There is simply no sensible way of comparing the worth of human lives.
—— Kwame Anthony Appiah
———————————————————–
Conflicted
My voice
Falters
Exposed
To others
I turn
To listen
To learn
——
Google brings me first to the voices of two students.
A young white man and a young woman of color.
Both were probably about the same age (they were both freshmen in college).
Both were studying at the same school (an institution of automatic advantage).
Yet to my ear, the voice of clarity. That kind of clarity which can only come from a self-examined ego, is present in only one of these two voices.
That was over four years ago. I wonder (but shall not seek at this time) what their voices sound like now.
——
My search for voices then brings me to the voice of a young white woman (writing two years ago).
And then to the voice of an older white woman (writing nearly thirty years ago).
While I appreciate the voice of the younger woman, it’s her elder who teaches me something.
From her, I hear a larger, wiser message of a larger issue.
I hear from this older woman a phrase I’d heard before and in this context, but had almost forgotten.
The myth of meritocracy.
——
I am then taken to the voice of a man of color (writing just a few months ago).
This man’s voice, writing about the voice of a dead white man (writing over sixty years ago) both informs and inspires me (this man of color is whom I quote at the top of this piece).
I hear from this man (who is just five years older than myself) a message I not only appreciate, but wish to emulate and then share.
I can only hope I am up to the task of sharing my own voice in a manner others might appreciate (and perhaps even be inspired) in this way.
My sweetheart tells me she is already inspired by my voice.
I love her so very much.
——
I started this blog to share my stories, my art and my voice.
To that end, it is my privilege to have this venue, this place to sound my nakedness.
So very…
Blessed.
m(___)m
