Every Friday we unite for five minutes. Only five minutes, that's all we get, that's all we have. And then, right where we are, no edits or second-thoughts, we publish those words. This week, we write on compromise.
You come to the table with your wants. What you are looking for, what you need to get out of this, what you would like to get out of it.
They also come to the table with desires, needs and wants. They come with a list of expectations, things that cannot walk away without, things that are a dealbreaker.
Both are supposed to walk away with a win and a loss. Both are supposed to walk away wanting more but feeling like they were able to get a little more checked off and a little closer to their desire.
Last night, I watched a documentary on the Supreme Court decision on marriage equality and I heard from the man that started his fight. He was unwilling to say he and his husband did not matter. He was unwilling to say their love did not matter, that their marriage did not exist. No, instead, he fought on. It took him years, decades and no matter the decision that day, he should be so proud of all of his effort. But, being proud of his work and dedication, that wasn't good enough. He needed this, he needed to be seen, valued and treated like a person. So, he fought on.
That's where we now stand with civil rights. This is not going to all happen in a blink of an eye. There have been so many people fighting for this cause for so so long. There have been so many aware and unsure what to do or what to say. But, we all started our fight and now, we will continue to march on for change. It will not all come together as quickly and rapidly as it should. It will be a long long trip. It will be heavy at times. It will really really suck most of the time, but last night, I was reminded that it's not enough to feel proud of the effort and dedication. There are some things we will not and cannot bend on. Being treated as human, being seen, being valued, that is something we will no longer compromise on in our America. Let's keep going.
Stop.
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