Monthly Archives: March 2021

With Liberty and Justice for all…No really for All

You feared us from the minute you saw us. So you stripped us of our culture, religion, and name. You shackled us in chains, raped our women, and killed our men.  You separated our families. You donned white hoods and rode through the night to terrorize us. You denied our children access to the type of education your children enjoyed. You silenced our voices by denying and then intimidating our access to the vote. You redlined us out of neighbors and unfairly denied us loans to secure the American dream of homeownership.  You disproportionately incarcerated us. You used the media to stereotype us as killers, thieves, drug dealers, prostitutes, and pimps.  

Yet today, you look, and to your disbelief, we are still standing, and your fear is growing. You use words like “Our America” and wish for a bygone time when segregation and racism were the norms with slogans like “Make America Great Again”   Even more worrisome to you is the coalition of all races, religions, and genders standing with us now. You know the truth is out there.  You are losing your America. “Your” America was flawed. It is being replaced by a more enlightened America, one for everyone. An America with equality, liberty, and justice for all.  

Dare to Dare

Sure, you can look to protect yourself. You will never stumble if you do not dare to move forward. You will never know failure if you do not dare to try.  You will never know heartbreak if you do not dare to love.  But here’s the thing you will never know what you can genuinely be, never know what you can have, never know what true happiness really is if you do not dare to dare. 

I refuse to stay in the dark

How could I’ve been so foolish
How could I’ve not seen who you really were
Smitten by you from the very start
You said you loved me till the very end
Yet those words were never really true
Reached in and stole my heart; you did
Then you took it and threw it away
I see now I was just a game to you
Friends tell me I told you so
That they could see through you from the start
I was hurt
I cried
I was broken
But only for a moment
I refuse to stay in the dark
My heart was broken yesterday
But I picked up the pieces
Put them back together today
Now I’m ready to love again
Not afraid to share that love once again
That’s who I am
Out there, someone is just like me
Not afraid to share their love once again
One day we’ll meet
One day we’ll fall in love
One that day will turn into every day
What a wonderful day that will be

If You…You Might

If you believe it is wrong to create a safety net, so no child goes without proper medical care, goes to sleep hungry, or without a roof over their head, but you want to ban abortion, you might want to stop talking out both sides of your ass.

If you told everyone you don’t have to wear a mask because this is America and it’s my body, my choice. But you want to tell a woman what she can or cannot do with her body, you might want to shut the hell up.

If you think it’s a bigger deal that President Biden tripped going up the stairs of airforce one than Trump mishandling a pandemic that has killed half a million; let that sink in..a half a million Americans, you might be a special kind of stupid.

March Madness…What A Wonderful World It Could Be

It’s March Madness, so I figured I would go to youtube and relive some of the great one shining moment videos from years past, and you know what stands out the most? It was watching young adults, black and white celebrating together or consoling each other, even opposing team players. At that movement of jubilation or sadness, they didn’t see or look for color. It didn’t matter because they were all in it together.

What a concept!

If only the world could act like that, I think to myself, what a wonderful world it would be. Oh yeah,

Last Night

Last night I saw you standing on the train platform across from me. You were dressed in that white blouse I loved seeing you in.  Your head was buried in your phone, your fingers busily typing, likely a worktext because you were always reading or sending a worktext.  And in that work mode, you didn’t see me just like when we were together; I could never really compete with the job.  You were driven, and you approached your work with a laser-like focus determined to be the best.  That passion for succeeding at all costs played a part in us become distant. Ironically, it was that very same drive and desire to succeed that drew me to you in the first place.  You looked up for a second but not in my direction, and even though we were separated by two set of train tracks at that moment, I felt like I was standing inches from you, looking into your eyes.  The same eyes that I thought used to light up only for me, the eyes I used to tell you gave you an unfair advantage, the eyes that captured my heart the first time they looked my way. It was crazy, and even I found it hard to believe that the mere sight of you, after all, we went through, the ugly way it ended, I could feel the way I did.  They say you don’t know love until love is gone, and I guess that’s true.  What I do know is that going our separate ways was the best for both of us, but you can’t simply turn off how you feel about someone you loved, even when you know you shouldn’t be with them.  After all, whoever said life and love were fair.  It’s not it complicated; it’s difficult, it’s heartbreaking. But it’s worth it if only for that feeling you get when you look into the eyes of that someone special, even if it’s only a memory.  

Stay Down Stay Down

I didn’t see it coming. It happened so fast, and the blow was devastating; I was out before I even hit the ground. Woozy, but I could hear the count loud and clear.

One

Two

Three

Four

I’ve got to get up, I thought to myself, but the voices around me were screaming, stay down, stay down. 

Five

Six

I got to my knees.

Stay down, stay down, they continued to shout.

Seven

I reached for the ropes.

Eight

I started to pull myself up.

You’re gonna get hurt. Don’t be a fool. Stay down, stay down.

Nine

I struggled to my feet.

You can’t win. Stay down, Stay down, they continued to shout. 

The ref looked me in the eye and said, are you sure you want to continue? Battered but not out, I looked him back in the eye and said I ain’t done yet.

Fight

Now the fight is over, the final bell has rung, and the judge’s cards are in; the announcer takes the microphone and informs everyone of the decision.  

The winner by unanimous decision and new champion! 

Me! Yes Me! He said Me!

I trained for this moment.

I overcame the brutal knockdown.

I refused to listen to those who said I couldn’t win.

I refused to stay down.

I kept fighting because I believed, even if no one else did, that I could, and I would succeed, I would control my own destiny. I would be great, and now here I am, the winner and new champion. How about that. 

They Say I’m Not Same

They say I haven’t been the same since you left; maybe they’re right. I’m not going to lie; I never stopped loving you; feelings don’t just disappear. They fade slowly over time, and even when you think they’re gone, something reminds you that a little love remains even if it’s buried deep within your heart.  You have moved on, and someone else has your heart now, and I understand why you left, but there will always be that bond between us. You can’t deny that, and yes, I’m different since you left, but in a good way, I’m a better man today because you showed me how to open my heart and truly let someone in to share my deepest emotions. I’m a wiser and better man than before I met you, and even though we’ve moved on, you’ll always hold a special place in my heart, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.

The More Things Change… The More They Stay The Same

This weekend marks 56 years since civil rights marchers were attacked by Alabama state troopers on “Bloody Sunday.” Think about that. It has only been 56 years since African Americans literally had to put their lives on the line to vote. Now 56 years later, States around the country are introducing legislation that are transparent attempts at voter suppression. One can only imagine what the great John Lewis, who for the first time will not be among us on this day, would say to such blatant attempts to deny people their democratic right to vote and have their voices heard. Indeed it is a sad commentary on America.

Live Among The Stars

Keep moving forward. Do not shy away from obstacles in your path; instead, meet them head-on and overcome them. Tell those that doubt you to look into your eyes and try and find fear or self-doubt because it does not exist within you. Push yourself until you reach your limits, and when you do, run right past them, exceed them and not only reach for the stars but live among them.