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The Green Light

Love | 03.15.17

* This post is to remind you to not pass judgement, the man in the blog is just an example, not the purpose.

When soulful topics find their way into unplanned photographs, you get some amazing insights.

Take this photo by Anna May for example:

I’m standing under rather the 2nd Street bridge in downtown Louisville on a beautiful summer night. It was rare for their to be traffic on I-64 at that time of night but it was during the final stages of the adjustments getting made to Spaghetti Junction; which had cars and semis bumper to bumper. Yet there wasn’t a car attempting to go up the ramp into the chaos less than 100 feet away.

Anna and I were in it for the shot so we thought it was serendipitous to have the opportunity. Just as we started playing in the lane, three men walk by and I paused because I get nervous around others when shooting, it’s just awkward. So I stepped onto the sidewalk and Anna and I talk for a minute as they pass.

Right as we begin to talk, a man approaches us and asks for money. We’re both purseless so we can’t give him anything. He focused on my hand and told me that he hopes I never know what it’s like to not have anything in a mildly condescending way.

He walked away when he saw the men turned around and were walking back toward us. We went to our car soon after but not before we took the shot above. Right after we shot it, a few cars came driving up the street towards me and all turned in other directions as they saw the traffic that awaited them.

I didn’t notice he staring at my engagement ring till he was already gone. Then I apologized to Anna for wearing it, I never meant to attract a negative moment from an innocent style selection.

Funny thing though, I only wear it when I’m working on my blog or for events that require a glam-ish look. Otherwise, I’m in an athletic ring I purchased for daily life.

It was then that I became frustrated. Not because he was asking for money but because he made an assumption about me that isn’t true. He assumed that I’ve had a luxurious life full of money without any problems; which is the farthest thing from the truth.

Just like the multiple assumptions people think about you when they don’t know you just of you.

– I grew up starting low and moved to middle-class when both parents were working in the careers they chose from putting themselves through college.
– I’ve worked for every dime I have and spend.
– I put myself through college.
– I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck.
– I’ve moved 21 times in 34 years.
– I currently have 5 full-time jobs.
– I’ve hit rock bottom and lived to talk about it.
– I struggle with Crohn’s & Colitis on a daily basis.
– A lot of other things that are private.

All of these things add up to make me, me.

I don’t anticipate to ever have the opportunity to tell that man any of this because the likelihood of seeing him again is rather slim. But the encounter we had serves a great reminder that no one can see your past and they sure as hell don’t know what you’re made of. They only see the things that lie on the surface. He’s no better than a anyone that makes their assumptions about you.

This blog is for those that do read this and make assumptions on other people’s lives. Be kind and realize you don’t know them at all.

People see your smile, your life as you post it, and everything else you put out into the universe but now one knows the struggle it took to get you to where you are. However, there will be times where they don’t deserve to know a single thing about you because they’re going to judge you regardless. In that case, let them. It only shows who they are, not who you are.

Remind yourself of who you are, where you come from, how you live, and even the ways you give back in philanthropy.

Allow these things to power you through adversity because eventually you’ll come to a place where you’ll feel as though you’re lost in a sea of people. Everyone’s pushing forward, as if they’re in bumper to bumper traffic not knowing where they are, how long they’ll be there, and holding onto anger of the traffic and struggle as if it’s their only lifeline.

But there is always an opportunity to be on a different path where you choose love over hate. You may feel like a vulnerable loner but eventually you’ll see there are others just like you. They see the chaos of the people moving in the same space, never learning alternate routes but they know they’re not like them.

If you’re on a path alone, there will be judgements from people who know nothing of you but don’t shut down. Instead, keep your eyes peeled for the others coming your way. They’re on the horizon and they’ll arrive right when you start to believe that you’ll be alone forever.

Proceed through the green light with reckless abandon. Your future awaits you.

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I’m a 30-something Louisville dweller and aficionado. As you browse around please note that you’re in the sanctuary of the space I call home where my writing is about life, love, and the city of Louisville. I’m honored to have you here. Thank you for visiting my space.

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✨ 𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒 ✨ Compared to ✨ 𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒 ✨ Compared to other years, 40 posts in 2020 is scarcity at its finest when compared to other years of me posting almost every day. The time away has allowed me to get through one of the darkest years, so many of us have faced. While I’ve historically turned to my keyboard as a release of hardships, I’ve been unusually reclusive as I’ve focused on a silent health challenge, family, friends, work, and school as a guiding light. ✨ 2020 was a year I never really wanted, but I learned much about myself and tapped on inner strength to push through. ✨ Therefore I must be grateful for the lessons I’ve learned. 🙏 2021, please be kind. The world and I need it. #thankunext #surviveandthrive #ciao2020 #topnine
✨ 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 ✨ “I can't h ✨ 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 ✨ “I can't hide. How I feel about you inside. I'd give everything up. If I could just have you, be mine. Be mine, baby.” 🎶 𝓂𝑔𝓀 💛 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 62 𝒹𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒻𝒾𝒻𝓉𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈𝒶𝓇𝓎 🥰 #foreveryours #mcmeveryday #herecomethekuebers #lovewins
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• 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹𝓈 • Today I choose to show up as the best “me” I can be, much like how the ocean shows us how to be. ☀️ The empowered me that battles my autoimmune diseases with radical approaches to heal all within me. 💪 The confident me. The me that handles both anything and everything the world tosses at me. 🌎 The me that faces the world with eyes of possibility, creativity, and solution. 🤩 The me with a heart full of hope and a head full of beautiful dreams. 🥰 The me that floods others with kindness and love. 🌊 The me that knows my strength is my best asset because it paves the way for all of my dreams, much like a powerful currant like the waters can be. 💛 The me that knows it will be okay. Because this life is much like water, it never stays the same as it ebbs and flows. It’s a mystical cycle that reminds us how small we are compared to the big picture of this journey called life. 🤗 How refreshing is that ocean breeze. • 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹 • #writersofinstagram #wanderer #transformationtuesday #bellaoflouisville ✨
{ 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓀-𝒾𝓃 } It’s my birthday week, and while there is so much happening in our world that impacts each of us in a multitude of ways, there is still so much I’m grateful for. • I have a loving husband, kids, mom, extended family, and my fur babies. • I’m in remission with my autoimmune diseases. While I still have bad days, the good ones overshadow them. • I’m growing my career with education to continue chasing my dreams. • I have a loving roof over my head, cozy clothes on my back, and inner peace about things I cannot control. • It might not sound like much, but for me, life has given me more than I’ve ever prayed for. • I’ve “socially distanced” myself IRL and digitally with COVID to focus on family and my faith. I’m re-emerging into the world with a renewed sense of contentment and optimism. I’m ready to shed the 37-year-old shell to joyfully leap into 38 with all the hope I can muster. ✨ Cheers to this wild journey we call life! 🥃 #anotheryearwiser #cheers #celebrateeveryday
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Happy birthday, Ra-Ra! ✨ I felt the need to writ Happy birthday, Ra-Ra! ✨ I felt the need to write a strong caption, but how can I describe you or our friendship in a caption? I can’t. So much comes into my mind when I think of the growth we've both shared, witnessed, and supported. The world may keep us distanced, but you are in my mind and heart every day. LOVES YOU! 🎂🥂✨ #shewild #shefine #hurras
✨ 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓃𝑔𝑒 𝒶𝒸𝒸𝑒𝓅𝓉𝑒𝒹 ✨ Thank you, @whitneyharding_ for the kind reminder of the strength I have within me to persevere through the next few weeks of treatments. 💛 This challenge couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you. I miss you and love you so! ✨ #challengeaccepted #autoimmunewarrior #womenempowerment #womensupportingwomen
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