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A man beating on a woman wasn’t their concern. And black women—no one cared about us. They don’t care about us now.
There’s no ointment or prayer that can heal mean. No one to deliver me like the fairy tales in storybooks or churches.
We look to others to save us and we must save ourselves.
No, it’s more an air of invincibility, that must be tied to the gun they wear on their beltline. They know they won’t be held accountable for their actions. America doesn’t need ropes and trees anymore to kill us. They have cops and the legal system to do its dirty work. You can’t trust anybody, your friend, your mother, your daughter, but in my experience that goes triple for cops.
Christianity has to be the only religion where you can attempt to drown someone three times and call it salvation.
A smile grudgingly crosses my lips at the picture of his wounded face, knowing he can hurt, but be hurt in return.
Black people don’t trust the law because there is no accountability for when the law fails us.
And though Mom tried to spare Lebanon the pain of his true parentage, though Sara in her own toxic way tried to drown her memories in liquor, though Ms. Naomi remained the sweetest soul somehow, all their children wound up continuing their dysfunction, reliving their sins. And now too their grandchildren are paying the price.
Walk through the fear and out the other side. Believe me, you’ll have something much more powerful with you and in you.”
Excusing myself, I go pour a cup, think about the violent loop we’re in. I realize it isn’t just merciless. It’s ravenous, consuming everything and everybody.
“You can’t be the rock. You have to be the river.”
Our history can shape the future, but it doesn’t define it. Our present is anchored by those around us, those we allow in our lives and those who, by default or shared blood, walk a road with us. What we choose to do with that companionship is up to us.
Past, present and future communing together, the joining of this holy trinity. Who humans are, and what the world is, live in these three things. Remember this, always.
