When I heard about Senator Graham’s death last night, the first thing I thought about was not all the things he said and did in service of Donald Trump. I thought of the time before Donald Trump when he was a brother to Senator John McCain.
A time when senators from different parties could fight about politics and still be friends. A time when a conservative Republican from South Carolina could say of my father: “If you can’t admire Joe Biden as a person, you’ve got a problem. He’s the nicest person I’ve ever met in politics. As good a man as God ever created.”
That is the Senator Graham I will remember today. Not because I have forgotten what came after. Because in that memory there is hope. Hope for a country where brothers can fight like hell over policy and still share a meal, and a laugh, and the loss of the people they love.
I will choose to remember the time before Trump. Because I believe in an America after Trump.
I enjoyed every second, even if almost no sleep was had.
I have lost my voice from cheering girls on.
And even got to bring my dad on stage to present the AHA fundraising scholarship.
MAO will always be the opportunity that changed (and changes) my life.
When I started this calendar year, I put an MAO crown on my vision board.
Not to compete. I aged out long ago.
To volunteer. To cultivate. To encourage.
This week a sweet friend won her state pageant, and I handed out double the scholarship I have in previous years.
“He has childhood trauma.” So do I.
“He’s under a lot of pressure at work.” So am I.
“He’s just overwhelmed.” Me too.
The only difference is that we excuse men’s behavior, and shame women for not carrying it.
Also. You probably want to turn off the Disney+ cause like that’s all sorts of magic, and witchcraft, and all the things that are sending the rest of us to hell.
If you have no issue condemning people for things that literally have no effect on you, but are mad someone says they don’t agree with your political beliefs… then I fear you are in fact hypocritical.
This might be shocking but I don’t care to hear about your “Christian” beliefs on what is sinful & what isn’t, mainly because too many of yall used “Christianity” as an excuse to vote known ped0s into elected offices.
Hope this helps. 🫶🏻
11 years ago I spent time in Côte d’Ivoire. I was so bad at soccer they told me I could be the captain if I would stop attempting to play. The rest of the week they called me Yaya Toure & I left with a jersey. The ivory coast & Les elephants will always have my heart @YayaToure