M.R. Original

Yoda says to Luke, during Jedi training: "Do or Do Not. There is no try." These words are cannonized by many Type A personalities such as myself. Long before I knew who Yoda was, my father was full of whitty cliches that my brother and I now refer to "Russims." Today he shared with me a conversation he recently had with a childhood friend about the obstacles they had overcome [which by the way currently consume our community as a whole] single parent homes, in the projects, limited income, free lunch, public schools, racism, stereotyping, discrimination, racial profiling,etc....Many a self-made, bootstrapping person has looked back in wonder at the friends (and family) unable to take the leap and overcome the dire situations. In his conversation with his buddy, they talked about the Haves and the Have Nots. Daddy in all of his infinate wisdom has surmised that the Haves and Have Nots of today are the Do's and Do Nots of yesterday. Those that did nothing got nothing and those that did something are in a place in life where they never thought they would be simply because they chose to exceed the expectation of the current day..... I dare say, they had the AUDACITY OF HOPE we see in our current political climate. Here's to every little black boy that defies the odds whether or not he knows. That's why I love them so. I'm not sure I could ever give up on them. I have to keep giving my best effort. At some point this will all be worth the ride.