My Song Lyric Sunday

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I often wear black in my workroom because I don’t want to distract from the colors around me but lately, it seems I adapt to Jonny Cash’s quote more and more.

If there would be an official symbol to show disapproval, it would hang off our rooftop and I know our home would only be one of many. Perhaps wearing black can show my state of mind?

Today a blogger wrote a poem and in it, he mentioned Boycotting the Status Quo. “Count me in!” I wrote fast -without thinking- because I didn’t have to think about it at all. The Status Quo (Latin: State of current affairs) is no longer working for most of us here in the US.

Last night, cozy in our living room, winding down from a rather hectic day, we wanted to watch the news and thought we could get a few pics of King Charles’s coronation, instead, we watched our regular news unfold. Another mass shooting, this time at a mall in Texas and I felt nothing at all.

Did I stop caring, or am I not daring to care anymore. There comes a point when tears dry and when hurt becomes the norm and you accept it. Am I there yet? Are we there already?

The new Status Quo are mass shootings, dead children often killed by kids their own age. The land of the free is held at gunpoint, do we not see?

The new Status Quo are politicians without ethics and morals, sending us back to a time when we fought for all of us to be heard -and seen. Who do I fear more? The politicians who act like entertainers or the people who actually vote for them?

The new Status Quo, denying diversity, censorship of books in a state that’s obviously not in the right state of mind.

Acceptance of insanity doesn’t make it less insane. We have a militia waiting in ordinary homes, ready to step outside and shoot at people if the RIGHT person gives the order -even though they might be wrong.

My best friend, who happens to be a woman of color, made once a joke that I will never forget. The year was 2016:

“My Gosh, I am glad Obama isn’t president anymore. Now I can stop pretending to know anything about politics.”

I almost fell out of my chair because I was laughing so hard.

It couldn’t have been further from the truth for my friend, who happens to be very well informed -not just by headlines but also by her own research. Her silly statement sadly summed up how many seem to act these days.

I am so tired of ALL-KNOWERS. Be brave, say that you don’t know, and stop pretending you have an opinion about everything because you don’t, that’s why you copy headlines and post them without (your own) thinking.

We need to hit the brakes, put down our phones, go offline for a bit, and get in touch with real life around us. We need to reboot, reset our systems and restart our thinking.

Fifty years later, we still need a “Man in Black,” as a matter of fact, we need many of them.

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Well, you wonder why I always dress in black
Why you never see bright colors on my back
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone
Well, there’s a reason for the things that I have on

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime
But is there because he’s a victim of the times

I wear the black for those who’ve never read
Or listened to the words that Jesus said
About the road to happiness through love and charity
Why, you’d think He’s talking straight to you and me

Well, we’re doin’ mighty fine, I do suppose
In our streak of lightnin’ cars and fancy clothes
But just so we’re reminded of the ones who are held back
Up front there ought to be a man in black

I wear it for the sick and lonely old
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold
I wear the black in mournin’ for the lives that could have been
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men

And I wear it for the thousands who have died
Believin’ that the Lord was on their side
I wear it for another hundred-thousand who have died
Believin’ that we all were on their side

Well, there’s things that never will be right, I know
And things need changin’ everywhere you go
But ’til we start to make a move to make a few things right
You’ll never see me wear a suit of white

Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day
And tell the world that everything’s okay
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back
‘Til things are brighter, I’m the man in black

“Man in Black” Songwriter: Jonny Cash 1971

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