Love is the Answer

Last Sunday night I was longing to go see a man, that as little as 5 years ago, was incapable of appreciating, much less admiring. I like to be able to say with good conscience that this is/was due to the culture that I just so happened to be raised in. I'm not so sure that that lessens my culpability.

Even though my culture may have told me that Buck was/is only 3/5th man or human or whatever, I still can't help but thinking/feeling that I should have known better. Where was/is my 'age of accountability'? Did I just reach it now?

I'd like to say yes.

Guilt provides a different answer.

"Good blacks don't cry."

I leaned into Amy & had to ask just what in the world it was that I'd just heard. I'd just come off a 48-hour span of work/play that included only 2 hours of sleep, but I at least thought that my hearing would still work.

"Good blacks don't cry."

She confirmed it. I haven't been able to get those words out of my head since. It's been 8 days now.

The paper the next day brought some since of clarity, along with more knowledge.


"People always say to me, 'Don't you hate people for what they did to your folk?'" O'Neil said. "I say, 'Naw, man, I never learned to hate.'

"I hate cancer and AIDS and what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. But I can't hate God's creatures. Love is the answer. The greatest thing in all my life is loving you."

I had gone to the park Sunday to escape reality for a few hours w/my family in tow. Buck had just introduced me to his. A man that I once was practically incapable of liking due to his amount of melanin & my ignorance, had/has just become one of my heroes.

What an amazing turn of events...