June 19, 2020 – The third blog in the RestorationAge.

With the heavy handed-info packed blog posts from the last couple weeks, this week I’m appealing to you to strengthen your mental fortitude; mainly because even with all the blessings we enjoy, sometimes life just falls flat from dealing with…well, life.

I was never good at the limbo, bending back as far as possible, moving under the stick while not knocking it down or falling down myself. When I was growing up, doing the limbo at the Skateland rink was also popular. But that was for experienced skaters, not me. What was I more unsuccessful at than the limbo in tennis shoes? Limbo on skates. What a nightmare.

Speaking of nightmares, what about the limbo of our collective situations? The world is freaking crazy and we’re smack dab in the middle of a cacophony of wide ranging issues. Black Lives Matter. Police Reform. Protests. COVID-19. COVID-19 Spikes. No Vaccine. Masks. No Hugging Allowed. School in Fall. Elections. Unpredictable Leadership. Massive Unemployment. And our first world problems – Is it safe to eat out or go to a movie theater? And when in the hell are we returning to our offices? So many things to ponder, work toward, worry about…

We find ourselves in that intermediate, transitional, or midway state of being. Or as I like to think of it, the edge of hell. We’re in that space two-three weeks into a diet, or lifestyle change, or exercise program, or detox; whatever you want to call it, when it feels like each day is harder than the one before and you aren’t seeing any results. It’s right here, in this space, that you can either scream WTF and throw in the towel or put your head down, HTFU and plow through to the other side.

It would be easy to quit, but trust me, there are minuscule advancements every single day:

·   In the last few weeks, systemic racism, police reform and white privilege have been thrown into the spotlight (unfortunately at the peril of several), forcing a few governmental concessions as a start.

·   Companies and individuals alike are processing these issues and are making changes to their own cultures.

·   Protests are informative and create solidarity.

·   Primary election day is upon us and we will soon find out what the November ballot will look like.

·   We are forgetting our masks less often and find that they are less itchy the more we wear them.

·   Still no hugs are allowed because COVID is a real thing until we get a vaccine, but at least we can occupy the same space with loved ones we haven’t seen in a while.

·   Unemployment numbers are down, slightly, as some businesses cautiously reopen.

·   Most college campuses have decided to open in the fall, but earlier than usual, with semester departures at Thanksgiving.

·   And why would I want to go back to the office in June?

These are small steps. And it’s these small steps that will eventually get us far away from where we are now. They will pull us away from the brink of hell.

Lately I’ve been thinking how different everything will look a year from today. We are free from masks and quarantine-type behaviors because there is a vaccine. It’s very possible that we will have a new President. Unemployment will still be high, but the economy will on the road to recovery. New movements and legislation will be introduced and passed to make sure that our black American brothers and sisters can start to enjoy some of the freedoms that the white privileged take for granted everyday. You won’t be able to buy Aunt Jemima or Uncle Ben brand products anymore. And for me personally, my youngest will have graduated from college. That’s where baby steps lead. The future is always ahead of us.

It is so easy to fall prey to limbo. When you are there it buzzes like a dull hum in your ear, lulling you into giving up or developing complacency for where you are. I’m here to tell you to keep the faith; next week will bring even more small steps toward finishing this marathon. Existing in limbo is a very glass half-empty, low frequency way to live and I struggle with it just like everyone else.

But patience, grasshopper. Goodness and love will prevail. You can’t see the light without darkness. This too shall pass. Great things never come from comfort zones. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. There are a million and one motivational quotes meant to help us through these times. Think glass half full. There is so much potential here. Take a step back from the writing on the wall so that you can actually read it. What happened today that you can be smile about or be hopeful for? Celebrate that. And then do it again tomorrow. Keep protecting yourself and your family from this virus. Keep speaking up and acting out for the things you believe in. And VOTE!

This blog may be premature for you. You may not be feeling the limbo today, but you will eventually. It always sneaks up when you least expect it. I’m sending much positive energy, my friends, to help you dominate it when it bites you in the ass. Don’t let it pull or knock you down. Don’t sink to it’s level. Freaking limbo…I always thought it was a dumb ass dance anyway.

LLM

Post Notes:

Shout out for Juneteenth, which is today. As I said in my Instagram post today, the actions behind Juneteenth show that mountains can be moved. @lamcshane

Special prayers for my friend Boday who lost her mother this week. Remedios was your friend’s mom that always let you spend the night and had all the food in the house your own mother wouldn’t buy. She was a special person and I am better for knowing her.