By Keisa Sharpe Jefferson
It will be known as the slap heard and seen around the world.
An iconic Hollywood actor loses his cool over a comment made by a legendary and respected comedian. But the bigger question is not about that night.
It begs the question, “What’s really going on with Will Smith?”
Ask most people and they’ll quickly let you know – there was more to that incident that met our eyes on Oscar night.
We’ve heard about the marital struggles of the Smiths. We’ve not only seen them in the spotlight but their children also.
All while Will and Jada seem to experience mounting fame in the entertainment industry. And the more interesting note about Will is this was his first Oscar after previous nominations.
But his history-making moment has been permanently tarnished by one gesture of emotional over-reaction.
Perhaps the pressure of it all was too much.
Truthfully told, we will never know what challenges celebrities face each day. And with Will’s long-standing success, multiply the pressure exponentially.
Now that it’s settling, I don’t choose to meet the situation with criticism, but simply a heart of understanding.
I don’t advocate violence at all, but I can understand that a peculiar and painful current may run beneath Smith’s seemingly jovial exterior.
We all have many theories on what made Will go there, and even more on whether he handled the joke about Jada correctly.
But the question I have, is when you’re under the gun or when life brings you an unexpectedly unpleasant moment, how will you respond?
Trust me…we will all face it.
And my encouragement to you today is to just deal with it.
Stop smiling through it. Stop joking through it. Stop playing with it. Let’s just deal.
If you’re angry about something, then say it. If you’re disappointed about something, express it. If you’re hurting about something, reveal it. Then work to heal it.
Because I can assure you that if you don’t, that issue will deal with you. And you may not like the results.
So, if I take a lesson from the Will Smith’s Oscar fiasco, it’s this: All the money in the world won’t hide our inner struggles. In fact, excess money and success will amplify it.
I know we all want that next level of achievement. And I encourage you to pursue it.
But in the same vein, pursue holistic healing and dealing with the issues that threaten to sabotage your life’s most meaningful accomplishments.
As always, I’m cheering for you.
Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson is a life coach, author and speaker. Her column appears each month online and in The Birmingham Times. You can contact Keisa at keisasharpe@yahoo.com and visit http://www.allsheanaturals.com for natural hair and body products.
