Under the Tulip Tree

by Michelle Shocklee

Every time I heard that phrase, I silently asked myself if we’d ever see normal again.

Even though slavery isn’t legal anymore, I believe it’s important to remember the past as it truly was, not as we wish it to be.”

Maybe confidence in oneself had nothing to do with what other folks thought or did. Maybe it was deep down inside you, just waiting to be let loose like a spring of water gushing to the surface.

Wasn’t that what life was about? To know and be known. To offer encouragement to others and share the burdens we all face. No matter the color of one’s skin, weren’t we all supposed to care about each other?

Was that the key to surviving, no matter what life hands you? Find the good among the ashes?

“Tears wash the windows of the heart.”

“Hatred is a powerful thing. It can turn a person into something they ain’t.

I won’t let hatred steal away the peace I have in my heart. You can’t let it steal yours either.”

“Maybe that’s the whole point. What we believe and what we think are not static. Experiences and people leave a mark on us and change us.

“There are always going to be people who oppose change, but I think they’re in the minority. Most people desire to live in harmony with others, no matter their differences.”