It is only day three and already I feel like I will never be able to do this blogging challenge every day. I am at the end of a long day. I am tried. I need to go take a shower and go to bed.
Yet, I have made a commitment and I have to stick to it. It is only a few days of my life therefore, I can commit to doing this. Gosh, even my pep talking isn’t working. I feel false and lame. Lame as in broken, not as in stupid. Although to be honest, my brain is feeling a bit sluggish. However, I do not believe that anyone is stupid; therefore, it is a word that should be stricken from the English language. There are a few words others that could go to, however, I am not in favor of banning things, especially free expression of thoughts and ideas; with freedom comes responsibility. One responsibility we have is to be kind.
Stupid is not a kind word.
This leads me to think about the conversation I had to insert myself into today. A young woman told a young man at the high school; where I was working, not to bring his light skin self over near her. I was appalled, as I was by hearing another young man refer to his friend as a Nigger yesterday. I am reading a book right now and according to the author, the original meaning of the word negro was the absence of color and that food was more often used to describe a person’s complexion. I prefer the word complexion because we are all the same; we are just different shades of wonderfulness. That is what I shared with the her. She listened and agreed with that theory. However, it is a shame that she and other students I have encountered recently, they don’t seem to think that there is anything wrong by speaking to and about each other with such negative connotations. They are not aware of the power of their words toward each other. By the way, I heard many of the young people talk about each other in negative ways, not all of it had to do with color, much of what I heard was calling each other stupid and other uncaring things.
Sometimes all it takes is awareness in order to harness our minds to bridle our tongues. My wish is that they and all of us take a moment to think before we speak and then evaluate and elevate our language so that it flows forth in streams of kindness and love.
I am hopeful it can happen.
It starts with me. Join me by adding your name in the comments section.
Juju
Whisper of Angels 