part 1

Imagine a system where a 9 year old child has just been put into the back of a police car along with her 4 year old sister. They are clenching each others hands fearful that they will be separated, knowing that in this moment they are all they have. In an attempt to distract the children from the tragedy unfolding and forge a sense of safety the officer approaches the car with a heart-crafted smile and hands them each a teddy bear. The older child becomes acutely aware that a freedom is being taken, an injustice is being served. She quickly turns inward to offer an ear to her Self, and her stomach clenches- her chest swells, her head throbs and her throat knots. A hair sliver of a second before the tears run free, her spirit takes root in knowing.

The uncontrollable soul seizing pain intent to overcome her childlike strength claws and digs at her insides as if searching for somewhere to hide. A thick cloud surrounds her obscuring her perspective, thickening her skin, desensitizing her senses, her voice inside has become louder, taunting her insecurities by plucking them like guitar strings, each string tuned to the chord of a fear. A fear of unknowing, of what happens next, of more separation, a fear we cant win, or cant fight back. Her mind, at nine, searches for answers to that which even an old mind cant.

She is suspended in a timeless sphere of forbearance intent on drawing strength from the inner well of wisdom. She is in- down deep, deeper then the blood that coursed the veins of her ancestors and instead of answers she is given understanding. Her body, her fortress- is being seized upon by the hands of a society steeped in oppression.  She has for the first time, of many, offered forth the jewel of her childhood in exchange for the strength to carry on.  As if it is written in hieroglyphs upon the walls of a soul collective she senses a familiar distrust that permeates her conscious initiating an immediate need to protect and be protected.

The girls Mother is lifted off the ground, hands tied behind her child bearing hips and she too is placed into the backseat of a police car. Her spirit is deplete, heart heavy she realizes she has sacrificed freedom and purpose to the hands of the oppressor. With that she does not sob or heave- instead she silently grants tears their freedom. Both cars only moments from heading in opposite directions. Mother and daughters eyes lock as if in last embrace, both searching the others for an escape. As if eyes could talk, the look on her mothers face reminds her of her own strength- and as they part ways her mother mouths "it'll be ok, I love you." And as if not a 9 year old girl at all she enforces control over her emotions for the sake of self preservation, for the sake of her pain not being witnessed, for the sake of her little sister- her heart constricts, jaw clenches and she fights the pressure of pain with resistance.

They wait there. The youngest brings to her sisters attention that everyone is watching us. After survey of the distance within her sight she's notices that several neighbors on the block have taken seat for the show.

To Be Continued