55 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: I looked at k and I said, is it what 56 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: I think it is? And CONDEI looked at me and said, yeah, 57 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: I want to talk about the abortion. So thinking about 58 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: this entire book journey and what it looked like for us, 59 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: it really called for us to pull on some vivid, 60 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: some not so vivid, some painfully vivid moments in our life. 61 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: And what I've realized over the course of our life 62 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: is that together at least in the past twenty years. 63 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: Memories are gonna be memories, right. There are moments that 64 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: happen in our life, so whether they're good or bad, 65 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: it's the memories we have, right that brings me to memories. 66 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: Don't live like people, dude, they always member you when 67 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: are things are good are bad? It's just the memories 68 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: that yeah, say, hey boy, stop just remember when I 69 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: write us. Oh God, I was prepared to go all 70 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: the way into it. But memories, listen, memories good or bad, 71 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: they are what they are. All right. Let's take a 72 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: quick break. We're gonna get into the media, the show 73 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: where we talk about we over me and some of 74 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: the decisions that we had to make in this book 75 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: writing process. Was that little bomb drop for everybody? Um, 76 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: I think it was mainly because abortion has become a 77 00:04:55,360 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: hot button topic. Absolutely because of the laws that are 78 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: changing to reverse a woman's a woman's right to choose 79 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: whether or not she wants to go through with a 80 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: full term pregnancy. Absolutely. Um, it's wild to me. It's 81 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: wild to me, um that this is even a conversation 82 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: that we're having now, Um, with real versus way having 83 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: been overturned in some states, um men, particularly feeling like 84 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: they have the right to even dictate what a woman 85 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: does with the body. So this is not even going 86 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: to be like a pro choice pro life conversation, because 87 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: that's not something that we feel like we need to 88 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: discuss openly with people, because that's a personal decision. And 89 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: for full disclosure, I think everyone has the right to 90 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: be pro choice or pro life right for sure. I 91 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: honestly feel like, yes, we as people are allowed to 92 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: are should be allowed to not agree without spewing hate 93 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: at each other or not being given a title right. However, 94 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: I do feel like over arching with the decision of 95 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: whether you want to be pro choice or pro life 96 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: as a woman, and speaking for I feel like a 97 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: lot of women, we should just ultimately be given the 98 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: choice to do with our bodies what we want. I'm 99 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: gonna agreement with that, and I would say that growing up, 100 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: I've always been like a pro life person, but as 101 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: we've experienced for childbirths, how could you be pro life 102 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: without considering the life of the mom, you know what 103 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: I'm saying. So my perspective has definitely changed, and I 104 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: feel like having the choice is definitely the main, like 105 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: the main point that should be driven home because we're 106 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 1: at the point now where we're giving people the choice 107 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: to do whatever they want. You can choose your gender, 108 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: you can choose your sex, you can choose everything. But 109 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: now you're telling me that a woman doesn't have the 110 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: right to choose, even if they're raped, or even if 111 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: it could cause a woman her life for or cause 112 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: a woman to lose her life, she doesn't have a 113 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: choice to decide. I feel like that's unfair, a little 114 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: bit extreme, right, So yeah, um, Deval and I, in 115 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: the book, we detail what transpired at that particular point 116 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: in our life. Um, and in this episode, we didn't 117 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: really want to dive too much into the details of it, 118 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: because that's the whole point of the book, right, So 119 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: you can look at it and you can read it 120 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: and you can see, you know, a detailed explanation of 121 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: what he and I were feeling. And the great thing 122 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: about the book and the way it was written is 123 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: that it really gives particular points in our lives and 124 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: it gives both of our perspectives. Right. So, Deval and I, 125 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: when we were talking about this topic, he said something 126 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: that really just kind of it just reiterated to me 127 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: in that moment how much of a team and a 128 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: unit we are, And you said, you know, when we 129 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: discuss our abortion, and he never put it on just 130 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: me and said that time you had an abortion. It 131 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: was when we made the decision to have our abortion. 132 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: Because a lot of times I feel like you hear 133 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: these stories about women who sit with someone, you know, 134 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: procreate with someone, and then in turn feel very alone 135 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: because they feel like now the onus is just on 136 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: them to make a decision either way or the woman 137 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: feels like I'm going to make this decision solely without 138 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: necessarily considering or consulting how the father of this child 139 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: may feel. It is going to say that as well, right, 140 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: So it's it's very very two sided. So I appreciate 141 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: that to this day, and even in that moment um 142 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: you were very adamant about speaking about us as a 143 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: unit because this is a decision that we ultimately made together. Yes, 144 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: And that's and that's the whole point of we over me, 145 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: is that there is no decision that's just you. There's 146 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: no singular decision anymore. Um. I think that's important too, 147 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: because speaking on behalf of some men, you can't make 148 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,319 Speaker 1: that decision on your own. If it's something we've done together, 149 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: so you can't say this is something we've done together, 150 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: but then the decision is ultimately mine. But I do 151 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: understand though, that it is your body. So we sat 152 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: down and we had a very very tough conversation. And 153 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: when you get into the book and you hear how 154 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: she felt and you hear how how I felt, you 155 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: can actually understand both arguments. But at this point it's 156 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: not about arguments, and it's not about being right. It's 157 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 1: about what's doing what's best for all three of us 158 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 1: in that moment um. I also feel like it was necessary, 159 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: so people may ask me why I wanted to discuss this, 160 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,839 Speaker 1: and it's probably going to be like a bombshelf for 161 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: our families too, because no one really in our families 162 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: knew that this transpired, and in part because of the 163 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: point that we were in our life. Um, we were younger, 164 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: and it was a part of the ridicule that we 165 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: felt like we might have gotten the shame, the backlash. Um. 166 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: I think it was one of those things where we 167 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: also ultimately knew that we weren't conducting ourselves in the 168 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: most careful manner. Yeah, we weren't responsible, So it's almost 169 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: as if we were going to be getting the fingers 170 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: pointed at you like you should have done that. I 171 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: told you so. And it's easy for everything to be 172 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 1: or for everyone to be reactive in moments like that 173 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,839 Speaker 1: where I felt like if we discussed this now, it 174 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: might prompt people to be more proactive about how they 175 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: are proceeding with their sexual life. I'm in agreement with you, 176 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: and that's why when it came time to have this 177 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: discussion and you wanted to share, it also wasn't a 178 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:34,839 Speaker 1: thing where COIN was like, well, I'm sharing because it's 179 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: my body. It was always we in us. She asked 180 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: me how I felt, and I'm going to tell you 181 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: what made me feel comfortable. I can't say who, can't 182 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: say names because also I'm trying to respect people's privacy. 183 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: But I did speak to some members of my family. 184 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: I'm not going to say whether it was men or women. 185 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: And I said, I'm just gonna let you guys know 186 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: that Kadeina and I are choosing to speak on this 187 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: topic because this is what we experienced. And I had 188 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: a resounding, a resounding amount of family members that said 189 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: we've been there as well. Mm hmm. And I was like, what, wait, like, 190 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: what like you? Because I grew up in a Southern 191 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: Baptist family, and you know you hear like you don't 192 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: talk about sex in the Southern Baptist families, let alone 193 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: an abortion. And I remember the ridicule my brother and 194 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: his girlfriend at the time, who was seventeen, received from 195 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: having a child, And I felt like, just because of 196 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: the way my family was and the way we grew up, 197 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: that this couldn't have possibly have ever happened to anybody 198 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: else in my family. So to speak to the people 199 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: I spoke to a very as ages, different generations, and 200 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: hearing them say, sweetheart, we went through the same thing, 201 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: it was like yeah, But then it was also, why 202 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: didn't you guys speak to us about sex before we 203 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: got to this situation so we knew how to move responsibly. 204 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: So that made me feel like we now have a 205 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: responsibility to share our story. Hopefully it will save another 206 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: young couple from going through what we went through in 207 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: that moment, feeling the shame and the ridicule even leading 208 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: up to having the conversation about whether or not we 209 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: were going to go through it or not. Absolutely, and 210 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: I think I share the same sentiment in having a 211 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: very similar family structure or makeup where you know, my 212 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: mom's side particularly raised seven day event as my uncle's 213 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: a pastor, like my aunt is still very very active 214 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: in the church with her family, and there was just 215 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: no way a that sex was really discussed in entirety. Um, 216 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: there's a lot of things that I just left to 217 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: kind of figure out on my own or kind of 218 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: lean on like an older cousin or friends who figure out. 219 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: And as we became parents too, we realized the value 220 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: and making sure that we now will have those candid 221 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: conversations with our children, of course in an age appropriate 222 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: way and a timely manner, like the conversations are naturally 223 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: going to progress into things that are a little bit 224 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,719 Speaker 1: more detailed, and you know how how twos and the 225 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: what to watch out for is are going to be 226 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: that much more detailed as our boys get older. Um, 227 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: but it's also making sure, particularly as we raise four boys, 228 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: that they understand the female anatomy and how the woman's 229 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: body works and how their body works. And there's so 230 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: many different things that need to be unpacked, and I 231 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: didn't particularly feel comfortable having those conversations early on, so recently, 232 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: UM even had a conversation with my mom and she 233 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: and I have just had now in my I want 234 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 1: to say older age. She and I have developed a really, 235 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: really just a way better line of communication because I 236 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: think she understands now how out I in learning from 237 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: you how to be transparent communicate. UM. It's helped our 238 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: relationship so much more. And I think she in turn 239 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: feels comfortable speaking about a lot of things that she 240 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't have before. UM. And I can still see sometimes 241 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: discomfort in the way she approaches things, you know, but 242 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: it's better and she's making an effort and I love 243 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: that about where we are in our relationship. UM. And 244 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: I was speaking to her about, you know, a gripe 245 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: that I had with a family member and whatnot, and 246 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: I was just like, you know, why, why aren't conversations 247 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: just had, Like what is the what is the what 248 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: is the complexity around just mustering up the goal of 249 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: the strength to have the conversation that's uncomfortable and a 250 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: lot of times it's what is it? What do you think? Judgment? 251 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: Shame and judgment absolutely which is killing me in this 252 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: day and age, especially with social media. Right we told 253 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: about this before a young lady sent me email. Why 254 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: would you share this conversation with you and your son? Right? 255 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: What is the purpose of life? Is the purpose of 256 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: life to obtain as much materialistic things so you can 257 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: flaunt in front of everybody else. It's not the perfect 258 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: of life. No, that's not the perfect or to learn 259 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: as many things, as many ideas and then just hold 260 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: it to yourself. But you have the wealth of knowledge 261 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: quote unquote, and nobody else does. Right, is it just 262 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: the right not just material things, but to obtain as 263 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: much knowledge as possible to keep it to yourself, to 264 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: prove that you're smarter than everyone else. No, that's not 265 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: the purpose of life. The purpose of life is to 266 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: view the world in its entirety from as many different 267 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: perspectives as possible, so that you can obtain knowledge and 268 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: then share it so that the next generation can be 269 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: better than you like. To me, that's the whole purpose 270 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: of life. So when you go through something in your life, 271 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: it's not to keep it secret so that no one 272 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: can judge you. It's to share it so that the 273 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: hope is you help someone. And when you when you 274 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: say you're gonna help someone, you can't then dictate how 275 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: you're going to help them. For example, we're sharing about 276 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: our abortion. I'm not going to this saying I'm sharing 277 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: this story hoping that no one never gets an abortion. Ever, well, 278 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that I share this hoping that they 279 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: banned abortions because no, or I'm not sharing it hoping 280 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: that people will agree with our decision or not, or 281 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: then me or you potentially feeling like we're going to 282 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: be shamed a ridicule for sharing our story, or you know, 283 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: people saying, you know what, kid, I don't agree with 284 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: the fact that you had this abortion, so now therefore 285 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: I'm going to unfollow you because I don't believe in 286 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 1: that and I'm pro pro life, like that's something that 287 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: I've considered too. But then also in us realizing that 288 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: we're in a space where we choose to share, and 289 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: then y'all can take it or leave it. You know, 290 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: people are going to support regardless, and if that's a 291 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: choice that somebody decides to make because I'm being transparent, 292 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: then that's on them. And and to be honest, that's 293 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: the purpose of sharing, the purpose of sharing so someone 294 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: can listen to the story and then make an objective decision. Hopefully, 295 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: hopefully an objective decision about how they want to live 296 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: their life moving forward. That doesn't mean and the reason 297 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: why I say objective decision is because I'm trying to 298 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: be objective on the fact that I know everyone is 299 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: not going to agree with our decision one to have 300 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: one and then to share it. So we've already come 301 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: to terms with that, and I think people need to 302 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: understand what's the purpose. Part of the reason why I 303 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: chose to share this because I remember how I felt 304 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: as a young man going through that and not feeling 305 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: like I had anyone to talk to, because I felt 306 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: like I was the only one ever in life that 307 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: went through this, even though I knew it and I wasn't. 308 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: I felt like I was and I felt alone. And 309 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: I did also feel like, what if I was doing 310 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: something that was going to ultimately harm my girlfriend? If 311 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: I had more information from people would want through it, 312 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: I would know the right way to do things, see 313 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, And if I had more information, I 314 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,919 Speaker 1: could have took the right precautions to not even be 315 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: in this predicament, which to me is why people should 316 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: share their stories so that the next generation doesn't even 317 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: have to have these conversations because we've taken the necessary 318 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:09,160 Speaker 1: precautions to not be here. Yep. Absolutely So going back 319 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: to this conversation that I had recently with my mom, 320 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: I was asking about, like why is it? And you know, 321 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: like you said, probably shame, m probably fear of judgment. Um. 322 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: There's also apparently in prior generations to my generation, just 323 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: this idea of within my family. At least I can't 324 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: speak for everyone's family, but my mom pretty much said 325 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: like they're from an era where you just forget about things, 326 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: like you just you just hope things will blow over. 327 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: Let bygones be bygones, just you know, sweep it under 328 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: the rug and move on. And there's so much detriment 329 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: in that that mentality because nothing is ever resolved like 330 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: that root of the problem is never discussed, it's never unhashed, 331 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: and it's a complete and total disregard for how someone feels. 332 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: So my response to that is like, Okay, so no 333 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: one's going to take into account how I may feel 334 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: about it. You want to hear how I feel because 335 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: you just want to know how I may feel about something, 336 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: but you're not even going to then say, validate my 337 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: feelings or say, you know, you may have mistaken how 338 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: things transpired, and I just just hate that that's the 339 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: rhetoric around um some of my family dynamic, and that 340 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: in turn forced me to feel like I was very 341 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: alone in this situation aside from having you, because there 342 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: was just no way that I was going to be 343 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: able to speak to anyone about this. So you didn't 344 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 1: speak to anyone in your family, no women, no women 345 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: in my family about it other than an older cousin 346 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: who at that point was only maybe what to three 347 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: years older than me. So it's not even like I 348 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: was getting guidance from someone who necessarily had I think 349 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: she had gone through something similar. She might have had 350 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 1: one in her life too, But it's also too like, 351 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: you know, she's not in a adult per se, you know, 352 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: she's kind of like my peer, um almost like a 353 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: little older sister. But nobody who really could have pointed 354 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 1: me in the right direction, Like I could have caused 355 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: harm to myself not going to the right place, not 356 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: seeking out the right resources, not howing to heal after 357 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: it um mentally and emotionally, knowing how to deal with 358 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 1: something like that. Like that's a lot of things that 359 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: she wasn't even privy to or was able to help 360 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 1: me through. UM. Years later, I had divulged this to 361 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: one family member who I felt like I could just 362 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: trust and just you know, after the fact, you're just 363 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: like yo, like I went through this, and she she 364 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: said to me, like, I really wish in that moment 365 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 1: you would have felt comfortable coming to me. And her 366 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: relationship with me got stronger after the fact because as 367 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: she saw I was getting older and she kind of 368 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: realized I didn't have those outlets to be very transparent with. 369 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: I felt more comfortable over the years because she developed 370 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 1: a relationship with me where I felt comfortable enough to 371 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: do that. And I'm just hoping that you and I 372 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 1: can do that for generations to come. Like I feel 373 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 1: like my sister or your sister, our nieces, you know, 374 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: god children can come to us and say, man, you 375 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: know Aunt Kaine and Uncle Deval will never judge us 376 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: for the decisions that we make, or hopefully they can 377 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: feel comfortable having the conversations before they even make these decisions. 378 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: And those are just the things that we were lacking 379 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: in those moments. UM. So, yeah, it was one of 380 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: those things where we just felt very alone. But the 381 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: little support that we did have from someone in your corner, 382 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: my dad knew. Yeah, your dad didn't know. You're right, 383 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: your dad didn't know. I forgot about that, yeah, because 384 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: I needed the finances to let it happen. But also 385 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: I've always had a relationship with my father where he 386 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: never judged me, even though you never had the conversations 387 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: about sex. No, like like, here's here's the truth about 388 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: my parents. My parents were always very open with having conversations. 389 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: A lot of us not having conversations wasn't part because 390 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: I didn't know how to start having those conversations. I 391 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 1: was a child, and you expect your parents to bring 392 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: some of these conversations to you because you're like, I'm 393 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: around that age. They should be talking to me. But 394 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 1: my parents never did. And what happened was my brother 395 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: ended up having a baby at seventeen and I was 396 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: actively having sex at fifty. So it was just like 397 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: you out there doing stuff, You're doing grown adults stuff, 398 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: and no one's there talking to you about it. But 399 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 1: when my back was against the wall, I could always 400 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: go to my pops, and my pops never judged me. 401 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 1: The first thing he always asked was How's I was, kay, like, 402 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: how is? How is? She? Like? What do you need? 403 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: He was always there to help me through the process. 404 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: And I'm looking to build that type of relationship with 405 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: my children because even though we felt alone, I never 406 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: really felt alone because I could run to my pops 407 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: and I knew that my pops. My pops is not 408 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: a judgmental person. Now, my pops is a deacon in 409 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: the church, and he grew up and he at the 410 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: time I was a young adult. So he also didn't 411 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: force his beliefs and thoughts and ideas on me. That's 412 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 1: very atypical of someone who was growing up in the church, right. 413 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: But he didn't say, well, you know, and scold me, 414 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: and he just said, okay, um, how is Condein? As 415 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 1: I told how how told him how he was, he 416 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: asked me, you know what the thought process was? I 417 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: told him about how I felt, and I also told 418 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: him that you and I didn't agree, and he was like, 419 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: do you want me to exclose disclose who wanted to 420 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: and who didn't want to? You want me to wait 421 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: for the book? Okay, well, okay, well we'll let you 422 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: guys wait for the for the book. Um, but Kadina 423 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: and I didn't agree on what we were going to do, 424 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: and we couldn't come to an agreement at all, so 425 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: ultimately the decision was made. But the thing that made 426 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: me feel good was that both of us were constantly 427 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: thinking about the other person at all times. It's the 428 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: wildest thing to me, Like, like, I remember thinking pros 429 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 1: and cons, pros and cons, but I just want my 430 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: baby to be okay. And then it was almost a 431 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: point where well, I remember saying this man, fucking whatever's 432 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: gonna make my baby okay, I'm doing it. Like all 433 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 1: my beliefs that went out the window, all my thoughts, 434 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 1: all my ideas, because you have all these ideas as 435 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: a man and as a person about how you're going 436 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 1: to handle this situation until you get into this situation 437 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: with someone you care about and then they start talking 438 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: to you about what they believe and then you like, 439 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 1: al right, well, whatever's gonna make you okay and make 440 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: you happy and and make and I just want you 441 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: to be okay. And that's what it came down to 442 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: to me, was like Cadeen has to be okay. Because 443 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: I also felt indebted to your parents, like we I 444 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: was responsible for you. Even though we were young at 445 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: the time, I was like this, I this is my responsibility. 446 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: And also I sat, I laid down with this woman 447 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: and we made adult decisions to do adult things. So 448 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: I have to now act as an adult and I 449 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: have to take care of this woman. So whatever's gonna 450 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: make her okay, I'm gonna rock with it. You know 451 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: what I realized by you've been just saying this early on. 452 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 1: And this goes back to the miscommunication episode that we 453 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: have that you guys, I don't know if you will 454 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: have heard this yet by the time this ears, but 455 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: even in that miscommunication episode twenty years later, right having 456 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: a full blown argument, ultimately we were still worried about 457 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: what the other person was feeling in that moment. Like 458 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: with the Soul Training episode, it was just like, I 459 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: mean the Sole Train Awards and you going, even though 460 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: I didn't feel good, it's just like, but I want 461 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 1: him to go experience that, and you were just like, man, 462 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: I don't feel good, she's in Jamaica, but I'm gonna 463 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: be all right because you know, I want her to 464 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: have a good time. Like That's how we both fell 465 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 1: in those moments, and that was probably the earliest time 466 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: in our life. That was probably the earliest time in 467 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: our relationship where we were I know we always talk 468 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: about costantly communicating and the lack thereof sometimes especially on 469 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: my part, but we were really effective communicators when it 470 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: came down to that. I think we both gained a 471 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: level of maturity in that entire interaction that really made 472 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: me feel like, man, regardless of what I decided to 473 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: do here, he got my back. Facts. You know, when 474 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: when you guys read the details of what we were 475 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 1: going through during that time and what was going on, 476 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: and you hear how each of us were so concerned 477 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: about the other, especially during this moment of our life, 478 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: you're gonna be like, that's that's kind of mature for 479 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: two young kids. And it also made me realize, you know, 480 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 1: how we moved forward through this. I didn't say she 481 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 1: over me and you didn't say he over me. We 482 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: both said we over me, because there's a difference between 483 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: we over me and he over me. If you constantly 484 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 1: put your partner over you, you're oh, you're still isolating 485 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 1: one singular person over the betterment of the group, and 486 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: after a while, that builds resentment. Right when we talked 487 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 1: about the the episode about miscommunicate. The biggest miscommunication was 488 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: that I was constantly putting you over me, and at 489 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 1: times you were putting me over you, and we weren't 490 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 1: expressing how we felt. And it wasn't until we were 491 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 1: able to say, oh, well, we both collectively want this, 492 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:17,439 Speaker 1: so let's find out what's the best decision in the 493 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: what what decision is the best interests of both of 494 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: us and not just one of us. Yeah, even since 495 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: selecting the book title, we had to rework it a 496 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: couple of times. M We had some ideas in the 497 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: very beginning, some kind of preliminary ideas, you know, we 498 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: were thinking like, oh, you know, de valcating the Brooklyn 499 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: love story, like what would resonate with people who didn't 500 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: even know us, because if our book is gonna be 501 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: in bookstores and stuff like that, there will be people 502 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 1: that were going to be exposed to that may don't 503 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: even know who we are. And one title that kept 504 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 1: coming up for the two of us is You're All 505 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 1: I Need. And we really liked it because that's a 506 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 1: song that you play a lot. Yeah, and and it 507 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: was kind of reminiscent of just like us, right. Um, 508 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: But the feedback that we were getting from the publishers 509 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: and stuff. They were saying like, you know, you're all 510 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: I need. Puts the owner's just on one person. You know, 511 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: there's not like necessarily a togetherness or it's just saying 512 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: like you're all I need in order to be happy 513 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: or you're all I need to in order to thrive, 514 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: when we all know that that's not the case, Like 515 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: you have to find that internally. So we had to 516 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: rework the title a couple of times, and then finally 517 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:20,479 Speaker 1: Devout came up with over Me, and we were like, wow, 518 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: that's really stuck. And then it was trying to figure 519 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: out then the subtitle UM and I think in saying 520 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: the counterintuitive approach to getting everything you want for from 521 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 1: your relationship? Um, was that something you came up with? 522 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: Or was that the producer? I'm trying to know that 523 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: was that? Was that was something that the whole title was. Actually, 524 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: let me just pat myself well explain that to people, 525 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: because some people have been asking like, you know what, 526 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: like where'd you come up with that title? So I 527 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: came up with it because I feel like everything we discuss, 528 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: especially when it comes to building a relationship, it's counterintuitive 529 00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: to what we've been hearing recently through social media. Social media, 530 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: what you hear a lot of is I have a list, 531 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: I want these things, I demand these things. I need 532 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: to find someone who can check the boxes on all 533 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: the stuff that I desire in my life. And there's 534 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,240 Speaker 1: someone out there who will match all of the stuff 535 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: that I need. An I I was just like wro 536 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: wro whoa, whoa. Whether you're a woman or a man, 537 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter if you're only concerned about yourself, you 538 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: can never exist fully in a relationship that's gonna serve 539 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: both parties. So I was like, realistically, our relationship is 540 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: extremely counterintuitive, right, because there's other parts of the book 541 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: where we became closer when my focus was no longer 542 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: on me, my focus was on you. For example, I 543 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,239 Speaker 1: gave you this analogy in the car the other day. 544 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: I said, you know, I realized that marriage is a 545 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: lot like philanthropy. Oh yes, this conversation we had. So 546 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: we'll be having these real end of conversations in the 547 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: car on the way to the gym and whatnot. We do. 548 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: That's how that's how we stay together. We laugh at 549 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: each other, we we bounce ideas, of each other. But 550 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: to be a philanthropist is to be to be empty, 551 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: and to be empty in the idea of everything is 552 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: about you, this is about someone else. So in order 553 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: to fully be a philanthropist, you have to have your 554 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: ship together at home. Right. You can't really help other 555 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 1: people unless you're fulfilled, right, And if you live in 556 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: abundance and you feel secure, then you can say I'm 557 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: in a position to help other people. I feel like 558 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: getting into a relationship is a lot like philanthropy because 559 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: in order to fully be in a relationship, you have 560 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: to have your home together. And what I mean your home, 561 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: I'm talking about your spirit, your soul, and the person 562 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 1: as an individual is looking to be of service to people. 563 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: I'm so fulfilled in who I am as an individual 564 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: that I can be of service to someone else. That's 565 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: counterintuitive to what we're saying in relationships. Relationships a lot 566 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: because most people are looking for someone to compleat them. 567 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 1: I need to find someone to fill the gaps in 568 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: the parts of the lives that I don't I'm not 569 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 1: good at. And then when a person misses a gap, 570 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, you're not good enough. You don't fulfill 571 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: that gap. Whereas to me, if you think about philanthropy, 572 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 1: you don't go out in the world saying I'm going 573 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: to help people and these people better fill the gaps 574 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 1: and want to help in them. It's like, no, I'm 575 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: fulfilled in my life and I want to help people. 576 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: But philanthropy is also a business, just like marriage is 577 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: a business. That's a fact, right, So you also have 578 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: to help people. But you can't help people unless you 579 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: have everything around you in place to help people without 580 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: expecting something in return. That's the biggest part for me. 581 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: It's the expecting something in return portion. My thing is 582 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: with philanthropy. For example, you're going out there to help, right, 583 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: so you help, you don't neate time, you don't eate resources, 584 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: and the feeling of fulfillment that you get is sometimes 585 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: not even tangible, right, It's not like I can it's 586 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: a material thing that I'm necessarily getting from this act 587 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: of kindness. It's just me feeling within my soul, within 588 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: my spirit that I'm doing a good deed to help 589 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: someone else. And marriages so much like that, Yeah, the 590 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: benefits to being married. Right in the business portion of it, 591 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 1: you build a business like for example, we did, We're benefiting, yes, 592 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: financially from the partnership that we have um but ultimately 593 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: when those things go awry, when the business ain't business 594 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: in when times are hard, when money is low, Like, 595 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: what's the one thing that's consistently consistently saved us over 596 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: the years was the feeling for each other. The feeling 597 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: and the love for each other that we have. And 598 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: I've always heard my mom say, like, love don't pay 599 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: the bills, right, but the love that we have is 600 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: enough to sustain us through the moments where the bills 601 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: might not be getting paid easily. But at least we 602 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: feel good knowing that we're in the spread together and 603 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: you're not alone. We'll think about this too. Even with philanthropy, 604 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: you don't just choose a random cause. You have to 605 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: have discernment about a cause that matters to make It's 606 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: the same thing with people when you're choosing to get married. 607 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 1: You don't just choose anybody. You have to have discernment 608 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: about a cause that means something that matters to you, 609 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: and and also use discernment to know that that person 610 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: it's also a philanthropist in their own right and they 611 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: want to be of service to you and to me. 612 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: I felt like speaking about the abortion and speaking about 613 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,280 Speaker 1: the other topics because there were so many other topics 614 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,800 Speaker 1: we spoke about in the book. It also allowed us 615 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: to show people how our spirits have always been to 616 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: serve the other person. You know what I'm saying, It's 617 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: never been about me, And in the moments where it's 618 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: been about me is where we've often gone astray. That's 619 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: what's so counterintuitive, right. So many people get married because 620 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,960 Speaker 1: it's about me. What can I gain from being married? 621 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: As opposed to saying what can I offer someone else 622 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: as a spouse? And think about the moments over our 623 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: life where the focus was shifted to be about me. 624 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: Me like you in that moment was like, well I 625 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 1: need this, I need that. I'm gonna do this for me, 626 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 1: And I felt like, you know what, I need this, 627 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do this for me. That's usually when things 628 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: fell apart for every reason, because the selfishness that occurred, 629 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:15,400 Speaker 1: or the the lack of consideration for the other person, 630 00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 1: or not even that. It's just saying, this is what 631 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 1: society has deemed normal to transpire in a relationship or 632 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:24,360 Speaker 1: a marriage. This is what a husband or wife is 633 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: supposed to do. So let me just do this aimlessly 634 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 1: thinking I'm doing a good job because that's what everybody 635 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 1: said I should be doing. But it doesn't even serve 636 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:34,240 Speaker 1: you in the way that you need to be served. 637 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,280 Speaker 1: I think about how many people suffer in their marriages 638 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:42,719 Speaker 1: for that reason, because they're so concerned about what you know, 639 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 1: the patriarchy says, You're so concerned about what the church says. 640 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: You're so concerned about what you know you've seen growing up. 641 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: That just does not suit your needs in that moment. 642 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: And this is what's crazy about speaking about the abortion. 643 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 1: Everything we just talked about being a service to each other, 644 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 1: right as taboo as abortions have been. Right. Facts and 645 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 1: stats from Trouble. Abortion is a common health intervention. It 646 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: is safe when carried out using a method recommended by 647 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: WHO w h U World Health Organization, appropriate to the 648 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: pregnancy duration and by someone with the necessary skills. Six 649 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 1: out of ten of all unintended pregnancies end in an 650 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 1: induced abortion. Six out of ten, three out of ten 651 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 1: of all pregnancies are terminated of women obtaining abortions and 652 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: mothers of American women will have an abortion. By as 653 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: common as abortions are, it baffles my mind that it 654 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: is so taboo to talk about, and then people wonder 655 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: why when we have these discussions about abortions. It's so 656 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:57,479 Speaker 1: radicalized and it's so polarizing because people don't just share 657 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:00,360 Speaker 1: their experiences and what their thoughts are, and they can't 658 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 1: do it in this day and age without feeling judged, condemned, 659 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: in shame. You can't share nothing nowadays without like you 660 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,280 Speaker 1: just have to know, Like if you're going to share something, 661 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: you're just gonna have to know that you're just going 662 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 1: to share it because you want to. And whatever feedback 663 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: you get, however, people take it unsolicited advice, unsolicited comments. 664 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 1: It's just gonna be what it is. It's just gonna 665 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 1: be what it is. So it's crazy with these kind 666 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: of statistics that that's where we are. And there's so 667 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: many things around women's health UM that are not that's 668 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:37,319 Speaker 1: not discussed. It's not just abortion, this infertility that no 669 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:41,879 Speaker 1: one's talking about, the struggles with that UM fibroids, particularly 670 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:45,799 Speaker 1: things that plague um African American or women from other 671 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: ethnicities other than white, things that are plaguing our community 672 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 1: that we just don't talk about. And that's so much 673 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 1: of the generational trickle down of not feeling comfortable having 674 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:59,479 Speaker 1: these conversations because of shame. UM. In part, why shout 675 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: out to myself Stir Sakari, who's an rn UM. She's 676 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:05,239 Speaker 1: advancing her studies now and she's in uh in grad 677 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:09,040 Speaker 1: school getting her masters and women's health because she sees 678 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 1: the deficit there um and how there's just a lack 679 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,360 Speaker 1: of education and a lack of support around African American 680 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 1: women having that voice or having that presence um. You know, 681 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 1: just even when you go to the clinic or you 682 00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:23,520 Speaker 1: go to the doctor. It's like us, for example, now 683 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,640 Speaker 1: are in the space where we're seeking out black doctors, 684 00:37:26,719 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: black dentists, black pediatrician, black you know, if we want 685 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 1: to make sure that when we walk into these rooms, 686 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:33,880 Speaker 1: into these offices and we may potentially have a problem, 687 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: or you're just going for your physical or checkup, that's 688 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:38,800 Speaker 1: someone who looks like you, who may understand your particular 689 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 1: struggles UM and things that you may be predisposed to. 690 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: So I'm looking at some of these questions that Trouble presented. 691 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 1: Some of these were not going to discuss because you're 692 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: in the book, and of course we want you guys 693 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,799 Speaker 1: to purchase the book hard copy, definitely, because that will 694 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: help us get in the New York Times bestselling copy. 695 00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 1: Let's put us on your mantle or something on the 696 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: bookshelf there. There are a couple of questions here that 697 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:05,320 Speaker 1: I do want to answer. For example, did this decision 698 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 1: affect your relationship in any way? Yes, it did, and 699 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,320 Speaker 1: if I'm being honest, it made us closer, which is 700 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 1: insane because we didn't agree. Necessarily, we didn't agree, and 701 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: we don't want to get too much into whose perspective 702 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:22,759 Speaker 1: was what, But we didn't agree and we were able 703 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 1: to make make it through and come through stronger. And 704 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: that resonated with me because so many times relationships are 705 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: dismantled through tragedy, right or dismantled through a tough, stressful situation. 706 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: But in this situation, it made us a lot closer 707 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 1: because we learned that we we could trust each other, 708 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: we could rely on each other, and that we always 709 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: care about each other. You know, there was no point 710 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 1: during this whole time where there was an argument where 711 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:53,080 Speaker 1: it was just like, well, I believe in and you're 712 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 1: not considering my feelings. I don't ever at any point 713 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,479 Speaker 1: feeling like you never consider my feelings, not one time, 714 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,759 Speaker 1: not at all. And that was the earliest. You know, 715 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 1: we speak so much about being a service as someone. 716 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 1: That was the earliest moment where I think we did 717 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:10,319 Speaker 1: ourselves a disservice by not acting in a careful manners. 718 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 1: So we were both doing ourselves a disservice as a 719 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:16,080 Speaker 1: group collectively or as a couple collectively and as individuals. 720 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:18,120 Speaker 1: But we did so much of a service to each 721 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: other by being able to really have such a adult 722 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:24,399 Speaker 1: conversation at such a young age to figure out what 723 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:26,760 Speaker 1: was going to make the most sense for us moving forward. 724 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 1: So yeah, there's another question. It says, how does this 725 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: conversation run abortion affect you now? And do you think 726 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: there should be a political issue? Let me ask you, 727 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:36,200 Speaker 1: as a woman, do you think abortion should be a 728 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: political absolutely not like there's just no there's there is 729 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 1: no like politics. And a woman's body and her right 730 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: to decide what happens to her body should never be 731 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,680 Speaker 1: a political issue. What should be an issue that when 732 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:54,320 Speaker 1: it comes to politics law all that is when instances 733 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,240 Speaker 1: like that happened and a woman is raped, for example, 734 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 1: and she's forced to now bring forth this child who 735 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,280 Speaker 1: is conceived through rape, and then it's like, what measures 736 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,400 Speaker 1: are going to be taken to, um, hold this person 737 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:07,719 Speaker 1: accountable who raped her, and then you're potentially going to 738 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 1: give him rights to this child too at the same time, 739 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 1: like it's just so much, it's so convoluted to me 740 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:16,080 Speaker 1: at this point, um that nothing when it comes to 741 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:19,480 Speaker 1: a woman's body should ever be a part of a 742 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:23,880 Speaker 1: political debate. It just it doesn't make any sense to me, Like, 743 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:26,160 Speaker 1: like I just I don't even have much more to 744 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:27,799 Speaker 1: say about it because I'm just it's just a hard 745 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:30,080 Speaker 1: it's just a hard No, it's a hard note for me. 746 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:32,320 Speaker 1: It is a hard note for that's a medical decision 747 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 1: that should be made between a woman and her provider 748 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 1: and whoever the provider is. And doctors are shamed for 749 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,800 Speaker 1: it too, Like you just can't you can't be an O, B. G. 750 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:43,560 Speaker 1: Y And that's walking around here saying, yeah, I do 751 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:46,240 Speaker 1: this at my clinic. Like when we when this happened 752 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:47,880 Speaker 1: for us years ago, it might have been in a 753 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: time where that was something that was offered and it 754 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: was a little bit more accessible. Um. You know, now 755 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 1: you have places like planned parenthood and people have more 756 00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:58,080 Speaker 1: options to nowadays, UM, I feel like in having to 757 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 1: talk about things like this, there are other options, like 758 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,080 Speaker 1: there's the Plan B pill now, which I don't think 759 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: was available when we were going through this. That wasn't 760 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:09,240 Speaker 1: like an option now too. Um So there are different 761 00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:11,800 Speaker 1: routes that people continue to ensure that you know, before 762 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:13,840 Speaker 1: this even becomes a situation where I need to seek 763 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:16,799 Speaker 1: out a termination, I have these resources that I can 764 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,160 Speaker 1: try ahead of time. UM. I don't think it should 765 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,719 Speaker 1: be a political issue, and the conversation around it affecting 766 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:26,839 Speaker 1: me now it just further reiterates to me that it's 767 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:31,720 Speaker 1: such a personal decision. It is really such a personal decision. Um. 768 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:34,319 Speaker 1: But like I said early on in the conversation that 769 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:36,719 Speaker 1: it's not just a personal decision for the woman. I 770 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 1: feel like the person who got you there or y'all 771 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:42,560 Speaker 1: did this together. There should also be a conversation between 772 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,040 Speaker 1: both of you what what should be done or what 773 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:46,560 Speaker 1: the next steps will be taken. So, if you do 774 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: decide to go forward and have a baby, right, what 775 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,279 Speaker 1: does that conversation look like between you and the father 776 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 1: of this child. Are you considering what he's also thinking 777 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: and feeling in this moment? You know, there's a lot 778 00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:02,279 Speaker 1: of different conversations needs to happen, because as much as 779 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:03,920 Speaker 1: it's a woman's right to her body and the right 780 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:07,399 Speaker 1: to her choice, she didn't get here alone. How did 781 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: you feel as a guy in this, Like you know 782 00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:13,440 Speaker 1: you're you said before, like pregnancy is not the thing 783 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:15,279 Speaker 1: that you have to necessarily go through, right, so you 784 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 1: don't have to stop your life for anything. Really, um 785 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,399 Speaker 1: so like in that moment as a man, or as 786 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:27,960 Speaker 1: a young man where you conflicted it all with how 787 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:31,480 Speaker 1: to even approach me in the conversation to say how 788 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:35,799 Speaker 1: you really felt genuinely, it's interesting to hear to have 789 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:39,520 Speaker 1: to answer that question now because I'm going to be 790 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:44,520 Speaker 1: thirty nine this year, a father of four boys, so 791 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 1: my perspective has changed a lot um mainly because I've 792 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 1: also seen the effects that pregnancy has had on you, 793 00:42:56,400 --> 00:43:00,400 Speaker 1: you know, almost losing you twice, So that puts me 794 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: at fifty percent of the time when you were pregnant, 795 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:05,640 Speaker 1: there was a chance that you could have no longer 796 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:09,520 Speaker 1: been here. So these are things that I think people 797 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:14,359 Speaker 1: who are having opinions about abortions don't consider because a 798 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: lot of people have opinions without having real world experience. 799 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:23,880 Speaker 1: For example, there's no way in the world a man 800 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:30,400 Speaker 1: that is pro life would say to her his wife, 801 00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:34,400 Speaker 1: not gonna will uncle who was raped, for example, you 802 00:43:34,480 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: have to have that baby, and your rapist is going 803 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:40,319 Speaker 1: to have rights over the child that he forcibly put 804 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:43,320 Speaker 1: into your body. So now you're not only being raped once, 805 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,680 Speaker 1: you're being raped over and over and over again by 806 00:43:45,719 --> 00:43:48,120 Speaker 1: the state, because now the state is giving the rapist 807 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:52,799 Speaker 1: more rights over your body than you know what I'm saying, Like, 808 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:56,680 Speaker 1: if you really just think about that, there's no way 809 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:03,200 Speaker 1: a sane person man becauld say that that's okay, young 810 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:07,200 Speaker 1: devout before having kids, before seeing what pregnancy can do 811 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 1: to a woman's body. Was more along the lines of 812 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 1: pro life. We don't know what this life is going 813 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:16,320 Speaker 1: to be. Why how could we take this life away 814 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,279 Speaker 1: before seeing what this could be? The next president of 815 00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:21,200 Speaker 1: the United States, you know, that was one of the 816 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:22,920 Speaker 1: yea that was That was one of the things that 817 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I love her and she loves me, 818 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:28,719 Speaker 1: and everything's gonna be fine, and yeah, you can figure 819 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 1: it out. Like it to me, it's hard to ask 820 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:39,640 Speaker 1: people to have an objective idea of thought about this 821 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:44,319 Speaker 1: because it is so like singular when it comes to 822 00:44:44,440 --> 00:44:47,839 Speaker 1: what decision needs to be made for what woman, which 823 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 1: is why it should be a personal decision based on 824 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:54,960 Speaker 1: that circumstances. Casting a wide net over all women, saying 825 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:57,319 Speaker 1: all women shouldn't be allowed to do something to me 826 00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:01,560 Speaker 1: seems like it doesn't make any sense. So as a man, 827 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:04,040 Speaker 1: and I hate talking about this top topic because I 828 00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:07,240 Speaker 1: feel like men shouldn't even have an opinion on something 829 00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:10,359 Speaker 1: that's so personal to women. Because here's the thing. Men 830 00:45:10,400 --> 00:45:12,560 Speaker 1: would hate it if if women came up with a 831 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:14,640 Speaker 1: law and said you have to get a sectomy by 832 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:17,360 Speaker 1: this time. You know what I'm saying, I think about it. 833 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:20,359 Speaker 1: Just think about that, if we're going to control all 834 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:24,919 Speaker 1: women's reproductive organs, imagine a council of women and said, well, 835 00:45:25,719 --> 00:45:29,280 Speaker 1: we're all gonna get together now and all men passed 836 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:31,759 Speaker 1: the ages of thirty five, if you don't plan on 837 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:35,160 Speaker 1: having children, you gotta go get a a sectomy. Think 838 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,279 Speaker 1: about that, you know what I'm saying, Like like like, 839 00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:41,640 Speaker 1: think about that? Or what if a young man is 840 00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:46,240 Speaker 1: as testicular cancer And I remember one of my teammates 841 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 1: in college had testicular cancer and he had to remove 842 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:51,640 Speaker 1: one of his are nuts, right, What if the rule 843 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:55,160 Speaker 1: was you can't do that surgery because that would limit 844 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:57,640 Speaker 1: your ability to reproduce, so you have to live with 845 00:45:57,680 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 1: the cancer and possibly die. Because that's what they're doing 846 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:02,720 Speaker 1: to women now. Some women have to make a choice. 847 00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 1: If I have this child, I could lose my life. 848 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:07,839 Speaker 1: And now they're saying, well, you don't get a chance 849 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:09,920 Speaker 1: to choose your life, or the fetus is life. You 850 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,440 Speaker 1: have to go through it and see what happened topic 851 00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:14,799 Speaker 1: and it's going to rupture your whole flopen and you're dying, 852 00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:18,120 Speaker 1: which has happened in America. There have been young women 853 00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 1: who have lost their life because they couldn't get abortions, 854 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,719 Speaker 1: and they're like, that's just part for the course. Imagine 855 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:28,279 Speaker 1: imagine a council of women telling man, hey, listen, I 856 00:46:28,280 --> 00:46:31,160 Speaker 1: know you got to sticular cancer and you don't plan 857 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,480 Speaker 1: on using your balls, but because of reproductive health politics, 858 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:37,759 Speaker 1: you can't get the surgery to remove it, and you 859 00:46:37,840 --> 00:46:40,120 Speaker 1: got to see what happens with the cancer. Men would 860 00:46:40,160 --> 00:46:43,439 Speaker 1: go crazy, But it's the truth, though, Like I feel 861 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:46,719 Speaker 1: like people need to understand that every situation is isolated 862 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:49,120 Speaker 1: and different and it should be left up to the 863 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:51,760 Speaker 1: people who are making the decision. And when I say people, 864 00:46:52,120 --> 00:46:54,839 Speaker 1: it shouldn't just be left to the woman because two 865 00:46:54,840 --> 00:47:00,080 Speaker 1: people sat down and decided unless it was forced on 866 00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:03,320 Speaker 1: the woman. If it's forced on the woman, she didn't 867 00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:06,680 Speaker 1: have a choice. So now since she didn't have a choice, 868 00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:10,080 Speaker 1: my man's you don't have a choice. You put something 869 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,239 Speaker 1: in her body, she should decide. That's how I feel 870 00:47:12,239 --> 00:47:15,600 Speaker 1: about it, honestly. But I do also feel like speaking 871 00:47:15,600 --> 00:47:18,359 Speaker 1: about abortions as a man is man splinting, and it's 872 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:24,400 Speaker 1: highest level, and it's hard. Women are on the attack, 873 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:27,440 Speaker 1: like it's it's ridiculous. It's hard to even watch. When 874 00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:29,000 Speaker 1: I watch some of the debates, I'm like, it's just 875 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:33,520 Speaker 1: really a debate, really, But I do want to applaud 876 00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:35,480 Speaker 1: you because we need to go take a break. I 877 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:37,680 Speaker 1: do want to applaud you for being brave enough to 878 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:39,760 Speaker 1: say and this is what she said to me, babe. 879 00:47:40,520 --> 00:47:43,400 Speaker 1: I may get some scrutiny, I may lose some followers, 880 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,759 Speaker 1: I may lose a following. I don't care. I don't care. 881 00:47:46,920 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 1: I wish I had someone to speak out on what 882 00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:53,640 Speaker 1: they were going through before I even got pregnant. So 883 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:56,239 Speaker 1: I'm going to do that. Absolutely. I just hope that 884 00:47:57,560 --> 00:47:59,279 Speaker 1: I just hope that it can help somebody, because that's 885 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:02,120 Speaker 1: the whole point of why we do what we do. UM, 886 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:03,960 Speaker 1: And that's the whole point of us trying to be 887 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:07,640 Speaker 1: vulnerable and transparent. So if this speaks to someone or 888 00:48:07,680 --> 00:48:10,799 Speaker 1: someone you know, share the episode, UM, and just have 889 00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:13,759 Speaker 1: the conversations early on, especially parents, like we're looking at 890 00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:16,759 Speaker 1: ourselves in a different lens now, you know, us at 891 00:48:16,760 --> 00:48:19,719 Speaker 1: that age versus us now so much more responsibility. We're 892 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:23,279 Speaker 1: raising the next generation of children. Um, These conversations have 893 00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:25,359 Speaker 1: to be had. So let's take a quick break and 894 00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:27,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna come get into y'all's business a little bit 895 00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:29,439 Speaker 1: with our listening letters. So let's go pay some bills 896 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 1: and come back, all right, y'all, And we're rolling right 897 00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:47,120 Speaker 1: into listener letters, all right. So y'all continuing to write 898 00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:49,200 Speaker 1: in So we love you for that. Thank you so 899 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:52,759 Speaker 1: so so so much. Hi. Family, First, I want you 900 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:54,759 Speaker 1: both to know how much of an inspiration you are 901 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:57,520 Speaker 1: to the culture. Thank you, especially after speaking about what 902 00:48:57,520 --> 00:48:59,879 Speaker 1: we spoke about. This is the reason why we do it, y'all, 903 00:49:00,080 --> 00:49:02,239 Speaker 1: So we love that. It's refreshing to see a couple 904 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:04,359 Speaker 1: love and support one another the way you do. So 905 00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:07,279 Speaker 1: thank you for that example. Look at affirmations right out 906 00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:09,680 Speaker 1: of the back. Thank you. I'm a twenty nine year 907 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:11,560 Speaker 1: old black woman and I am in love with my 908 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:15,000 Speaker 1: best friend. He's twenty nine, sixty months older than me, 909 00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:18,279 Speaker 1: and we met freshman year in college. After the last 910 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:21,520 Speaker 1: twelve years, we've been through so much together. Both went 911 00:49:21,560 --> 00:49:24,120 Speaker 1: to the military after college. He has two beautiful babies, 912 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:28,400 Speaker 1: failed relationships, etcetera. And now we both find ourselves single 913 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:34,000 Speaker 1: and loving on each other. Yes, the feelings same, mutual, 914 00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:36,399 Speaker 1: but I'm not sure if he sees me the way 915 00:49:36,440 --> 00:49:39,160 Speaker 1: I see him. I'm a lover to the core, and 916 00:49:39,239 --> 00:49:42,120 Speaker 1: when I love, I love hard. He's everything to me. 917 00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:44,360 Speaker 1: He makes me feel like I can accomplish anything and 918 00:49:44,400 --> 00:49:48,240 Speaker 1: everything and still be his feminine woman, which isn't something 919 00:49:48,280 --> 00:49:52,000 Speaker 1: that comes easy to me. The problem is he broke 920 00:49:52,080 --> 00:49:54,080 Speaker 1: things off with his son's mother around the middle of 921 00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:57,719 Speaker 1: two thousand twenty two, and ever since then, it's been 922 00:49:57,760 --> 00:50:01,040 Speaker 1: me and him. If I call, he's coming. If I 923 00:50:01,120 --> 00:50:03,879 Speaker 1: need him, he's there. It's just that I feel as 924 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:07,399 Speaker 1: though he only does it because he's lonely. We talked 925 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:10,280 Speaker 1: about a committed relationship before, but I don't feel secure 926 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:14,319 Speaker 1: and how that conversation went, it seems like he wants 927 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:16,399 Speaker 1: to have me in this capacity and still be able 928 00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:21,279 Speaker 1: to mingle. I don't know what to do or how 929 00:50:21,320 --> 00:50:23,440 Speaker 1: to explain to him how I'm feeling, because at the 930 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:25,239 Speaker 1: end of the day, I don't want to lose my 931 00:50:25,320 --> 00:50:28,480 Speaker 1: best friend. I love him and I know he loves me. 932 00:50:28,520 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 1: Should I tell him how deep my love really runs 933 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:33,440 Speaker 1: for him? Or should I move on? Thanks in advance 934 00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:44,720 Speaker 1: for me, tell me what it's going to you see yourself? Girls? 935 00:50:45,640 --> 00:50:48,480 Speaker 1: See yeah, I about to say, girl, I shot my 936 00:50:48,560 --> 00:50:51,040 Speaker 1: shot and look at me now, look at me now. 937 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:53,120 Speaker 1: And this is before I even thought the vow was 938 00:50:53,160 --> 00:50:55,880 Speaker 1: going to be my best friend, my person, Like I 939 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:57,600 Speaker 1: don't even know if there's a word to describe like 940 00:50:57,680 --> 00:51:00,359 Speaker 1: what you are to me, but you know, as close 941 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:01,839 Speaker 1: as we can get it too, your my person. You're 942 00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:03,480 Speaker 1: my best friend, and I just feel like you need 943 00:51:03,560 --> 00:51:06,120 Speaker 1: to say how you feel because it also may be 944 00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:07,840 Speaker 1: a thing too where he feels the same way and 945 00:51:08,520 --> 00:51:09,759 Speaker 1: he doesn't know what to say. It's like, how do 946 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:12,759 Speaker 1: I get myself out of this friend zone situation? You know? 947 00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:15,239 Speaker 1: And sometimes people are purposely put in the friend zone 948 00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:18,440 Speaker 1: situation because they know for sure they don't want anything 949 00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:21,080 Speaker 1: more than that. But the fact that you two seem 950 00:51:21,160 --> 00:51:23,439 Speaker 1: to have been kicking it for a long time, going 951 00:51:23,440 --> 00:51:25,920 Speaker 1: through things that are very similar. He's gone a straight 952 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:28,239 Speaker 1: he's been out there, he had the babies and all that, 953 00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:32,200 Speaker 1: and he's still there. He might just be waiting for 954 00:51:32,200 --> 00:51:34,120 Speaker 1: you to make the most is So I say, shoot 955 00:51:34,160 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 1: your shot, Steph Currie wish. That's what I was going 956 00:51:42,239 --> 00:51:45,560 Speaker 1: to get to. He might be comfortable in that wet 957 00:51:47,160 --> 00:51:50,399 Speaker 1: Now you have a friend with benefits. Clearly their friends 958 00:51:50,440 --> 00:51:55,279 Speaker 1: with benefits. She didn't say that they were intimate, but 959 00:51:56,120 --> 00:51:59,719 Speaker 1: I'm getting intimacy here are you? I'm getting She said 960 00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:02,759 Speaker 1: love on each other. That's what I'm saying. That's what 961 00:52:02,760 --> 00:52:06,960 Speaker 1: I'm saying. Specific That may be coword for she'd be 962 00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:09,680 Speaker 1: dropping that thing on him and now they'ncomfortable being that. 963 00:52:10,120 --> 00:52:13,719 Speaker 1: Now he may be comfortable being able to have his 964 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:16,400 Speaker 1: cake and eat it too since he's mingling with other women, 965 00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:18,919 Speaker 1: but still can get some consistency. But I feel like 966 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:22,399 Speaker 1: that's not working for you. So when you ask, should 967 00:52:22,440 --> 00:52:25,840 Speaker 1: I say something? Are you comfortable in this situation? No? 968 00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:29,799 Speaker 1: So since you're not comfortable, speak on it, because you 969 00:52:29,840 --> 00:52:31,600 Speaker 1: can't spend the rest of your life being a friend 970 00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:36,200 Speaker 1: with benefits. So if you're not comfortable, now, what's the 971 00:52:36,200 --> 00:52:39,120 Speaker 1: worst that could happen? You're no longer friends because he 972 00:52:39,160 --> 00:52:42,920 Speaker 1: feels uncomfortable. You're uncomfortable anyway. Girls. Half the battle is 973 00:52:42,920 --> 00:52:45,320 Speaker 1: trying to keep someone's attention. And you said that whenever 974 00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:49,239 Speaker 1: you call, he's coming, you know, whenever you ring, he's there, 975 00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:52,480 Speaker 1: So that in itself already shows that them other chicks 976 00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:54,640 Speaker 1: that he may be mingling with Clarton don't mean that 977 00:52:54,719 --> 00:52:57,879 Speaker 1: much to him if he's leaving, you know, um, And 978 00:52:57,920 --> 00:52:59,840 Speaker 1: he might have been coming out of these relationships, and 979 00:53:00,040 --> 00:53:02,319 Speaker 1: he called things off with his son's mother around the 980 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:05,280 Speaker 1: middle of it hasn't even been a year yet technically, 981 00:53:05,719 --> 00:53:07,600 Speaker 1: so he might be just kind of like seeing, you know, 982 00:53:07,760 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 1: enjoying himself being a little single for now, which is cool, 983 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:12,680 Speaker 1: which is fine, and he's entitled to do that. And 984 00:53:12,719 --> 00:53:15,200 Speaker 1: then you know, if you express that and at least 985 00:53:15,239 --> 00:53:17,440 Speaker 1: you have some clarity. I just hate lack of clarity. 986 00:53:18,120 --> 00:53:19,919 Speaker 1: And then it gives you the choice to decide whether 987 00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:22,440 Speaker 1: it's something you want to continue to nurture as a 988 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:25,080 Speaker 1: friendship or if you feel like, man, this friendship may 989 00:53:25,160 --> 00:53:28,319 Speaker 1: be prohibiting me from then opening myself up to help 990 00:53:28,360 --> 00:53:30,560 Speaker 1: up to meeting someone else too, because you may not 991 00:53:30,600 --> 00:53:33,000 Speaker 1: want to be twenty nine and single forever. Right, So 992 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:35,480 Speaker 1: if it's not gonna work out for y'all, as that 993 00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:38,040 Speaker 1: you might be able to then move forward saying all right, well, 994 00:53:38,080 --> 00:53:40,040 Speaker 1: he's just going to continue be my friend. So the 995 00:53:40,080 --> 00:53:42,719 Speaker 1: wireless question you can ask is should I have a 996 00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:45,360 Speaker 1: conversation about it? If you're thinking about it, have a conversation. 997 00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:47,399 Speaker 1: You know we're gonna tell you to have. There should 998 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:51,160 Speaker 1: be no conversation that they'd be going on conversed, you 999 00:53:51,239 --> 00:53:54,080 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, Like, always have the conversation and 1000 00:53:54,120 --> 00:53:57,880 Speaker 1: be prepared for whatever response you get. Don't have the 1001 00:53:57,920 --> 00:54:01,319 Speaker 1: conversation expecting a certain in response, because then you're going 1002 00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:05,120 Speaker 1: to be in for disappointment. Have the conversation and see 1003 00:54:05,120 --> 00:54:07,200 Speaker 1: where it goes. Absolutely good luck to you, since I 1004 00:54:07,239 --> 00:54:08,920 Speaker 1: hope it works out. Please hit me back and let 1005 00:54:08,960 --> 00:54:11,120 Speaker 1: me know like everything worked out, because you're not like 1006 00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:18,440 Speaker 1: a follow up. Number two. Hello, my name is Unice 1007 00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:20,719 Speaker 1: from New Jersey Becaudan and de Val. I'm a huge 1008 00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:22,800 Speaker 1: fan of both of y'all and your podcast is awesome. 1009 00:54:22,800 --> 00:54:25,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, Unice. I've been with my boyfriend for a 1010 00:54:25,719 --> 00:54:27,640 Speaker 1: decade and we both agree that we don't want to 1011 00:54:27,680 --> 00:54:29,800 Speaker 1: get married and have any children, and we are completely 1012 00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:31,880 Speaker 1: okay with that. Both sides of our family are not 1013 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:35,719 Speaker 1: being accepted of our decision and it's making us not 1014 00:54:35,840 --> 00:54:38,319 Speaker 1: want to be around them no more. What should we do? 1015 00:54:38,880 --> 00:54:41,200 Speaker 1: Ps I already pre ordered your book. Thank you so 1016 00:54:41,280 --> 00:54:43,600 Speaker 1: much for pre ordering our book. Thank you. This is 1017 00:54:43,719 --> 00:54:48,040 Speaker 1: very simple. Do not tailor make your relationship to anyone 1018 00:54:48,080 --> 00:54:51,720 Speaker 1: else's expectations because you will fail. Period. You will always 1019 00:54:51,760 --> 00:54:54,080 Speaker 1: fail at being what other people want you to be 1020 00:54:54,080 --> 00:54:56,239 Speaker 1: because you can only be what you want to be. 1021 00:54:56,560 --> 00:54:59,480 Speaker 1: This is very simple. You both agree that you don't 1022 00:54:59,480 --> 00:55:01,319 Speaker 1: want to get I didn have kids, but you love 1023 00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:02,839 Speaker 1: each other and want to be around each other. Do 1024 00:55:02,880 --> 00:55:06,480 Speaker 1: what makes you happy until it doesn't make you happy anymore, period. 1025 00:55:06,560 --> 00:55:08,160 Speaker 1: If it makes you happy to the end of time, 1026 00:55:08,200 --> 00:55:10,920 Speaker 1: stay that way. Don't let anybody else tell you that 1027 00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:13,400 Speaker 1: you have to get married or you have to have kids. 1028 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:16,040 Speaker 1: That is not the case. Even us as a married 1029 00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:18,440 Speaker 1: couple who wrote a book called We Over Me about 1030 00:55:18,480 --> 00:55:22,200 Speaker 1: the advantages of being monogamous and married. Also believe that 1031 00:55:22,239 --> 00:55:23,719 Speaker 1: if two people agree that they don't want to be 1032 00:55:23,719 --> 00:55:26,480 Speaker 1: monogamous and be married and have kids should live in 1033 00:55:26,480 --> 00:55:29,919 Speaker 1: their ultimate happiness. It's giving forced philanthropy. And nobody wants 1034 00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:34,520 Speaker 1: to be a forced philanthropist. Okay, nobody want to force 1035 00:55:34,560 --> 00:55:36,480 Speaker 1: nobody to be of service to something that they don't 1036 00:55:36,520 --> 00:55:38,640 Speaker 1: want to be of service to. That's a sure fire 1037 00:55:38,680 --> 00:55:41,880 Speaker 1: way to be setting yourself up for a life of misery, 1038 00:55:42,040 --> 00:55:44,680 Speaker 1: do y'all. And if the family don't accept it, that's tough. 1039 00:55:44,719 --> 00:55:46,680 Speaker 1: They can make whatever decisions that they want, because half 1040 00:55:46,680 --> 00:55:48,959 Speaker 1: the time those family members are living in misery as well, 1041 00:55:49,800 --> 00:55:53,000 Speaker 1: and they, you know, just want that for you as 1042 00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:55,399 Speaker 1: well because they like the company. Don't do it, don't 1043 00:55:55,400 --> 00:55:58,560 Speaker 1: subscribe to it, period. And but but have the conversation 1044 00:55:58,600 --> 00:55:59,960 Speaker 1: with the family, like, yo, this is the last time 1045 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:02,879 Speaker 1: mom discussing this fact. This is what we want from 1046 00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:05,360 Speaker 1: my life. And it doesn't matter what you say, what 1047 00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:07,120 Speaker 1: you do, how you say, and how you do what 1048 00:56:07,160 --> 00:56:09,080 Speaker 1: we're gonna do what's in the best sages of ourselves. 1049 00:56:09,120 --> 00:56:13,440 Speaker 1: Leave it alone, period, okay, point blank period. If you'd 1050 00:56:13,440 --> 00:56:15,560 Speaker 1: like to be featured as one of our listener letters, 1051 00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:16,840 Speaker 1: Now this is something we're gonna force you all to do, 1052 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:19,359 Speaker 1: not just kid, We're going force you all to write 1053 00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:21,279 Speaker 1: to us because we want to hear from you. UM. 1054 00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:23,919 Speaker 1: Email us at dead as Advice at gmail dot com. 1055 00:56:23,960 --> 00:56:25,400 Speaker 1: And you don't have to be like unite and give 1056 00:56:25,440 --> 00:56:26,880 Speaker 1: your name. But what you do need to do is 1057 00:56:26,880 --> 00:56:30,120 Speaker 1: please purchase our book absolutely hard copy, prefer Blake. And 1058 00:56:30,160 --> 00:56:32,160 Speaker 1: that's D E A D A S S A D 1059 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:35,520 Speaker 1: V I C E at gmail dot com. All Right, 1060 00:56:35,560 --> 00:56:39,000 Speaker 1: moment of truth time. So we're talking about UM. We 1061 00:56:39,120 --> 00:56:42,560 Speaker 1: over me from the pages of our book, UM, from 1062 00:56:42,640 --> 00:56:46,120 Speaker 1: the depths of our heart, being able to share this 1063 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:49,400 Speaker 1: particular portion of our life with you guys. Ultimately, I 1064 00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:52,279 Speaker 1: just hope it helps someone like that's my moment of truth. UM. 1065 00:56:52,320 --> 00:56:54,000 Speaker 1: I can't go back in the past and change a 1066 00:56:54,040 --> 00:56:57,960 Speaker 1: decision that was made. And I'd like to think that, UM, 1067 00:56:58,040 --> 00:56:59,759 Speaker 1: the struggles that I've had with the decision that I 1068 00:56:59,800 --> 00:57:01,839 Speaker 1: did make, UM, I was able to make peace with 1069 00:57:02,200 --> 00:57:05,640 Speaker 1: with myself, with you, with God. UM. For a long time, 1070 00:57:05,680 --> 00:57:08,719 Speaker 1: I struggled with the idea that I would be punished 1071 00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:13,960 Speaker 1: in perpetuity and I would never have children. One day, Yeah, 1072 00:57:14,040 --> 00:57:16,600 Speaker 1: I honestly felt like that was just it for me, 1073 00:57:16,680 --> 00:57:18,160 Speaker 1: and that decision was going to haunt me for the 1074 00:57:18,160 --> 00:57:20,360 Speaker 1: rest of my life in the worst way possible. And 1075 00:57:21,640 --> 00:57:24,520 Speaker 1: look how wrong I was, Look how wrong I was. 1076 00:57:24,560 --> 00:57:26,240 Speaker 1: And I know there's a lot of women who struggle 1077 00:57:26,280 --> 00:57:28,840 Speaker 1: with that. UM. I know someone in particular that said 1078 00:57:28,880 --> 00:57:31,280 Speaker 1: she had one at seventeen and she cannot have children 1079 00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:33,439 Speaker 1: to this day and she feels like that's the reason why. 1080 00:57:33,520 --> 00:57:36,480 Speaker 1: It's a punishment and perpetuity for a decision that she 1081 00:57:36,560 --> 00:57:38,760 Speaker 1: made when she was a child. UM. So I just 1082 00:57:38,800 --> 00:57:41,160 Speaker 1: hope that this can help someone. And if you've ever 1083 00:57:41,200 --> 00:57:44,320 Speaker 1: been in that position, UM, and you require healing, because 1084 00:57:44,360 --> 00:57:47,040 Speaker 1: it does require healing. UM. I just hope that you 1085 00:57:47,400 --> 00:57:49,120 Speaker 1: if you don't have the support that you need, that 1086 00:57:49,160 --> 00:57:51,600 Speaker 1: you find it, UM, that you're able to overcome it, 1087 00:57:51,760 --> 00:57:54,920 Speaker 1: and that you're able to share and feel confident in 1088 00:57:54,960 --> 00:57:59,200 Speaker 1: sharing your story without shame and judgment, because it's necessary 1089 00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:03,000 Speaker 1: to have these conversation stions. Absolutely, my moment of truth 1090 00:58:03,240 --> 00:58:06,880 Speaker 1: is simple. The greatest gift you can give anyone is 1091 00:58:06,920 --> 00:58:10,560 Speaker 1: to inspire them to be better than they were yesterday. 1092 00:58:10,920 --> 00:58:14,280 Speaker 1: And through we over me, we are hoping to inspire 1093 00:58:14,880 --> 00:58:18,720 Speaker 1: as many people as we can to just be better 1094 00:58:18,800 --> 00:58:20,720 Speaker 1: humans so that the world can be a better place. 1095 00:58:20,920 --> 00:58:25,400 Speaker 1: That's a fact, all right, y'all. Be sure to follow 1096 00:58:25,480 --> 00:58:27,919 Speaker 1: us on Patreon if you have not signed up yet 1097 00:58:27,920 --> 00:58:31,160 Speaker 1: and subscribed. We have so much good exclusive content for y'all. 1098 00:58:31,240 --> 00:58:33,600 Speaker 1: You're going to see the dead As Podcast live shows 1099 00:58:33,720 --> 00:58:37,280 Speaker 1: in its full entirety, extended episodes, extended clips where we 1100 00:58:37,320 --> 00:58:40,560 Speaker 1: have rehashes and we chat with the crew after each episode, 1101 00:58:41,200 --> 00:58:43,840 Speaker 1: extended stuff with the family. You'll see more of the boys, 1102 00:58:43,920 --> 00:58:45,680 Speaker 1: so be sure to sign up there. And if you're 1103 00:58:45,680 --> 00:58:48,280 Speaker 1: not following the podcast page yet, please do so on 1104 00:58:48,280 --> 00:58:51,080 Speaker 1: social media at dead As the Podcast and you can 1105 00:58:51,120 --> 00:58:54,080 Speaker 1: find me at Cadena. I am on Instagram and TikTok 1106 00:58:54,600 --> 00:58:57,720 Speaker 1: and I am devout. And if you're listening on Apple podcasts, 1107 00:58:57,720 --> 00:59:01,480 Speaker 1: be sure to rate, review, sub subscribe, and go right 1108 00:59:01,480 --> 00:59:04,040 Speaker 1: now and purchase. We over meet a hard copy baby, 1109 00:59:04,080 --> 00:59:08,160 Speaker 1: I am manifesting New York Times bestseller. We need your help, love, y'all. 1110 00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:11,960 Speaker 1: We appreciate you do that for us. We'll see you 1111 00:59:12,000 --> 00:59:16,280 Speaker 1: all next time. Peace. Oh who's coming on the book tour? 1112 00:59:17,240 --> 00:59:19,280 Speaker 1: Come on through. Oh that's right, we do have a 1113 00:59:19,320 --> 00:59:28,280 Speaker 1: book a little bit see him tell him dead Ass 1114 00:59:28,360 --> 00:59:30,880 Speaker 1: is a production of I Heart Media podcast Network and 1115 00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:34,040 Speaker 1: is produced by the Nora Opinion and Triple Follow the 1116 00:59:34,040 --> 00:59:36,840 Speaker 1: podcast on social media at dead as to Podcast and 1117 00:59:36,960 --> 00:59:37,720 Speaker 1: Never Miss a Thing