Thank you to my neighbor who decided 7AM Sunday was the perfect time to mow the lawn. Between him and the furry alarm clocks, its a wonder anyone gets any rest.
Although part sarcasm, I am grateful he was thoughtful enough to beat the rain and wake us all up. If not I wouldn’t have had time to listen to my iPod.
Yesterday I mentioned Tricia Rose Burt and the story she told on The Moth Podcast. Rarely have I been so captivated by a show that wasn’t biblically centered.
Here was a middle age woman who changed her life after taking an art class, and never looked back.
As I listened, the following statements stood out:
The instructor announces: “There is no right way to do art. There is no wrong way to do art.” Tricia: “Now this makes me extremely nervous because I have been raised that there is a right way and a wrong way to do most anything.”
“I’m so afraid of being different than everybody else.”
“I realize I’m in the wrong life. I don’t want to do what other people want *me* to do or think I should do anymore.”
The last statement rang so true to me. I spent years of my life feeling like a square peg in a round hole, ascribing to the lie that I’m a Superwoman (even when I’m a mess I still put on my vest with an S on my chest, oh yes!) that Black women are supposed to be.
I sacrificed my time for things I didn’t give two farts about because I was expected to be an expert on sports, politics, the market’s up and down day via the Dow. I’d much rather discuss knitting, downward dogs, and that last “I Love The (insert decade here)” marathon. Not that I don’t have an opinion on sports (Cowboys rule!), politics (my kids compromise better than some of our “leaders”), the Dow (I sure wish I had purchased Apple stock when I was a heavy player), but that’s not my passion. My passion is to write a snarky review for TVgasm, have an article on Cracked sing Karaoke, clean my streets, meet new and exciting people. Be me.
My new buddy asked over our second slice of cheesecake why did women feel we had to always look pretty, watch our weight, sacrifice our dreams for the sake of others. Neither of us could answer that question. We did however, decide that we weren’t going to be Superwomen anymore. We were going to laugh, cry, dance in the rain.
I’m living the life I think I should have.
~ Posted on the fly by Mrsrkfj
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