The thing is, very few things in life, and in this world, are unrelated, untethered, unconnected, even if and when we are disconnected.
The thing is, our care, or lack there of, for one another is directly connected to how we are not cared for, and how we care, or do not care for ourselves. Whether or not we choose to acknowledge it, the connection, or disconnection, is still there.
The thing is, just because something is complex, and nuanced, and layered, does not mean it is complicated to the point that it can not be understood. Just as we choose to listen, or not listen, we choose also to misunderstand, disregard, misconstrue, or misinterpret.
The thing is, we can care about things and not speak on them, but speaking on them is evidence of just how much we truly, or deeply, care.
The things is…
there are so many things that are, and rarely do I have all the words, all together to express, or untangle, or make sense of them, but I guaranteed there are words, and histories, that have already been written, that explain almost every one of these things.
The thing I can say, can write, can reiterate, is that collectively we are at a crossroad. This crossing is not new to the point of it being untraveled, but it is new to the point of it being a crossing many of us will be traveling for the first time. While it may be true that none of us has to choose to travel it, it may also be true that if we do not choose, the choice to travel, and what roads will be open for traveling, will be chosen for us.
If we do not speak, our silence may speak for us.
If we do not choose to care, eventually there may be no one left to care for us. This may sound, or read, extreme but it is what I know and for so many, the very extreme is reality.
This life, whatever it may be, or mean, is a choice. We get to choose who, and how we are, and who and how we will be. We get to choose what and who we care for, and about, and how we express, and provide this care.
We get to choose what we see, and how we see it, what we do, and how we do it.
We get to choose how loud, how soft and how silent we are. We get to choose, even amongst so much choicelessness.
This choice, and ability to choose is an expensive, and priceless privilege. In most cases, someone within our bloodlines paid the price for this privilege, and its cost was their freedom or their life…
This was so beautiful
a lot of deep “mmhmms” while reading this one. thank you💞