My Thought's on Paul O. Scott's Trouble Ain't Nothin' But a Word: Conquering Fear

Paul O. Scott's Trouble Ain't Nothin' But a Word: Conquering Fear is a powerful and thought-provoking memoir that should change your perspective on life.

Imagine dying and coming back to life. That's a sign you're being given a second chance by God. Rights your wrongs. Apologize to the ones you hurt. Love your family. Care for your children. Thank your parents.

It's really important to treasure the moments you have on Earth before you pass away. And you shouldn't live your life recklessly.

There are so many lessons I learned. This memoir is a memoir like no other. Scott shares his story without hiding anything. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I can't imagine myself telling all of the good and bad things I did. He doesn't fear judgment, and that's what makes this memoir special. It's an uncensored look into his life, with the full truth laid out for readers. It's entirely up to you to read and learn with an open mind or to scrutinize.

I normally read books really fast, finishing hundreds of pages in less than a week. But this was one of those books where I had to process each and every page and slow down with the skimming.

I don't remember reading this slowly. Whenever I start reading a book, I have a goal to finish it quickly and leave a review. But this time, I spent a lot of time relating to Scott, much to my surprise.

Racism and discrimination back then were way worse than it is now, and I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to live during a time when a black person's views and perspective were considered unworthy. I related to Scott when he recounted experiences with racism and discrimination as I have been underestimated and stereotyped for being a black person. And my experiences with racism are online because I don't socialize with people in real life very often.

I found it relatable when Scott recounted losing family members because I've lost family members across the globe in another continent and have not been able to reach out to their families or attend their funeral. It's heartbreaking and it makes me feel helpless. The current civil conflict prevents us from being able to check in with my mother's family members living in Ethiopia or attend the funerals of those who were brutally killed because of the war. I related to the feeling of resentment and loss of hope Scott had. I totally understood where he was coming from, even though the way he handled it was wrong.

This book has a lot of sensitive topics. I have to applaud Scott for the tremendous changes he went through. I don't believe I would have held up. I must admit, if I had been through all of those terrible things, I would've given up and committed suicide. Trust me, I would've.

That being said, thanks to this book, I've been trying to change my perspective on life and trying to stop judging people solely based on the wrong they do, a bad habit I have. I also want to get to know more about people before I come to conclusions. If you don't believe that people can change, you should read Scott's story. It shows how human beings can change in ways you'd never imagine.

This is a 5 out of 5 star read. It's an excellent book that highlights a black man's journey in life. Congratulations, Paul O. Scott! 🥳🥳