My Life

[T.J. Barber]

My name is Timothy Justin Barber. I was born in, of course, the United States of America. In my book, the best country that anyone could ever live in. No offense to anyone else of another nationality. I was born in the poorest state in the world unfortunately. But, i'm proud to be from Mississippi. It's nice at times to be from a little hick town in the middle of nowhere. It seems like i've moved from one hick town to another my entire life. I was raised for the larger part of my life, in Nettleton Mississippi. When I was eleven years old, my father accepted a pastorl position with a church in Thaxton Mississippi. About an hour away from Nettleton. Now, I life in Red Banks Mississippi. It's about an hour and a half from Thaxton and about two hours from Nettleton. Less if traveled at the right speed. Trust me, I know...i've made it in less than an hour before. Anyway, I have lived an exciting and at time unbelievable life. I've had some wonderful times and some horrible times in my past. I'm a fun loving, adventurous, outgoing individual. I get along with anyone who can get along with me. But, I wasn't always like that at all. When I first started school. I was an outcast. I was hated my anyone with common sense and most people just didn't like me at all. I was a bully. Actually, I was the bully of bullies. I was out of this world mean. I hated everyone and everything. But, it wasn't truly me. I was actually hiding my true emotions. I admit, I was scared and lonely. I was actually afraid of being lonely. When my mother would leave me at school, I was scared and I would lock myself up because of it. People thought I was being mean and unemotional but, I was just trying to hide my fears and anxieties. Throughout the years to come. I found ways of expressing myself in better ways than violence and anger. I learned that love was a better way to express myself. Now, I kept my mean and angry portions but, I became something different and something better. After my own battles with alchohol and drugs and the untimely death of one of my greatest friends to suicide. I knew what I had to do. But, I just couldn't seem to get there by myself. Now, not to backtrack but, when I moved from Nettleton to Thaxton. I thought it was the worst possible thing I could ever do. I had no friends there and I had to make things anew. In Nettleton I had everything. In time I became popular. I played football and had countless friends and even some fans. Plenty of female companionship if I wanted it too. However, I have noticed in recent times that, it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. Sometimes people call a specific memory or event " the best thing that has ever happened to them " without thinking about it. Without giving the proper dues to everything that may have contributed to that moment of event. Just because it sticks out in your mind or heart doesn't make it the best time of your life. But, I can honestly say that moving was the best thing that ever happend to me. It's true, I hated the thought of moving. I thought I had everything in Nettleton. Friends, love ( yeah right ), fans, popularity, fun...but, I truly didn't have those things at all. I had a bunch of so called friends that would just as soon turn on me than stand by me. When I moved to Thaxton, I gained everything in life that I have right now. I met a great man named Anthony Rakestraw and he changed my life forever. He taught me that you didn't have to have a reason to be someone's friend. You just had to show yourself friendly and committ to the friendship. I had noone as I previously stated, in Thaxton. However, when Anthony came along. I found out that I didn't have to impress someone or do something popular or crazy for him to be my friend. For a very long time, he was all that I had there. Then, I met another great guy named Jonathon. He taught me several things in life that I still carry with me until this very day. Then, through Anthony, many years down the road, I met someone that would change my life in a special way for the rest of my life. Amanda LeeAnn Feathers. Anthony met this crazy girl over the internet. Her name was Amanda Herring and she had a friend over there named Amanda Feathers. After a great deal of conversating, she gave Anthony her phone number and Anthony called Amanda Herring. When he called, he heard thie beautiful voice in the background. We were in the proccess of starting a band and she had a wonderful singing voice. So, Anthony called me on three way to hear her sing. When I heard her voice, I was instantly stunned. I was in love before I ever met her. I fell out of contact with her for almost a year. Then, I found a number in a spiral notebook in my closet. So, I called it and what do ya know ? It was Amanda. A few weeks later, I drove up to Slayden Mississippi to meet her. The very day I met her, after talking for a few months, we decided to try dating. It worked out perfectly. She loved me and I loved her more than anything. Since then, she has become my fiance and we have a baby boy due any day now. She has become my everything. The very fabric of my whole life. I have so much more to say but, I just don't have the time right now...I guess i'll just have to come back to it later...

TJ