Quite a few times in my life I have felt unsafe in this country.
When Roe V. Wade was repealed.
My attack in 2020.
When I hear a person of color is murdered/missing, and the police are ignoring evidence.
The last one hits hard. The other two matter, but the last one guts me.
I think of teens who died because of police brutality… or a tragic incident, and it guts me 😫😫.
Their life ended because of what?
Jealousy?
Hatred?
Evil intent?
Racism?
Our leaders, standing on the side of corruption, turning a blind eye each time slaps these victims in the face. It desecrates their memory to living loved ones. It’s a consistently sad tale we have heard too much of.
On July 4th, Nolan Wells celebrated the 4th of July with “friends” and never arrived home. Another family torn apart by tragedy, and a young man’s life diminished in the blink of an eye.
I won’t assume what ended this young man’s life. I don’t know the details, and the internet has theorized a million so far. I won’t add to it. The point is, a young Black man is no longer on this earth.
He will not be playing college football this year.
He will not be chasing his dreams and making his mark on the world.
The family doesn’t have answers, and that is not right.
I am not a parent, but I empathize with the pain and questions they must feel.
When I was seven, my best friend Natalie told me she was going fishing with her dad after school. She was really excited. She and her dad did this very often, and she beamed with joy. When school ended, I hugged her goodbye, and we promised we would see each other the next day. Unfortunately, the next day for me and her never arrived.
During the fishing trip, her father lost control of the boat. The boat tipped over, and Natalie drowned. I still think of her to this day.
Would we still be close? What type of person would she have grown into?
Although her death was not marred by mystery or ill will, it was a tragedy and one my younger self did not understand. It was my first example, “life is not just,” and I had no silver lining to jump into.
Her death affected me, being so young and not understanding why I could no longer have sleepovers and play dates with my bestie. As human we deserve better. We deserve answers.
Ending this on a positive note…
we need to be more diligent about our lives.
We need to listen to our gut when things don’t feel right.
Sis, especially with online dating, let friends know your location. Send your bestie a photo of the person you’re meeting. It may sound paranoid, but these are tips that will save your life.
Don’t be another face on social media that is missing!
Do you feel safe in America? If so, how do you feel about the current headlines?
Share your thoughts, and remember you can always call your sister 🫶🏽
