I experience microaggressions as subtle insults communicated by white people to nurture their insecurities and substantiate the falsity of my alleged inferiority. Few are self-destructive enough to be overtly racist – a price too steep to pay nowadays. Microaggressions are safer; easily conflated with seemingly reasonable things.
King’s legacy is a relatable example of how steadfastness, authenticity, and humility can change the world. What we nowadays call emotional intelligence was one of King’s best qualities – advancing social justice without stooping to the level of white supremacy manifesting as sucker punches at deli counters, church bombings by so-called Christians, and other forms of domestic terrorism.
I ate my first hot pastrami sandwich in New York City. Honestly, I am unsure if I heard of pastrami at the very least ate any hitherto.
Bubble baths are an act of mindfulness – focusing on a sole thought, acknowledging its existence. The warmth of the nearly too hot bath water. The sensation of the suds fizzing out of existence with each movement of my arms and legs. The loosening of tense lower back muscles. The cascading of relaxation over my body as I breathe with depth. Smiling because of it all.
Spaghetti – one of my favorite childhood meals – was not pre-cooked by my grandmother. My mother made a sauce pan’s worth of spaghetti. To be sure, I am not referencing her grabbing the can opener, retrieving a container of Chef Boyardee and dumping the contents thereof into a waiting sauce pan. She considered Chef Boyardee an atrocity – foodstuffs packed into a can, laden with salt, and gag reflexive nastiness.
Each of the past four years brought about unique changes. May the year 2019 be what you make it.
I will nuance this observance to air my dirty laundry of constantly interrupting others. I wish to expand one day’s observance into a lifetime practice.
Tone deafness impedes getting things done effectively and efficiently. It thwarts efforts to achieve wholeheartedness. Talking over someone elicits confusion, numbness, and exhaustion. It chases active listening out of the room.
We empower those sharing our views and are enlightened by opposing takes. Debates. Brainstorming. Fact finding missions. Such exchanges of ideas are dominated by individuals with teachable spirits – with the expectation disagreements will strengthen us. As Americans, we pride ourselves in these glorious byproducts of Free Speech – a constitutional right afforded every citizen.
We treat the expression of anger as if it is a human failure of epic proportions. We suppress it, attempt to masquerade it, and hold different people to different standards in how they should display it. Why do we do these things?