GPOYW - “Enough” edition.
I’m just going to put this right here. I have been scrolling through everyone’s 17 year old pics, and there has been some funny posts, sweet, and funny stories, and heartbreaking ones mixed in.
I got this message and it reminded me what I wanted to do with this blog besides be a goofy smart ass half the time.
I want to bind the community when it needs it most. I want to push past the fourth wall the internet pulls up and mail you people silly shit, hug you in person, cry on your shoulders, and be reminded I’m not alone in some things, and completely wrong in others.
I want to change the idea or perception of the word “Blog.”
I want in around and through all of you fantastic people. Warts and all.
I can’t wait to finally meet some of you again and for the first time in Chicago.
Thanks for being around in some way or another.
GPOYW - laugh it up, kids. This is ME at 17 years of age. I hid this away for the longest time, but now that time has passed, I’ve learned you can’t truly live a good life until you can laugh at yourself in some shape or form.
This is the age Trayvon was killed. At this age, I was a depressed, angry kid. I took it out on my long suffering mother. I took it out on those that loved me and it took persistence and nurturing from family, school and other mentors for me to become who I am today. I had that shot. At this age, I had not yet known what true love was, I had not made amends with certain people, and I had not yet realized that a whole new world of experience, heartbreak and adventure was just around the corner. I had a shot.
Trayvon didn’t.
If it was me that had been killed, would the details of my troubled life up until that point been important? I would like to think not.
But some people feel the need to make a circus out of tragedy.
Some outrage on both sides of the argument is ridiculous, but this is steeped in something profoundly sad.
He didn’t have a shot.
Everyone deserves a shot.
For tomorrow’s GPOYW…
I think everyone should post a picture when they were 17.
The same age Trayvon lost his life.
Maybe a little perspective and reflection is what’s needed, yeah?
Christ, he was just a KID.
