the why - in part

"I've often wondered what type of environment produced the guy you are" - Sierra

I grew up in a neighborhood of Boston, MA. My family consisted of my father, my mother, my two older sisters and my two younger sisters.

We were working class poor if you went by the numbers but I didn't know it at the time. I thought everyone wore hand-me-downs. I had no brothers so I got my cousin's leftovers.

My family was always active in the church, in my case a congregational church (were the people run the church by voting - which probably has something to do with my defense of voting politically). My dad eventually became minister of the church.

My childhood neighborhood is worldwide famous for it's racism, I didn't know it growing up because the only people of color I knew were members of the one black family that came to church and my dad treated them just like he treated everyone else. I followed likewise.

There came a time when that family had to leave because the neighborhood became too volatile and I remember the day before they left my dad took me to visit them. I didn't know it at the time but it was a rather dangerous to do, for my dad to take his only son to the house a black family. He did it anyway because it was the right thing to do.

In all the good doing of the church I learned that peoples' wishes for good intentions don't always equal what they are willing to show up to do. I learned to trust actions and not words therefore I tend to notice those who act more than those that speak.

I also learned that often my discomfort would be far outweighed by the good that could come from me doing things that I would rather not do. Things like visiting nursing homes. I was never forced to go but I would never be at ease when I didn't. Somewhere inside there is a need to help others.

I also learned that a lot of folks get forgotten just because other folks no longer find it convenient to remember.

I was taught to remember.


If this post answered any questions you may have wondered about, thank Radiohumper. This is a valentine to her.