Burdened

"My recent knowledge...had awakened a vulnerability within me, triggered something deep, unspoken, that haunted me, that burdened me." - Tatiana de Rosnay

I am reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana Rosnay this week (hooray for taking the bus!). I was really moved by the above excerpt. My family and close friends joke about how I will only read books when someone is being oppressed or mistreated. It's kind of true. I have such a burden for those who have been wronged in this life but not just a sad story. I mean the tragedies of the past and present. The stories no one really wants to hear because it is uncomfortable and even painful. I remember the first time I felt the way this woman so eloquently communicated. I was 18 years old in community college. I was taking a sociology class and they showed a film on historical racism in America. The film told stories of murder and showed pictures of lynching. I remember feeling like I had seen my best friend murdered before my eyes. I was fighting back tears. All the other students were completely unaffected and I felt traumatized. I remember walking out of class that day and this white guy (very hot white guy) said to me how he hated that school because he felt like the scum of the Earth for being a white male. It wasn’t his fault and he was tired of them always trying to make him feel bad. I couldn’t even make words come out of my mouth.

I don’t think the pit in my stomach or the burden on my heart has ever lifted. I can honestly say that I could (and hope to) send the rest of my life fighting that injustice. I was literally ruined that day. I spent the rest of my college career focusing my education on African American studies and the unique African American experience. Maybe no one will ever understand the feeling in my heart: the compassion, the empathy, the rage, the passion, the heartache. But it drives me every day. It is part of me. I carry the burden of that bloody history and I carry the passion to see our system abolish all forms of inequality and injustice.

I believe it is not easy to be a kind, caring, good person in our society. People so often use, abuse and mistreat other people that it is a difficult feat to make it through this life without becoming hard hearted or begin to look out for only number 1. That said, there are a few women in my life that I continually find my self in awe of and truly blessed to know and I would like to honor. I realize that few read this blog and those who do probably don't know them so consider this honoring them before god.
Krista Gayle Rustin. From the day I met krista ten years ago I loved her. There has not been one day in my life since that I have not. She has the most gentle heart, the sweetest spirit and has unending, genuine, humility. Just having her in my life is such a blessing and I am humbled and inspired by her everyday.
Chante Fiamengo. I met Chante in the most random of ways, in my coffee stand. I also knew we were meant to be together. Chante is such a good friend. Always caring and encouraging even when the complaining is so trivial. She is such a positive person as well. I went through a time in my life when I wanted all the negativity and drama out and I realized that Chante was always such a breath of fresh air. She is also an amazing mother: loving and patient. Chante embraces the seasons of her life and lives like she wouldn't change a thing. I adore this woman.
I love that the Lord has blessed me with remarkable women in my life that I continue to be encouraged, inspired, blessed by them. (More to come)

Isolating Silence or Dividing Words

I have noticed that I have become silent. In the last ten years I have been through a very difficult process of redefining myself and growing. I have learned a lot and I have changed a lot but no matter how much I learn and I grow, I always feel like being honest about who I am is going to offend someone. I love people and I think that is a good characteristic but I have noticed that I keep so much inside now because of what everyone else thinks and feels that I have withdrawn into myself. I think it is important to have grace and know when to not speak but I feel like I have been slowly bound by my fear and silence. I am grateful for a certain few who don't just "accept me for who I am" like they are doing me a favor but truly believe that I am an amazing person and trust that I can hear God for myself. A friend like that is more valuable than a million who just "love you anyway." I want to feel free to speak what I believe is the truth and is MY TESTIMONY whether it fits other peoples ideas of what it should be. It is me and I have no regrets.

Folly

Sometimes I feel like such an idiot. Is it that I am just really stupid or is Murphy's Law ruling my life? Perhaps it is some cosmic Karma (I know dad...you don't believe in Karma). No matter what it is, I have had a wretched couple of weeks. First, my keys fell out of my pocket on the bus which made for a complicated evening after work. Then last Sunday as I was putting trash into my trash can (which I keep on my deck), my door that only locks from the inside magically locked behind me leaving me stuck out there (on the 3rd floor) with no phone or keys. So I decided to put my old rock climbing skills to use and scale down the wall. I made it half-way and then realized there was nothing more to hang on to and fell about 15 feet onto pavement. I still can't put any weight on my heel and the scratches and bruising have yet to heal. That's not the end folks! I received free tickets to a Sounders game and was so excited to go with my little sister and actually get out of my house but when I got downtown to pick her up, I got in a car accident...and yes, it was my fault. So there is my hat trick of moronic behavior. I have nobody to blame but myself. I am so ready for this week to be over.

Business as Usual

So I think I am averaging one post every two months, which is awesome. That is about the turn around time of a phone call from a friend in my life as well. Life is great. I am living in my own apartment in mill creek. I am loving the crisp, clean fall weather. I still love my job (I would say I love it about 40 hours out of the 50 I work in a week). Now little sister is working about 30 feet away from me. So I have nothing to complain. I have everything I need and want in my life but none of the extra nonsense.

I have been feeling a little lonely lately. All the peace and quiet is allowing me (of forcing me) to face some things I have been avoiding in my crazy busy life the last couple years. I am finding some things hurt a lot more than I realized and now I get to face it. So that is awesome. I know it is part of being a healthy individual to deal with things but I am just so good at not! : )

My back has been getting worse so I am hoping to get back into yoga. My boss asked one of his clients for a free pass at her yoga studio (which happens to be a block from my house). That would be amazing since I am trying to save money every way possible right now.

That is all I can think of for now. I will try to get my Internet set up soon so that I can blog when I am lonely and melancholy at night. Those bogs are always more interesting.

Vegas

I went to Vegas with my sisters a couple of weeks ago and I was stuck by two things. 1) How much we have all changed in the last few years. I was confused when we all decided to go to Vegas because it is not really like Kim or Kati to want to drink or party or gamble. But I had resolved that a week by the pool was exaclty what we all needed. We slept and laid by the pool all week, ate some fabulous meals and made some memories I will keep with me forever. I noticed how my priorities and desires and even what I value has changed so much in the last few years. I like the changes in me. : ) 2) How amazing my sisters are. I love spending time with my sisters. Something that really struck me on our trip was how incredibly different we are. We have different dreams, thoughts, personalities and even accents. I love that my parents raised us to really just be who we are and I absolutely adore who my sisters are. Kim is kind, generous, caring and so nurturing. She saved and planned just to bless Kati and I for our accomplishment of gradtuating college. I love you for that Kim. And I love the person you are: a faithful woman who loves God , her husband and her family. And I love my little sister. I always say I raised her myself but she is so unique. She loves adventure, love and always looks for the beauty in life. She is hardworking and brilliant. (really. almost to the point of annoying :) But what I love most about my sisters is that we will always be there for each other. We can always appreciate each other for who they are. I love that my dad taught us that friends will come and go but your sisters will always be there. He was right. They are truly a blessing in my life.

Update

So I finished my B/A. I made it through my commencement ceremony. I spent the most wonderful week with my sisters in Vegas. And finally, I have started a new job. I was blessed with a paralegal position at a law firm downtown. I have a 10 minute bus commute to the office which is amazing (especially since they gave me a bus pass) and a beautiful view at my office (well more like cubicle but I like it). I have been working alot of hours but so happy to be doing what I love again and not having to get up at 4 am. Things are definitely looking up. No complaints. : )