SPONTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS

 

A series of essays....

PEOPLE CELEBRATE ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY
AFTER JOE BIDEN WAS DECLARED PRESIDENT-ELECT. A SPONTANEOUS
CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE LONG OVERDUE FOR CHANGE.

Courtesy of The New York Times

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Late in the morning of November 7, 2020, the world changed...significantly. Beneath facial-masks were cheeky grins layered with fresh dreams made possible by a Biden/Harris winning ticket. If you believed, how could you not feel a bit sassy and pleased? Four years of tension and anxiety had just snowballed down the ‘Mountain of Lost Hope’ and our collective ‘tears of relief’ were creating orange tinted rivers that flowed out into the mighty seas.

Someone I know and respect as a writer, teacher, and good human being recently posted a meme stating: “Trump is turning America into a Banana Republic.” If she were simply initiating a ‘writing prompt’ for her students, I completely understand that. Instantly, people from all over the world began to negatively comment on this meme and they were plentiful, hurtful, and exasperating. Amanda, the crazies have crawled out from beneath their rocks to concur with this statement. Do they wish the USA to experience similar circumstances in order to justify their own losses? I am here to say that we plan to stay focused and fight like hell not to be led down that rabbit hole any longer.

Democracy is only as good as the people who support it and help to make it work. Yes, it is with great sadness that I understand the last four years have been choreographed by 45 and other dictators and despicable politicians. Many people have suffered the hate and humiliation sponsored by them. We the people have fought long and hard to change the specifics of this passé performance by legally electing a strong and loyal team in Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. They are already working hard on removing the walls, complexities, and hatred that have been collecting for many years. It’s time to believe...

Our deliberate show of emotions, especially after the past four years of being torn down and humiliated in the eyes of the world, deserve the spontaneous celebrations offered by the oppressed citizens of this country. Do not worry. Our minor happy dances in the streets did not expend all of our energy or leave the coffers of Democracy empty and askew. If anything, our celebratory souls have been renewed and re-energized for the fight for freedom that is ahead of us. 

 

Elizabeth Gilbert, American journalist and author, best known for her 2006 memoir entitled, Eat, Pray, Love, has written all of us a letter specifying how she had battled depression years ago and made the realization that lying alone in bed, not sleeping, not reading, but thinking, was the most dangerous place to be. “Captivated by what I came to call “horizontal thinking”—the worse off I would be. What I cannot do in bed, if I want to survive the treacherous crevasses of my own mind, is think.”

She goes on to say, “I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but here it is: If you are physically able, get up now. Nothing good will ever come to you from horizontal thinking. Don’t let your mind win its most brutal game. You deserve better. Get vertical. Move your mind to a higher altitude where the view is better. You can do this.”

The view has certainly been looking much better, lately. Its vertical heights have empowered us while helping to shake-off the images of anxiety, shame, despair, regret, unworthiness, and past failures in a brilliant  attempt to avoid future catastrophes. For this important awareness alone, we deserve to celebrate. Thank you, Elizabeth, for your words of knowledge and encouragement!

Georgia, Georgia, Georgia—you are definitely on our minds.

We stand close by our President-elect and Vice-President-elect with our spirits uplifted even while acknowledging the fight for logic, freedom, and democracy that’s before us. In great numbers, we will be stronger, better. Rushing in, with Georgia on our minds, it is time to support the Democratic candidates, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, in a double-barreled Senate runoff election to be held on January 5, 2021. The outcome of this race will determine control of the Senate under the Biden administration for its first two years. 

Think again if you believe that Joe Biden alone can change the negative and destructive policies established by the current administration that heavily relied upon the support of Mitch McConnell as Majority Leader of the Senate. Understand how this combination has undermined our freedom and democracy for so long, even during the Obama era. Then, realize how important these two Senatorial runoffs are. With the tenacity, experience, and intense cheerleading offered by a strong, black woman and voting rights activist, Stacey Abrams, we hope to control the Senate as of January 20, 2021, and begin the healing this country so deserves.

We may have had our glorious few moments of dancing tall and joyously in the streets of this great country, but we must now embrace the monumental tasks ahead with grace and dignity. We have been rejuvenated by the examples set by Joe and Kamala along with their brilliant victory we celebrated on November 7th. But, we cannot stop there. 

There is no time for “horizontal thinking!” It’s time to stay sharp, think on our feet, and elevate ourselves from the sinking depths of the past four years. By believing in our right to shake-off false images of hopelessness and despair, together we can and will make this happen.                                                                     

For the love of our country and everyone living here, please where a mask while in public and donate your time, money, and effort into the two Senatorial races in Georgia. With these victories under our belt, the real celebrating can begin!

Congratulations going out to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and everyone who still believes in fighting for our people, politics, and freedom.

May we begin to experience a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.

Thinking of all of our uniformed soldiers and thanking them for protecting our freedom. May we earn their respect for all of the sacrifices they’ve made to protect and defend our great nation.

 

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

THE ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT: THOU SHALL NOT BECOME COMPLACENT!

A series of essays....

COMPLACENCY IS THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BECOME COMPLACENT.

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Today is the day—the moment of truth. A day that will go down in infamy, filled with scandal and dishonor, or—it will be one to be proud of knowing that Americans believe in the freedom and happiness that stems from a good life with equal opportunity for everyone! Today is a day marked with historical connotations that will either cradle these times within the gentle hands of democracy and truth, or beat up already weakened minds and bodies with fists of rage, continued oppression.

Today is the day—the moment of truth!

The idea of being or becoming complacent should have, at least, been one of the Ten Commandments. Not knowing which of the original Ten Commandments it should have replaced, it may have become the Eleventh Commandment instead: “Thou shall not become complacent.”

Remembering my Catholic upbringing and teachings, I recall that the Church doesn’t see the Ten Commandments as arbitrary rules and regulations from the person upstairs, but as commandments for our own protection. “Obey them and eternal happiness is yours. Disobey them and suffer the consequences.” When explained in this manner, my young, six or seven-year-old self would look at the elaborately layered and robed priests and nuns as flesh and blood symbols authorized to dole out any punishment they saw fit if we did not comply by these simple rules of the Church.

It’s not until we grow-up do we come to realize that we are our own judge and arbiter of our personal life and habits. We alone determine if we will allow the commandments to be our guide to being a person of sterling character with an elevated ethical behavior.

Today is the day—the moment of truth!

Thou shall not become complacent, comfortable, content, smug, or lazy. The moment we reach the pinnacle of self-satisfaction or the most successful point in our lives and feel there is nothing more we can do, doubting there are any new accomplishments to strive for, we have become complacent. We are experiencing a feeling of quiet pleasure and are often unconcerned with unpleasant realities or future harmful possibilities.

If we continue to drop our guard and stop protecting ourselves against trouble, relax our vigilance, we could end up in a world of hurt. Unfortunately, on November 8, 2016, we did just that. Through our acute feeling of complacency, belief and rationale that others would ‘get the job done for us,’ and they would vote for the moral and ethical logic of Hillary Clinton, we allowed for a wide enough crack in our standards to permit the hatred, lies, and indecencies of a dishonorable man to infiltrate our lives and infect our souls.

We need time to peel back the layers of hate and mistrust after the last four years; time to heal and then surge forward with our positive ideas and plans for a better life.

As we sit here on Election Day, battling for the soul of the nation, I have to ask myself if we’ve truly learned invaluable lessons during the past four years? Do we now understand that it is never a good time to let our guard down and become complacent? And, most importantly, will we allow the hate, bigotry, and selfish greed to carry on for another four years and watch the country be crushed even further by hopelessness and despair?

Today is the day—the moment of truth!

It’s about time we grow up, shed our childish fears, and become adults. If you haven’t voted already, today is your final chance to make it be known that you’re not going to be bullied any longer! You will not give up the right to participate in our political process by relinquishing your vote. You will become an active participant in the consequences of your own future. You will not be complacent and later only wish that you had exercised the honor and privilege of making your voice be heard.

Yes, today is the final day—your moment of truth. Go to the polls, masks on, and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!!

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved 

 

FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, AND HOPE: MYTH OR REALITY?

 

A series of essays....

LIGHT BREAKS THROUGH FROM THE HEAVENS WHILE DRIVING
ON THE RING OF KERRY: CAHERDANIEL, COUNTY KERRY, IRELAND, 2018

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

FRIENDSHIPS mean the world to us. Friends keep us feeling alive in so many ways. It's much more than knowing that they have our backs; it’s understanding why we will always have theirs. Friends keep us motivated and being the best that we can be....even though, some of our escapades show how naughty and fun-loving we actually are. This alone can make us feel tremendously alive. 

You can be yourself around your friends without a false face or pretext. Rather, showing genuine respect for each other with smiles, laughter, dreams, and memories thrown in for good measure. 

The best part about being a true friend is being there when your friend needs a helping hand; a listening ear. Perhaps a hug and shared tear or two denotes a unique understanding between you that nobody else is able to fully comprehend. Genuine warmth of words from the heart shared over the phone when you are living many miles apart can be like a full-blown hug to someone in need of your compassion and strength. 

My friends do mean the world to me. And, they know that I will always be there for them....in good times and in sad times, as well. 

Feel alive! Virtually hug a friend today and let them know how much you love them. I just did and, even though the tears do fall....we both truly know how important and comforting our friendship is to one another!

LOVE isn’t a word anyone of us should take lightly or for granted. Love is the gift of a strong feeling of affection and concern towards all fellow human beings. Love is about family, whether they are blood relatives or not. It is sharing a special affinity together due to respect for similar ideas and goals. Love is having a close friendship or relationship with others.

Having a strong sexual attraction towards someone often leads to physical expression of your love for them. To be swept off your feet by love and be able to bestow on one another the same strong affection and concern is a feeling to treasure for a lifetime.

The affectionate utterance of calling someone ‘a love’ is a term of endearment, sweet talk, and a sign of the tenderness and fondness you may have for them. Being human means we often display an intense and emotional attachment to something, as to a colorful, handmade quilt passed down from a cherished grandmother, or an adorable ‘fur baby’ (pet) who shares your domain and heart, as well. Think of a special place where you’d like to be at this very moment; a particular country, city, or favorite beach with sun-drenched sand tickling your toes as you stroll along the shoreline.

Love is feeling a devotion to something or someone whom you deem as a higher or greater part of yourself as God or a god. 

Buddhism, often known as a Path of Freedom, could equally be called the religion of love. One of the most rewarding spiritual practices is to cultivate the ability to bring love into all aspects of our life and to all the people we encounter. This entails learning how to include love’s presence while we speak to others, are in conflict with others, and are living with others. Often, this can be a daunting task, but, if achieved, the benefits of loving kindness are immeasurable.

HOPE, in reality, is another way of revealing how much trust and confidence you have in someone else and how this unshaken faith may be a determining factor in the positive aspect or outcome of your life. Hope is the longing or desire for something accompanied by the belief in the possibility of it successfully coming to pass. It is having faith in the possibilities of eventually achieving our dreams and desires for things we expect, long for, and aspire to. Hope is understanding that there is light at the end of the tunnel and soon, the light will, hopefully, shine down upon us.

Whether we believe it or not, hope is a part of everyone’s life. We all hope for something and it’s an inherent part of being human. It defines what we want in the future. Hope is part of the personal development regarding our lives that we all have running inside our heads on a constant basis. 

If you want something badly enough or deeply desire something to happen, you must have hope and faith in all of the factors that lead up to the final moment of truth. To have hope is to want an outcome that makes your life better in some way. Hope can not only help make a difficult scenario more tolerable, but it can improve our lives exponentially due to imagining a better future as it motivates us to take the direct steps to make it all happen.

A MOMENT OF ZEN 

Friendship, Love, and Hope are obtainable and available to everyone with an open heart and an open mind. If we have the freedom to choose the path we take in this lifetime and we incorporate friendship, love, and hope into this soul-searching itinerary, this trek will be our personal reality; our life fulfilling understanding of truth and faith in what is to come and what can and does shape our future. 

The only myth is that we do not have the freedom to follow our individual path filled with goodness, kindness, and an abundance of love. With free will and acceptance, we do!

The outcome of next week’s presidential election will determine whether or not we, as Americans, wish to improve our present lives by imagining a better future for everyone! If we strive to be the best that we can be, have a close and personal attachment to helping others obtain happiness, and truly want something badly enough, deeply enough, to make it happen—than a vote for the Biden/Harris ticket will help make it a reality. 

Let’s wipe-out the myth that the present administration consists of our friends who love us and hope to make our lives better. This idea could not be further from the truth, whether we choose to admit it or not. These past four years have more than proven this clear and present falsehood. Instead, let us adhere to the reality of a better outcome and a good life for all of the people.

PLEASE VOTE! Wear a mask when in public and take good care of yourselves and others.

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

Photo Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

A STAR SHINES BRIGHTLY OVER ‘THE CITY OF LIGHT’

A series of essays....

LIGHTING A CANDLE SYMBOLIZES SAYING A PRAYER FOR SOMEONE

Courtesy Pinterest 

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

The massive doors stood wide open as the young girl, walking behind her parents, enters the cathedral. She feels a bit strange and realizes she has been holding her breath since the sunny outside courtyard pushed her from behind into this darkened world of flickering candles and explosion of echoed whispers. The sudden darkness was making her head spin and eyes dilate in the struggle to adjust. She stops, momentarily, to gain her composure and learn how to breathe, once again. Exhale, inhale, exhale she tells herself. In all of her eleven years of life, she never expected to feel so unsettled and awestruck as she was at this very moment.

THE MASSIVE DOORS AND ORNATE
ARCHWAYS OF THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL 

Courtesy hubpages.com

Her mother’s white sweater serves as a beacon of light and her lower body decides to rigidly move towards it, one small step at a time. Her eyes become more adjusted to the living shadows that crisscross before her in random patterns. It’s so dark, so dark, she thinks and moves in the direction of the table of tall, white candles with golden flames dancing like a hundred Tinker Bells before her eyes. The candlelight begins to provide a comforting, warm feeling and she moves closer to it while keeping the familiar sweater in sight.

The girl is greeted by an erratic wax landscape that thickly coats the metallic table standing a few feet away from her. The constant flow of melting wax reminds her of white lava flowing down a mountainside and then solidifies in dribs and drabs as it eventually cools down. Each white taper stands at least a foot tall and is nestled in its own holder keeping it upright while the wax flows down, down and coats the table with its pure whiteness.

Mom and dad stand head to head several feet away. Mom’s face looks very sad when dad whispers something into her ear and hugs her, gently. She shouldn’t feel sad. We’re here! We made it! 

TALL, WHITE TAPER CANDLES MADE OF
BEESWAX LIT IN HOMAGE OF LOVED ONES

Holding an unlit taper in her right hand, she drifts into a world of remembrances including the crazy view from the observation deck of the Tower the day before. Pictures she’d seen in books could never compare to the real deal; the flow of buildings as far as the eye could see that radiated out from its base and made her feel as dizzy as the height of the Tower itself did. Her eyes settling at the waistlines of most of the compacted crowd, feeling crushed alive as they pushed towards the elevators and their caged decent to ground level.

Sitting at the base of the Arch feeling hot and worn down, she recalls what seemed like an innumerable amount of cars racing around her, around the Arch, spewing gasoline fumes while looking like lost souls trying to find their way home. Dad taking touristy pictures of her wearing the black, woolen beret recently purchased at the shop on the corner. And, walking, walking with Mom and Dad around this enormous city filled with its August heat, foreign words, and virtual sea of people. She began to understand that the three of them were tourists (time travelers, if you will) who were in constant awe of the breadth and depth of this timeless city.

THE INNER BEAUTY OF NOTRE DAME,
AN ANCIENT CATHEDRAL 

THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OF
FLICKERING CANDLES AND ECHOED WHISPERS

Shaking herself back into the present, the girl knows why and for whom she is about to light her candle, say a small prayer for, and then place it among the hundreds of other souls now flickering in the holy darkness. She suddenly knows why her mother seemed so sad before and her father’s kind whisper was meant to soothe the hurt away.

Directing the wick towards another flickering light, suddenly her candle burst into the  golden flame that represents her own grandmother, her mother’s mother, who had passed away not long before. May her soul be lifted up to you, sweet God, and help my mom know that grandma is okay at your side. The girl did not like seeing her mother so sad. She thought about how much she loves and misses her grandma, too.

Walking around the end of the table, she quickly slips a one franc coin into the slit of the collection box. Snuggling between her parents, she wraps one small arm around each of their waists; her bright, white sneakers directing the threesome further into the depths of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the many layers of religion, culture, and history that has symbolized French identity for over 850 years. 

Please stay safe and think about a healthy future for everyone. VOTE!

OUT OF THE FLAMES—
SHE WILL RISE ONCE AGAIN!

               

Courtesy time.com

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

OCTOBER BEGINS AS A BLANK CANVAS

 

A series of essays....

THE VIBRANT COLORS OF OCTOBER

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

September’s intense layers of green set the dramatic backdrop for the month of October.

October begins as a blank canvas. Finally, the tenth month of the year allows us to play with some of the richest, deepest, and most robust colors on a grand scale; earth tones, my Mother’s favorite palette. 

Early on, multiple shades of summertime greens are seemingly airbrushed overnight as the tops of the highest branches are tipped in mellow yellow against a sky of pale blue. Cotton ball clouds float along the blue skyscape like majestic swans on a sun-rippled pond.

APPLES READY FOR MARKET

Bright apple reds and greens cling to the orchard trees in great abundance waiting to fill the farmer’s baskets and bins to be hauled to local market places. Children and adults alike dream of their tasty sweetness as in taffy apples with sprinkles on top, rustic pies filled with rich fruit and cinnamon goodness, and a crisp, salubrious treat savored between meals.

Overnight, clumps of cherry-red leaves dot the mighty maple trees like giant Christmas ornaments hung by the gods. In the following days, each crimson bauble begins to seep through the lofty trees giving us a feeling of spilled red wine penetrating the green, summertime branches.

Late blooming flowers and rows of swaying grasses bow to one another as they dance under the influence of Vivaldi’s ‘The Autumn’ and their once sparkling attire now fades into nut-brown and sepia tones like photos tucked away in Mother’s dresser drawer. “Memories, my love,” she would whisper in my ear.

SHERBET TONES OF
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM

If we are passionate about chrysanthemums, cultivated for their brightly colored, showy flower heads, we must be enchanted by these vivacious mounds of sherbet tones dotting the urban landscape. Mums are reminders of man’s ability to prolong a season while planting seeds of hope for a ravishing display of future springtime bounties of color!

Some bushes literally ‘burn’ in crimson splendor as October ushers in her cooler temps and seasonal rains. And, as if overnight, trees have morphed into their final act of seasonal glory when the reds, golds, and yellows that have been dancing above us suddenly ruffle their united copper-colored leaves in the quickening breeze like the subdued plumage of a robin’s breast.

ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME?

Squirrels and chipmunks scurry about in a last minute rush of hoarding their food in anticipation of winter’s inevitable arrival. Blue Jays and Cardinals seemingly sashay in flight from one golden branch to another and the big, black-necked Canadien Goose, with its signature white chinstrap mark, checks his itinerary as he and thousands of ‘honkers’ migrate south for the winter.

OCTOBER DELIGHTS

October’s blank canvas is particularly notable this year with the coronavirus looming large among us. While summer activities begin to linger into precious memories, and jackets, long pants and boots are donned in lieu of bathing suits, shorts, and flip-flops, we still revel in being outdoors. Even when the daily wearing of facial masks become important substitutes for Halloween disguises at the end of the month, most of us have decided to cherish being around for a very long time to be able to delight in October’s colorful canvas for many years to come.

Blustery winds usher in October’s ‘snowy season.’ Crisp leaves tumble from the sky en masse simulating snow showers as they accumulate in thick layers on the ground, covering the weary grasses in a patchwork quilt of autumnal color. 

THE REDS OF THE MAPLE TREE
GENTLY SEEPING...

My Mother’s auburn hair resembled the fiery red maple tree that lived in the backyard of our little, white rental home many years ago. My October memories consist of numerous hours of raking the fallen leaves into enormous piles only to scatter them around again by running like a tiny, howling banshee into the pile at full speed. Mom helped rake them up again for round two and three of this pleasant game.

The orange, greens, and yellows of the local pumpkin patch fill adults and children with equal delight as the ‘perfect’ size and shape of pumpkin is searched for with grave intensity. After all, its flawlessness will serve to usher in the jack-o-lantern of our own imagination for the Halloween celebration.

OCTOBER’S COLORFUL
PUMPKIN PATCH

As if all of the sounds, visual changes, and weather extremes that take place during October were not enough, my heart delights in the autumnal celebration of a life gone way too early; a gentle lady who loved deeply and gave more than she would ever receive in this lifetime. Mom, sixty-two years was not nearly enough time to have the world appreciate all that you had to contribute to making this a sweeter, more loving place to live in. I miss you with all of my being...

MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER, OLGA,
AT THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN

Today, you would have had 97 years filled with the gentleness of life behind you. Happy Birthday, Mom, with all of the trimmings and all of my love! My October canvas is filled with the colorful and joyous memories of your love, kindness and appreciation of all living things.

Everyone, please stay safe. Vote!

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

Photos Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

AMERICAN RECKONING

“THE JUDGEMENT DAY” 
ARTIST: GIORGI KUKHALASHVILI

A series of essays....

Courtesy of Saatchi Art

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes  

According to the Bible and written within the New Testament, Judgement Day will be the day at the end of time, as we know it, following Armageddon when God will decree the fates of all individual humans according to the good and evil of their earthly lives. The Day of Reckoning: A time when the effects of one's past mistakes or misdeeds catch up with them.

A lawyer may refer to reckoning as a verbal summation before the jury. Wrapping-up is the directional approach to completing a day of filming in the entertainment industry. The sports announcer might be expressing his recap of a particular play on the field and later, after the game is over, his rundown of the completed event by highlighting the best of the action...in case we missed it. And, the news journalist is noted for her succinct style of writing which captures ‘Breaking News’ in a brief but highly comprehensive form. 

If and when the Day of Reckoning arrives, I would like to believe that my ultimate résumé is in order, neatly typed and displaying my background, skills, and accomplishments in order to secure the final and most important form of employment paid out in eternal joy and extreme happiness. 

In my estimation, America, and all that she stands for and for those whom she represents, is facing her most important day of reckoning on November 3rd. The results of this country’s Presidential Election 2020, provided on this date or shortly afterwards, will be the day the hands on the clock will either come to a complete stop, or continue to run in a precise and deliberate manner. We are facing the final days before our ‘American Reckoning’ and the prospects of its final result is scaring the living hell out of us (me)! 

The parish priest, dressed in his finest, most colorful and ornate chasuble for Sunday Mass, stands at the raised podium on the altar and sends shivers down a small child’s spine. He is preaching what will transpire on Judgement Day if we do not practice love, decency, and sound judgement during our life here on earth. We, naively (?), fail to recognize how many people do not own love for their fellow man, are not decent human beings, and do not practice sound judgement in their lives. This conclusion is what has taken us by surprise and catapulted sound reasoning and the state of normalcy into an entirely new dimension. 

Given the go-ahead and support needed to crawl out of the woodwork by the current administration, white nationalist groups espouse white supremacist or white separatist ideologies focusing on the alleged inferiority of nonwhites. Has ‘white privilege’ blinded us from seeing the truth we have lived with for hundreds of years? Simple truth has been given a blind eye for so long that we failed to recognize its nastiness creeping up out of the gutters like devious shadow beings obeying the written orders of condemned, old, white men. 

                                                                  LIFE IS FILLED WITH BEAUTY!

 

                                                                   

What were we thinking all of these years?

The Ku Klux Klan, neo-Confederate, neo-Nazi, racist skinhead, and Christian identity are described as white nationalists. Sadly, it takes another knee of a privileged white man pressed down on the neck of a black man until his life is extinguished for us to attempt to understand why Black Lives Matter. It takes a racist president hell-bent on power and superiority to open the cracks in the earth and release the hatred that has been bubbling below us all this time. 

Why was it so difficult to feel and label the pervasive unrest beneath our feet all along; rumbling like a massive earthquake too deep to break the crusty surface but disconcerting nonetheless? Now that our world is shaken and we’ve come to recognize the source of our fear (those set apart by their unmistakable facial characteristics and hateful expressions), we must not allow them to drive the rest of us into hell along with them on Judgement Day! 

Congress and the Department of Homeland Security, among others, have determined that domestic terrorism consists of acts or attempted acts of terrorism in which the perpetrators are citizens or permanent residents of the country in which the act takes place. White supremacists and other far-right-wing extremists are the most significant domestic terrorism threat facing the United States. 

We are living inside an American Tragedy but are slowly finding our way among the pervasive and widespread unrest and dissatisfaction brought about by the domestic terrorists attempting to tear us apart. We are learning what we can do to fight evil with good and are stepping-up to the plate when necessary. We are understanding that when we’re told that each one of our votes counts, it is the absolute truth. Our voices must be heard loud and clear because we will not take the bullying, hatefulness, and degradation any longer!

If we truly believe we’re strong enough to love rather than hate, demand decency and a good life for all of mankind, and rely on our own courage and perspicacity instead of seeing the world within the vision of a handful of others...we can take on this fight to retain democracy and our freedom. We just have to want it all badly enough. 

Let’s take advantage of these precious few days before our American Reckoning is upon us. Drive others to the polls or to the City Clerk’s office to drop-off their absentee ballot, offer to baby-sit for their children allowing them some spare time, and always offer encouragement so that voting feels like the right it is meant to be instead of a privilege for only a few. 

Stay safe and please be kind to others. Vote like your life depends on it because...it truly does.

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes 

All rights reserved