Last night, listening to and watching Michelle Obama,
I could see myself, not just because she was Black,
Or 5’11” and a Capricorn woman, all of which we share,
But that she simply has to spend time, showing and proving who she is,
And knowing full well that it never ends,
There have been so many times in my life, when I have been straight up tired,
Of showing that I am capable, proving that I am worthy,
I think of every time I moved over the years and started a new job,It was the same old story, having to show that we aren’t monolithic,
And that basically people are people,
Most startling to me has always been how shocked,
The majority can be at the fact that we live well,
Love well,
Raise super kids,
And don’t want to be anyone other than who we are,
But that we aren’t going to allow anyone to stand in the way of who we are,
Or what we want or are trying to achieve,
It is a particularly slippery slope,
Because when you are as brutally honest as I am,
You are too often asked,
“Are you mad?”
Uh uh, just truthful,
Or the fact that people don’t know they are insulting you,
When they ask if your kids are athletes because they are tall,
And you have to tell them,
“No, actually but he is an honor student!”
What I have learned to do is stay real,
To me and to mine,
And try to maintain a level of,
Spirituality and reality, knowing all the time,
That it is what it is,
And people are who they are,
And all we can do is “Rep” our best…
Thanks Michelle!
Blessings,
angelia
