Not one of us was here when this house was built. Our immediate ancestors may have had nothing to do with it, but here we are, the current occupants of a property with stress cracks and bowed walls and fissures built into the foundation. We are the heirs to whatever is right or wrong with it. We did not erect the uneven pillars or joists, but they are ours to deal with now.”
– Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents
No more lives torn apart,
That wars with other countries and wars between each other would never start,
And that we would consider each other’s humanity and see each other’s heart.
My wish is that laws would reflect humanity and fairness,
And that everyone would have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
This is my grown-up Christmas wish.
No more fault lines of deep-seated division,
Shifting and moving through the systems of our nation.
My hope is that we stop using terms like “three-fifths,” “the talented tenth,” and coded expressions such as “Make America Great Again” and “states’ rights” which create division.
We embody the creativity of all humanity and to love one another should be our only mission.
Let us move past the differences that separate us and see the strengths that unite us.
This is my grown-up Christmas dream.
No more classism, elitism, racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and all other “isms.”
Let us be a people who embrace different cultures and appreciate each other’s unique rhythms.
Rhythms and movements that may be different from our own,
But are a part of this quilted America we call home.
Let’s be a three-fold cord of love, peace, and unity,
Not blinded by differences that prevent us from seeing our beauty.
This is my grown-up Christmas hope.
No more marching and protesting together but leaving divided.
If we came together during 9/11, why are we still not united?
That same spirit of unity will carry us through this season of war.
We are all in this together when it comes knocking on our door.
A united America is what I want to see.
This quilted America, full of acceptance where everyone is free to just BE.
This is my grown-up Christmas prayer.
This is OUR America, represented by the colors red, white, and blue.
This is OUR vibrant melting pot, rich with diverse hues.
With more than a century of exposure to the elements of war and division,
OUR stress cracks are showing, and it has weakened our foundation.
To repair this country, we must acknowledge and confront OUR shared history.
A more perfect union can only be established through transparency and authenticity.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
Discover more from Three-Fifths
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Three-Fifths 