Within the pressurized environment Covid-19 has created, this weekend, anger erupted over, not only George Floyd, but long-term systemic inequality of opportunity, justice, and freedom in our country. For many of us this is creating a cacophony of emotions, empathy, fear, anger, sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness. I understand, I too am feeling a tumultuous jumble of emotions. Last night as the violence spread to within blocks of our safety, my family had to plan our response if rioters entered the residential area as threatened. Our plan was simple, take the dogs and retreat to the playset in the backyard and let the looters be. The boys felt this sent a very confusing message, do not stand up for yourselves. I suggested to them it sent a different message, one of prioritizing life over possessions, one of empathizing with oppression, and one of optimism that tomorrow will be a better day. Not just tomorrow, Monday, but tomorrow, the future.
And so today I wake up to a feeling of hope.
Hope that the exposure of the fractured country coalesces into an action plan to unify behind the values on which our country was founded, freedom, equality, and opportunity. We can no longer be divided by our race, background, and values. We need to respect each other for those differences and seek to create an America where those differences, once again, live side by side, standing in unity for Freedom, Equality, and Opportunity. For that to happen we all need to improve our ability to have open debate, not discord, to have self-reflection, not self-centeredness, to TRULY have a growth mindset throughout our daily lives and not be so confident our perspective is the only right perspective.
Margaret Meade said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
And so today I am going to spread my feelings of hope far and wide. I ask you to join me in this by taking positive action in your lives to see the hope this momentous time brings to the future of freedom, equality, and opportunity, the hope it brings for the future of our country.
Thank you all
The Tao of Todd 