Good Dirt

by Charmaine Wilkerson

“Most of the trouble in this world boils down to one person not recognizing the worth of another,” Gramps said. “But sometimes, that can be an advantage.”

Surely, she is not the only person holding in a world of hurt that pushes against their skin like water against the walls of a dam.

But the Freemans were black. People saw their skin, not their history.

Be aware of a beautiful moment as it is happening. Take note of your life as you are living it.

How much of yourself do you have to renounce in order to have the life you think you want?

What had they done? This was the question that hung in the air above every black family that had ever run into misfortune.

People were wired to persevere. People were wired for hope. People might feel hurt, but they still liked to laugh. They might lose someone dear, but they still wanted to love.

Every moment in life is a confluence of events and you can’t see it all coming. You need to try not to, Ebby thinks. See it all. Otherwise, it leaves no room in your head to simply live.

“There will always be men willing to steal the freedom of others if they think it will bring them an advantage,”

Maybe all you can do is give yourself permission to embrace the rest of your life. To play, to love, to risk. To take the beauty that someone brought into your life and share it.