Letter to My Sons

Dear Sons,

I wish I could grab you back into the comforts of my womb and protect you from the world, but that's impossible. I wish I could tell you that the world is going to see your Greatness, your loving heart and embrace you with open, gentle arms. Some will, but there are others, plenty of others, that won't.

You will be judged by people with an entire hoard of prejudices against other young men such as yourselves.

I wish I could be there, in those moments, when you're judged, when you're looked upon as a threat instead of as a Human Being.

I would let them know that you, My Eldest Son, have a Hippie Spirit, that you're loving and awkward and you love to laugh.

I would let them know that you, My Youngest Son, are my Yuppie and that you love to dress in stylish clothing, take more time than me to care for your hair, that you're very intelligent and gifted, that you're creative and write poems, just like me.

But that's impossible.

I can't be there, won't be there, for every encounter when you are judged before you have a chance to speak up for yourself.

I worry about the two of you, being out in this world, that places more importance on flags and anthems rather than lives.

I wonder what encounters you'll have with people and if those encounters will change YOU or THEM in a good or bad way.

I wish me telling the world how proud I am of the young men you've become would make a difference.

They won't see you holding doors for women or helping elderly people with their groceries or doing things around the house for your grandparents or doing any of the things that make the two of you GENTLEMEN.

They won't know that you've been raised well and that you come from a good family.

All these things I wish the world to know about my two wonderfully creative, kind-hearted sons. But, is it enough to protect the both of you?

No.

No matter what I say or what you present, people will always see you from their own perspective. Sometimes, that can be changed and sometimes, it just can't.

That's okay.

Don't allow any of it to stop you from finding your voice and your place in this world. Don't allow any of it to keep you from sharing your loving spirit.

It is your duty, through all of this, no matter how difficult it may become, to hold your head high.

Regardless of how people may see you, I still want you to go out into the world and be GREAT. I still want you to go out into the world and show them your Hippie Spirit and your Yuppie Soul.

Even if your kindness isn't returned, STILL SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE KIND. You never know when your kindness can change a life.

Although this is the world we live in as of now, there's nothing that says it can't change. There's nothing that says you can't go out into the world, no matter how they see you or feel about you, and still be who you are.

To my Sons, my Hippie and my Yuppie, go into the world and be loving. BE GREAT! Change opinions of how the world sees Black Men.

Show them that your life, your existence matters, even if they fail to see or understand why.

You matter and you CAN change the world.

Ultimately, success comes not from how others see you. It comes from how you see yourself.

I love you.

Mom