Tears ....

Why do we suck as humans?

Author's note. This was difficult to write. I am not sure I have captured the emotions, the feelings of my day and this event.

I have been angry that the last 10 years have been a celebration of mediocre white men. Men that entered ivy league colleges as legacy students. Men that lie about various ethnic and racial groups, complaining that diversity, equity and inclusion is hurting the privileged billionaires that they are. Men that learned to feel superior by putting others down.

This is not about privileged white men. But it is about the world they are creating for the rest of us.

One hundred and sixty one years later … we still have not fully freed our brothers and sisters if they still live in fear.

This was my Juneteenth.

It was a Friday afternoon.

It was beautiful outside. Sunny. Blue skies. Soft breeze.

The ducks were lounging in the yard making the soft quacks that they do when they are content.

It was Juneteenth.

A beautiful bride was cutting flowers for her wedding with her young daughter.

Friends had cut flowers for memorial service.

Children ran through the garden with pigtails bouncing.

My cats were begging to be petted.

A car pulled in the lane.

She was so proud she had made it here. She drove on a gravel road … which had been a first for her.

But she was scared.

She was visibly shaking.

Because she was coming to a farm in northwest Scott county .. in Iowa.

She was black.

And she was scared to come to my flower farm.

I was embarrassed. And angry. And hurt. And ashamed.

Because a woman was frightened to come to my farm because of the color of her skin.

Because I live among people that for some reason … have given her reasons to be scared.

I hugged her.

I helped her cut flowers.

And I hope … just maybe … I made her comfortable.

But I am still ashamed.

This is not the first time this has happened …

Iowa was not part of the Confederacy.

Yet a smart, beautiful woman was scared to travel to the rural part of Scott County.

Obviously, I have been naive.

On Juneteenth, the fear this woman had will never leave me.

And in this glorious week, where we saw the best of America reflected in joy and celebration in Chicago ….

let's remember the words of President Obama ….

Be better, people.

Be better.

I will talk to you later.

Cathy

www.buymeacoffee.com/misseffie