Hello! I’m Darby. The Author of The Perfect Lesson, a father of four, a widower, a former educator, veteran, and lifelong student of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

​

Writing challenges my understanding of life. It also allows me to express some of my most inner thoughts. Writing relaxes me, refreshes me and keeps me focused on what’s important. Writing has a way of getting things out of me so I can examine my thoughts, my consciousness, beliefs and my “Why!”. Once my thoughts are birthed, the words formed, my mind at rest from being poured out, I’m then ready to breathe in fresh insights.

​

I was born and raised in Washington DC with five siblings in which I was the fourth. My parents were, Mr. Moses Young Darby and Mrs. Bertha Lee Darby. I felt only love with them, well except for when I played hooky: then I felt something a little extra, if you know what I mean.

​

I didn’t like elementary school much, until 6th grade when I was picked to be on the football team. That year, we went all the way to championship, and I almost ran a complete touchdown from a single kickoff. Ooh’ boy, that was my most favorite and best time I ever had at Bundy Elementary School, and my teacher's name was Mr. Covington. I received a trophy that year. I can still hear the cheers, squills and hollers. Looking back, I notice one can go through years of difficulty or what may seem to be struggles or trials and one good minute can make those years of struggles and trials seem so trivial, forgettable and even laughable but worth it all.

​

My Dad past when I was 11 (One of the saddest days of my life). In middle school I became bored with most of my classes during the second year and seem to have been having too much fun with the ‘class cutters’, so I dropped out to join them. When my mom found out, she scolded me: ´if you're not going to school, you must get a job or get training or something´. Shortly after, I found a job on Rhode Island Ave in NE DC working for the IDA Mae Salad Company. I worked on the assembly line packing salad containers. It started off good. I was actually working and getting paid. I felt pretty good because I was able to help pay a bill or two at home, but it didn’t take long for that job to wear me out. Day after day I´d come home, fall flat down on the couch in the front room and fall asleep. After several months of this I quit that job. I found another job in Crystal City, washing dishes. The same thing happens. Next, I found work cleaning offices. Again, I found myself so tuckered out day after day and quit that job too after a few months. Next, I landed a job with Woodworth & Lothrop’s working in the Warehouse on New York Ave in DC. I was fired for taking too many days off, I think. “Oh boy! Now what, I thought. After a few more dead-end jobs with similar results and a bit more of soul searching, I decided to attend the Job Corps where I studied for my GED and Auto Mechanics Certification, but I really didn’t want to be a mechanic, I was just looking for something to do. Well after about 4 months there I finally learned how to use the tire machine. One day, at the age of 17 on a Friday evening with most of the students leaving with their weekend passes, I was feeling discontented because I felt like this was not what I really wanted to do. I felt like I didn't belong here. I walked over to the central office building, sat on the front marble steps for a while alone and began thinking about what should I do. I asked myself, “Where would I like to be ten years from now and what would I like to have?” My answer: A High School Diploma, a nice car, my own place, and a decent job. Ok, so how do I go about it?

​

Then I asked myself, “Should I get married someday?” This took much longer to answer as I tried to imagine myself living with someone whom I genuinely loved and loved me, knowing that one of us would eventually die one day. Who would be first? Who would be left behind in sorrow unless we both depart this world at the same time, but what would be the chance of both of us departing the same time? Yeah, I was conscientious about many things. I pondered and pondered and pondered a path. I even pondered being a bachelor for the rest of my life and just enjoying dating. I didn't quite like the idea of growing old alone even with dating. After deep thought and meditating on these things, I realized that these may be the most important decisions of my life being made right here on these steps. Of course, I took in consideration what God said about marriage too. After much consideration, I concluded that I wanted to experience the full spectrum of this life regardless of which way it went. That being said, my answer was a definite “Yes” to all of my hopes and dreams this far, including marriage. It was then I began to feel grounded. Next, I asked myself, “How will I accomplish all these things?” Again, after careful thought and considerations, I decided that my first step would be to go back to school first and get that piece of paper.

Just before it got dark, I began to take that long walk home while rerunning, examining, and processing my newly discovered path and I never stopped asking, “Why was I born anyway”? After all, God did say he knew me when he formed me in my mommy’s womb.

​

I don’t remember telling anyone that day at the Job Corp that I was leaving, but I knew I was not coming back because I knew for certain I had discovered my path. The strange thing is that it seems like I knew these answers were in me all the time, yet I didn’t bother to recognize them until I decided looked inside myself hopes. As I walked home, I thought of work that I would like to do and one of them was to eventually write but at that time I had no clue what I would enjoy writing about. I only knew I wanted to write about things that are meaningful.

When I reached home my mom asked something on the order of, “Why so late today and how was school going?” I explained that I quit because the Job Corp wasn't what I thought it would be and that I decided to go back to school at night. She made me feel like she understood, by the way she nodded and the way she said, “Ok.” One thing about Ma is that she was always supportive of whatever we showed a sincere interest in. The next week after a few phone calls I found out what I had to do and enrolled into Spingarn Stay High School. It was a night school. After two years I graduated on the honor roll, received that piece of paper, a College Scholarship, and joined the ROTC program as well. Afterwards I did a few brief tours, came home and landed the best job I ever had as a social worker, got that nice apartment, “set of wheels,” and shortly after, the best wife any man could hope for (How we met you may never believe!). Sarah had one kid (Kofi) already but together we birth three more: Gimra, Portia and Kaleb. In a few years I was able to save up enough to make a down payment on a commercial building and “Boom!” founded, Moon Bounce and Cotton Candy Corner. A year later, AAA Mobile Notary Service. Two years later, The Mid Atlantic Housing Assistance Program and The KYD Multipurpose Center for Children while Sarah owned and operated The Nana Day Care Business. When my businesses hit auto pilot, I accepted an offer to work at a Public School as an educator for a bit which became an instant passion to me.

On January 6, 2007, My Mom went home to glory. And 14 years later, after 35 years of perfection my wife, went home to glory. If I wasn’t so involved with my family, I would have started writing sooner but my family took precedent over everything I concerned myself with. Now that the nest is clear, I’m ready to give myself to writing.

I believe my writings may assist in stirring one’s soul causing one to soul search and find more meaning where perhaps they thought was none. Or one may discover daily answers to questions that one may not even knew to ask far after reading my work. For example, “Why was I put here?” “What is the most important thing to me in this Life?” And why do I know innately that my spirit is pure life and can never die but my flesh can? Have you ever asked yourself these questions? God have placed so much inside of us. Only if we would take time to listen to what he´s saying to us. His word teaches us that it is his good pleasure to give us the kingdom. In another place he says the kingdom is within us. This being the case, surely the answers to many if not all our questions and concerns are in us too, especially those concerning this present life. He is not a respecter of persons. It is his good pleasure to give all of us the kingdom how much more the answers we seek to help us in this present life?

I purpose my writings to be pure and true. We are all spirits and therefore when we look inside ourselves, we will see the truth and the truth is pure. God word is purified, and we come from God so we should look inside ourselves and acknowledge his presence and work. The truth is in each of us, I’m just sharing so we can feed one another and grow in grace and truth and be one as the master said we should be. When all is said and done when he come, I hope we will be truly joyous to see him and not sad. All that you desire, all that you and I hope to do is already in us. You and I was born with it. We are complete in Christ. Our struggles our difficulties are only steps on the ladder. Many of us say we are waiting on him to do this and that, but the truth is, He’s waiting on us to do this and that. “His work is finished.” Most of us have not even begun…..

 

May God bless you richly.
 

Young Darby

​

​

​