09/16/2026
When I was a teenager I had a rooster that looked like this one. His name was George. I named him after chicken George off of the series “roots”. He was my favorite character in that series. The character was a slave who was a great grandson of kunta kinte.
Anyways, the character I named him after was a slave and he raise prized fighting birds that looked similar to this rooster. This man ended up getting so good at raising “winning” fowl that he was offered money by his slave master to eventually buy his freedom and he did. George was identical looking to the breed of roosters that they fought back in that time ( red jungle fowl). My rooster was a descendent of that breed of chicken and was a maran rooster. He was incredibly mean but I loved handling him.
George was also the name of my grandfather whom I was named after. George Edward Huffman. A prominent business man from Logan county Illinois who turned the mill restaurant on 66 into what people remember it by.
I characterized the two men named George as strong and Resilient just like the bird I had. It was something silly that meant something to me.
The other day my family and I were talking about our chickens we used to have and it brought up all kinds of wonderful memories I had and a timeline of my life from that moment on.
About after that time with the chickens I hit 17-18 years old and became someone that I didn’t recognize. I hooked up with the wrong crowd, I had terrible friendships, and a relationship that overstayed its welcome.
Before that age I was so peaceful, pleasant to be around, kind, caring, loving. After that chicken stent, It became a half decade of me trying to figure out life, burned bridge after bridge, my head wasn’t clear I was always angry, I felt trapped in my relationship when I was only trapping myself. My mind was always gone because I was stoned out of my gord. I made many mistakes. I didn’t pay my bills I placed wants over needs.
You can see how this is stage was symbolic for me.
Then I hit my mid twenties, and hit rock bottom. My girlfriend and I split up, I was broke, I went from job to job, all my plans and ambitions were unrealistic. So I knew I needed to change. I stopped smoking w**d and became present, I cut off people who were no good for me. I self reflected.
Following that I dug deeper into my emotional state. I asked elders for advice, I got babtized, I repaired the correct bridges. I then focused on my physical state as well. I knew it would help. I went to the gym 5 days per week and worked full time and a part time job.
Now present day. A simple conversation about chickens brought up my personal timeline, progress , and a reminder to be strong and stay the course. Something so simple can make you dive deep into your mental.
Looking back, I did make many mistakes and I will make more. But I don’t regret anything. Had the events that happened to me “after the chickens” not happened , I wouldn’t be the man I’m growing into today.
Dig deep. Find yourself, be present. You can’t change what has happened in the past. It does not define you. It shapes you into the person your meant to be.
I’m proud to become the man I am . Named after a man who was George Edward Huffman. With the same name.. a man off a movie who was strong and resilient just a different color than my grandfather named George.
Everything in this life is symbolic, you just have to dive deep..
Sincerely
G.E.H
