I can’t take more crucifixion.
Jesus cried out, “Mama, I can’t breathe.”
He died alone in hospital beds, betrayed by his government for 30 pieces of silver.
Christ slashed on subway trains, shot in Atlanta.
And Mother, too often they know exactly what they do.
Still processing the new reality that we now have a president who quotes Augustine and creates space for silent prayer and cajoles us like an old grandpa, reminding us who he wants us to be.
Yearly reminder: No one has ever become their ideal self. After all those resolutions and elimination diets and strivings. It’s always a moving target.Your ideal self doesn’t exist. YOU do. Your actual, lumpy, shimmering, inconsistent self is the one that is loved and needed here
217 years ago today, on January 1, 1804, Haiti became became the first independent Black republic in the world following a 12 year revolution. It changed the trajectory of world history.
In 1893, Frederick Douglass gave a speech outlining why Haiti's revolution was so important:
As an addendum, read this great piece by @JuliaGaffield: "From the first day of its existence, Haiti banned slavery. It was the first country to do so. The next year, Haiti published its first constitution. Article 2 stated: “Slavery is forever abolished.” https://t.co/mK3bFfZ8lD
according to my data. cuddles were up by 147% this year. hugs up 93%. and long hugs up by nearly 700%. while these stats with the human. may be hard to maintain. i think we should try
The best teachers I know teach their students to critically interrogate *every* text they read. They teach both Morrison & Shakespeare. Baldwin & Frost. Contemporary YA & 19th century novels. They reject the idea that they are mutually exclusive. They build & imagine a new canon.
I’m in line to vote. A man beside me is mask-less. An older lady offers him a mask and talks about her recent surgeries and condition. She laments how she hates mask. “I’m good,” he says, “this is America, we are a free country.” She laughs and agrees. I shake my head. The irony.
Too much: “GO OUT AND VOTE! THE FUTURE IS AT STAKE! DON’T BE DUMB!”
And not enough: “Gee, there are a LOT of barriers to voting. What can we do about that?”
From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the laziness that is contented with half truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, deliver us.
~ Kenyan prayer