There Will Be...HOPE

Today I am 36 years young. I woke up this morning in bittersweet celebration. Grateful that I am alive, able and happy, and that I am on the right path, that I have great family, and friends and inspiration everywhere. But I couldn’t help but to get a lump in my throat for the ones who will never see 36.

For the ones who are suffering, 
For the young men whose world is limited to brick walls and bars,
 For the girls who are jailed by abusive boyfriends 
And as Maya Angelou said, “confounded by a lack of choices.” 
 I am choking on the words of those who have no voices. 


And the tears begin to swell in my eyes in the car on the way to work, so I popped in Mind Evolution’s CD (a poet friend of mine) and I listened to her poem bare naked, spouted her verses along with her as she bares her soul, flaws and strengths, and ending with “Powerful Black Woman, Capable of Anything” and I smiled. Then I remembered last night performing with a group of women at an event called The Women Gather, and I envisioned another poet friend of mine B Leah and her poem that always forces me to swallow those lumps. She lists all of the tragic and beautiful things that life entails, like BREATH, and her refrain, her refrain that reminds us THERE WILL BE...HOPE. I remembered her tutu and silver boots and her beautiful face. And I decided I would live today in hope, and that my new birthday resolution is to cry. Cry when I‘m happy, cry when I'm sad, because there is strength in tears and it makes me human. So if you see me holding back those lumps in my throat and pools in my eyes, remind me, that it is my responsibility to cry.