Greg Stallworth and I often have to remind one another to remember just WHY we’re doing this. And in doing so, occasionally we have to remind one another that we have to have thick skin. That there are times when dealing with such a sensitive issue, we let all of our guards down and are completely vulnerable. Well, during the course of sending out invitations I got an email from an educator that I respect highly. It was a reply to the G.O.ME! Reminder that simply said, “Unsubscribe”. Initially I was puzzled but I was having such a good day with my daughter that I tried not to think much of it so I responded by saying, “Thank you. Will do”.  Then I completely deleted the individual from my list of contacts. I thought, man, how could you not want to be a part of a message that solicits to encourage and empower our youth to speak up for themselves? As an educator in the public school system, how dare you?! Then my daughter went to sleep and in the stillness of things I was reminded of several, very important insights: I don’t know what everyone else is going through or has been through. Not only children but adults are trying to recover from a barrage of issues and perhaps traumatic experiences that may haunt them to this very day. I was reminded of the time my mother told me when I was a very young man, “Baby, this is America. People have the right and the freedom to do, say and think what choose. Period”. Then I was reminded that no matter what anybody else does, thinks or feels, I need to and will be challenged to re-think and examine again my own motives to ensure myself that I’m being, (to the best of my ability), true to my own inner voice. I thought about that and I thought about some child, right now, crying on the outside while dying on the inside because he/she is on the verge of being assaulted again and no one has shared a word of empowerment, letting them know that it is their right, their prerogative, their inherent, irrevocable choice to exclaim, “Get Off ME!”

How selfish and petty am I to have my feelings hurt by, “Unsubscribe”?

Later I received another email from that same educator that I respect so highly. It said, and I’m paraphrasing,

“Thanks for doing what you’re doing. Going through some things and can only handle so much right now”.

Wow. Please forgive me. I’m sorry. Like a small child to a music box w/o batteries; how often are we too quick to throw away a blessing because it won’t play for us Right Now?

I Need ALL my contacts.