Day by day you wake up to a new hoping for the best, but expecting the usual. Wake up to put on a face that makes others comfortable. Dress in a manner that reduces your natural ‘swag’, and try your best to blend in. Try not to make a statement.
Consistently overlooked, but constantly watched. Walking through the halls, and seeing others like you give you a brief sense of relief. “We are here together”. At the same time remaining conscious of how many of “us” can conjugate before attention is drawn and heads are turned. Three or more equates to inefficiency, even if you are discussing the greater good.
Sit in meetings where you are the only one, all while remaining 2 steps ahead by being prepared for all scenarios. Any uncertainty or hesitation only confirms their thought that you should not be at this table or even in this room. Speak up only to be questioned, but valued as the one who maintains the team. Because the buck stops here and can rarely be forwarded.
What is this?? Why is this truth?? Why is this our broken reality that we wake up to and live everyday? Why do we come back hoping for better when years of consistent behavior of others have trained “Us” to adjust how we act, what we say, how we say, and when we say in order to avoid discomfort for them.
For many, the risk of remaining tightly closed in a bud is not quite as painful as the risk it takes to bloom. Therefore the unknown remains because stability is more important than any dream we ever had.
If we cannot dream, we don’t aspire to be more. If our minds remain occupied, we forget to dream. And if we don’t realize that we are more than the boxes they try to fit us in, then we remain comfortable in the known, despite our diamond shape covered by dirt of others.