R.B.G

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was so many things- an inspirational supreme court justice; a warrior, fighting a battle for justice and equality; a hero who swooped down and saved us all. For the 87 years that she lived, RBG stood up selflessly against racism and inequality, and made many decisions that changed the world for the better. It pains me to say that she will no longer be around to improve all of our lives, but the only way to properly honor her death is to keep fighting for what she believed in, to keep striving to make our beautiful but not flawless world a little bit better and fairer than it is, then a little bit more, then a little bit more after that. Today we lost a justice, a warrior, a hero, but let us, in her memory, keep sprouting more justices, warriors, and heroes that will continue to make a difference in the world, and,

“Do something a little outside yourself, something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you. That’s what I think a meaningful life is. Living not for oneself but for one’s community.” - RBG

Martin Luther King Jr.

“In the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And; what is it that America has failed to hear?”- Martin Luther King Jr.

What do you do when you try and try tirelessly to share your message with the world, and it fails to listen? What happens after countless days of peaceful protests, that still, humanity refuses to hear? It is no accident that humankind is blind to our worries, deaf to our cries, it is no mistake that people all over the world cease to care, stop to take interest in our cause. But what to do? Where to go? Who to ask? Many give up. Some continue, the persistent ones. But almost all choose a darker path, for they feel their messages deserve to be heard, must be heard, and most times, this is true. But is violence the way? Is barbarity really the best choice? The answer is no, not ever. Never is fury a solution. Never is anger the correct path. But what if you are faced with brutality and cruelty? Is it not only fair to fight back? Yes, it is hard, facing the cruel side of the world, so cruel, it’s almost inhuman. Yes, it is difficult, experiencing so much evil. But try, try peace, not war. Try love, not hate. Try, try to keep your hope, to persevere, and someday, all will be well.

I will try

I will try, through head pain, high fever, and bad scores, I will try.

Even if the world around me is spinning, I will try.

I will try, try to be good, try to be smart, and try to be strong.

I will embrace myself, learn who I really am, whether that is a writer, a coder, a poet, an animal rights activist, or simply a person who fights for peace and justice.

I will learn to respect myself and others.

I will be kind, I will always put my bad days next to other’s. Whatever I do I will always not only think of my needs, but also of the needs of my peers, and others who will be affected by my choice.

I will speak up, I will let my voice be heard over the sea of chaos, which is the world.

I will share the words that lay in my heart and say the things I want others to hear.

I will be strong, I will keep going because I know life can be hard sometimes.

I will look my challenges in the eye, and face them.

I will take the sad things in life and ponder them, see what I can learn from them, but never let them keep me down.

As for the happy ones, I will savor them, like bottles full of dreams, and the moments I can gain from, I will snatch them.

I will love, so fiercely, my family, friends, and all those who influence me in life, and continue to today.

I will fly, clutching my passion and those I love, taking them with me.

I will ascend, up, up, I will go, viewing the world from a new perspective.

I will try, and that is all that matters.