Be The Light In The Dark of This Danger

“Oh, imagine yourself in a building
Up in flames being told to stand still.”
“A Safe Place to Land” - Sara Bareilles Feat. John Legend

The world is on fire. And much as my work is emotionally driven, I have been so incredibly angry, sad, and scared that I have felt paralyzed in this fire — only being able to cry and scream and then collapse in weariness each day. I’m scared for the safety of the world from invisible threats like viruses and, more evil and long-lasting, racism. Angry that we are yelling at deaf ears when lack of equality is so evident. Sad to know the pain and helplessness parts of our community are trapped in . . . and have been trapped in since the start of this country. To feel so unseen and so unheard is like being drowned your entire life.

But the other day I just listened to this song and those words, for a moment, helped my blood cool from boiling. It was truth, heartbreak, and healing. Cathartic, it helped me channel those overwhelming emotions into something. And so this is the start of my #listenandlearn lyric project — for myself and for whoever will look and listen. No song can encompass all that everyone is feeling. Just like no person can say everything right or grieve the same way. But this is a small chunk. We must yell and we must cry, but when we are at a loss for words or energy, we must allow ourselves to just listen. We must continue to be better and do right by the people who make up our community. Equality is not a trending topic or a one-time fix. Equality is a daily struggle that we must each choose to improve. Today, tomorrow. forever.