Daily Thoughts

 2020 has been a year of complete chaos.  Wouldn't you agree?  From the beginning we witnessed the demise of one of basketball's greatest athletes, Kobe Bryant, and if that wasn't enough, just a few short months later we learned that a deadly virus had affected a few Americans and if contained would not affect the rest of us.  We know now that over 50 million worldwide have contracted this virus and over 1.25 million have died.  Because of this, we were forced to be shut down here in the US as they were all across the globe without interaction with our co-workers, our friends and our family members outside of our immediate households.  Grandparents were separated from their grandchildren and businesses were closed leaving some people without a job.  Lines to shopping centers became almost non-existent but lines for food and bare essentials stretched for miles. Essential workers made our day by keeping some of our favorite restaurants open and delivery services going strong.

In light of all that has been going on and will continue to go on until real change happens, I came to know something.  My skin...scares.  Let me elaborate on that for a moment. They say you only have one chance to make a good first impression but how can that be true when your first impression of me is...she scares me; he terrifies me; I feel unsafe with them around.  Who are you referring to? Is there someone behind me or did someone leave that was here that you feared? Oh, oh I get it.  It's me or should I say my skin that scares you. It's the tint that causes alarm.  It's the presence of a person whose skin is different from yours that triggers your fear mechanism; your defense mechanism; your judgement. The fact that you see me...not hear me...not feel me...not even take the time to get to know me but that you see me...heightens your awareness OF me.  Why is that I wonder.  Believe me, if you ever got to know me, talk to me, spend time in my presence you might find