Drowning
By Malakhi Tanner, 17, Michigan
Men are born at the bottom of the mountain, impoverished and indigent; they are told to climb the cliffs and that they will die alone, unknown, unloved, cold, worthless, and honorless if they dare to stop for a breath above the tide of criticism, above the waves of ambitions – drowning. They are measured on how far they climb.
Women are born at the top of the mountain, the trophy, the priceless award of society; they are told to balance on the top, poised on the edge of a blade and teased and poked by the speech of others, unable to take a breath above the tide of judgment, above the waves of fear – drowning. They are measured on how far they fall.
This is society, and this is how society stubbornly remains hateful and sinful. But what if…? What if we could take a breath above the tide, lifted by the hands of God to reach the places previously unreachable?
What if the people of society could accept each other for the cherished children of God, the loved offspring of the Spirit, instead of hating others out of jealousy, envy, and sin. What if people helped each other up; up steeper mountains; up boulders and cliffs; up to reach the place of Eden. However, sin has polluted the air, turning it to heavy molasses, weighing us down like cumbersome baggage.
But why should we not try? Why let ourselves suffer judgment and fear? We must let go of the weight of the stares and opinions of others. We must understand the love we have and the love given to us. We must be contagious with our joy and uplifting with our words.
Drama pollutes the air around me, so I put it to words through the lens of my opinion. It may offend some – I don’t mean any offense at all – so just know that this is coming from a kid who is still learning and has much to learn.
