Why Now?

We are fighting two viruses at the same time. Hatred and injustice were pandemic’s in this country long before COVID-19 showed up. Both viruses have the potential to isolate us from each other or bring us together in new ways. Both have the potential to suffocate our hope or breathe life into change. Both are real. Both are making it harder to breathe these days. Both are desperate for a vaccine.

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While science scrambles for a vaccine for Coronavirus, humanity has already been incubating the vaccine for the hatred virus. I don’t know what its scientific name is, but the street name for it is “LOVE." 

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Not the painless, singy-songy, “Kumbaya” version; but the burning eyes, burning throat, burning blood version. Not just the "love thy neighbor" version, but the "love thy enemy" version. This vaccine is made up of both the “turn the other cheek” strain of love and the “by any means necessary” strain. Because it is in that duality is that love has always lived. "The cause of every war, AND the reason for every truce."

So this poem is for the fighters. The ones who are fighting for love. The ones who are running toward the fight to stop it. 

This poem is meant for the victims and family members and community members and allies who are struggling to discern between the voice of rage screaming into their right ear, and the voice of love whispering into their left. 

This poem is dedicated to every person who, even as their heart, right now, is being broken by hatred, and their blood is being boiled by vengeance, and their windpipe is being crushed by the knee of systemic racism and injustice, they are still …painfully …desperately …emphatically struggling to hear what Love Says.

If this video moves you, please don’t keep its message to yourself. SHARE with your community ... with your following ... with your loved ones … with anyone who could use a message of hope, perseverance, and a reminder of what we are fighting for.

Stay inspired ...stay inspiring,