Harmony is the epitome of who we are as a people. It shows in the way we capture the essence of life in how we express art. We have a natural ordained relationship with the Universe and Mother Earth that is beyond what some of us can comprehend.
Beauty is the black woman, man, and child. I yearn for the old days when my community use to love up on each other. The elders could correct us, and we understood not to disrespect or physically harm them. The days when children were running up and down the block freely without a care in the world. It was normal for the entire neighborhood to know you and your family by first and last name. You could go and eat at one of your friend’s houses without feeling judged or uncomfortable.
I miss the days when the streets were blocked off for children to play during the day. You could always find a good double dutch game. The boys fixing their bikes or building some type of contraption to battle one another in a race. Basketball games were the highlight of the summer. In the evening, hide and go seek and other games were the go to’s to keep us busy. Mister Softee was the late night treat we all broke our necks to purchase. Playing in the fire hydrant was illegal. Yet, we still found a way to get some relief from the 90- 100-degree summer days we loved to commune in. Our parents all knew one another since childhood. Day after day, they would come home from work and get dinner prepped and prepared. 9 times out of 10, you may have already prepared dinner due to your parents guiding you on how to feed the family. (lol)
Everyone’s parents would commune on the steps listening to Teena Marie, The Whispers, Luffa (as we would call him), Whitney, The Isley Brothers, and the rest of the greats who we now deem “The Kings and Queens of R&B” classics. I call it: COMMUNITY BONDING.
Can we time travel to an era when we behaved as a collective tribe?
Have we allowed ourselves to get so far in the rabbit hole that we may never make it out again?
Are we ready for that raw uncut truth about our own damage we give to our community?
Until we take an honest evaluation about ourselves and what we continue to spew in our families and neighborhoods. We will never be able to rebuild the bridges we continue to burn. Sexual trauma is one of the biggest factors that needs to be dismantled from the roots and burned to never return. So many black men, women and children are walking victims of this sick behavior that comes from our own.
Are we ready to have this conversation honestly?
Will we continue to ignore the damage this poison that continues to infect generation after generation?
Trauma is the culprit of our dance with the devil. As I stress in every blog post I create: “HEALING WITHIN” is our only salvation. It is time to SURRENDER. We can’t say on one hand WE WANT FREEDOM. On the other hand, we continue to fight and protect abusers so we can operate in survival mode for our own gains. Nope, this is not what FREEDOM looks like.
Freedom is being honest with yourself about who you are. Taking a moment to BREATHE. Forgive yourself so you can do the necessary work to change the narratives.
Freedom is protecting the youth from their own demons. Including from those who are plotting to rob them of their innocence.
Freedom is making sure we get the mental health services we deserve to recalibrate our DNA codes for the future.
Freedom is fighting for education.
Freedom is eating the healthy foods necessary for us to survive.
Freedom is creating wealth and unlimited resources for our community.
Freedom is being impeccable with your word.
Freedom is coming outside making sure your environment is clean and safe. Our Ancestors and Elders taught us how to behave resourceful when our resources are limited.
Freedom is not abusing or killing black women, men, children, and elders.
Freedom is looking at your fellow sister and brother wanting the same freedom for them as you want for self.
Freedom is having a relationship with vulnerability so you can see yourself in your divinity the way God has ordained for you.
Freedom is understanding that all homes are not only men and women raising families. It is same gender loving homes as well.
If everyone gets out of their egos of what we deem is healthy love. We can collectively combine and raise powerful villages together. You may not agree with lifestyles and that’s fine. However, RESPECT others and their households. You miss the message of LOVE working in your ego. Freedom is not a small narrative that we can continue to minimize ourselves with.
HEALING IS THE ANSWER. LOVE IS THE KEY.
Community and Harmony is a love language.
2020, is showing us either we better get down or lay down. It’s up to us. No one is going to SAVE US BUT US. Perfection will never be granted to any human being. I wish we stop looking for that out of folks. Grace does give us the power to manifest a new way of existing if you are honorable and move with integrity. I trust and believe as a community we can do better to love ourselves and each other. Be willing to see life from a different perspective at all times.
Our future generations are at stake.
Are we ready to build Community and Harmony with our people again?
Or is it just a fad?
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”— James Baldwin
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