第31章天道酬勤（1）
Hard>
&hearticlequidahefollowiion。
Whatdoes“HardWorkPaysOff”mean?
Asayoungboy，Igrewupwithmyeightsiblingsinatin-roofedshaSummerfield，Louisiana。Ididn’tseemyobstathoughwedidn’teveoiletinthehouse。Isawmylifemoreasacardthathadbeeomeaomakethemostofit。
Iwastheyouoffiveboysandalsohadfoursistersulltogetherandtakecareofeachother。Dadwasn’taround，soIneverknewhimwell。HeittedsuiIwasthreeyearsold，leavingMomwiththejandprovidingforninekids。Sheworkedatasawmillrunningaforkliftforfiftydollarsaweekandhadaapoultryplant。Shewasaveryhardworker，aomakee，shehardlyeverrested。
Mymombelievedindoingallshecoulddototakecareofherresponsibilities，so，sheneveraskedforahandout。Youe;wekidsdidwewawealwaysgotthethihmymomasmyexample，Ilearhardworkisthebestwaytogetwhatyou>
Whilegrowingup，Iwassurrouemptationstodohingslikedrugs，aldallthat。Iottogothere，evenasalittleboy，IknewIwasgoingtobesuccessful。Somepeopletakethattobecoceited，butIwasn’tgoiahatI’tdowhateverIsetouttodo。
Ofcourse，IdreamedaboutwhatIwaobewhefirst，Iwaetrooper，theobeintheSpecialForces。Afterawhile，IdecidedthatIwahteehereeriodoftimethatIwaru。Ilayfootballinhighsfact，IstilldardlessofwhatIchose，Iwaomakemybrothers，sistersandmomproudofme—notonlybybeingsucwhatIchosetodo，butalsoasapersonwhocouldbelookedupthtreasons。
Surprisingasitmightseem，basketballwasn’tinmyplans。Oneday，mymomcutarimoffanoldwaterbarrelaupformetothrowanoldrubberballthrough。Byjunih，Istartedplayiballonateam。Ilovedtopete。ThereositivehighIgotbygoingoutandplayingagainstotherpeopleandwhardtowipaidoff。IjustletmysubasketballtakeitscoursebutIaluttheeffortineveryday。I’vedone，somepeoplewaitformydownfall，saying，“KarlMalodoit。”Itihatgettome，theyareactuallymymotivationandIuetoprovethemwrleday。ItrytodothebestjobIapositivewayona。IrealizethatI’mdealingwith，there’ssomebodyelseouttherewhohasitalittlebitworseoff。I’vebeenthere。AndIknowthatwithoutuedhardwork，Icouldbethereagain。
IamgratefulforthelifeI’veenjoyedasabasketballstar。Butwheheseshirtsthatsay“Basketballislife”，Ithi!Itisbeexg。ButtheimportantthingaboutbasketballisthatitgivesmeawaytodogoodthingsforothersasImhthisjourneycalledlife。