Healthy Mind, Body and Soul part two

As I stated in my bio, I reside in Washington, DC. In particular, I live in Southeast, DC.

Southeast is currently in a state of transformation. New condos, businesses, restaurants, schools, shopping centers, and not to mention new baseball stadium and the proposed waterfront development are bringing a new energy to this community that was mostly famous for crime and drugs. Underneath the veneer of this transformation reveals a community still suffering from drugs, crime, unemployment, and disease (southeast has the city’s highest diabetes, infant mortality and aids rate). All of these issues surfaced on June 2, 2007 at the annually street festival called Unifest.

A woman, apparently high from smoking crack all day, plowed her car into the throngs of celebrating people as the festivities were winding down for the evening. The woman, approaching speeds of 50-70 mph, struck and injured over 40 people. It was a miracle no one was killed. It was reported, this deranged woman was laughing as she drove with reckless disregard for human life.

Earlier in the afternoon, I attended the previously peaceful and violence free festival. I only left to attend a birthday cookout my friends held for me. Upon returning from the cookout, I observed the crime scene and shocked witnesses. I could hear the frequently asked question over and over. Why? What provoked her? I also heard the very toxic; see black folks can’t do nothing (sic) together without chaos.

In my initial anger, I thought, our community makes too many excuses for criminal minded individuals and we can be slow to take responsibility for our failures. I felt we coddle the destructive elements in our community and blame racism for all of our woes. I reflect on the times, when gardening at my home, sometimes people almost hit me with their poorly discarded trash as the drive and walk by. I lament over the lack of self-respect and self-pride that has invaded our neighborhood. Lastly, I thank god for my own block of hardworking people that take excellent care of our properties.

After my initial anger, I realize my thoughts fall far short of the mark. Yes, I am correct in many of my above observations. However, that’s not the full story. A wise man once stated: Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle. I ask myself, have I carried enough lit candles. People locked in poverty, unemployment, ignorance, death, and disease find themselves depressed and with little self-worth. It’s far too easy to condescendingly remark, what wrong with those people without rolling up our own sleeves and toiling next to our brothers or sisters in god's eye. In summary, I answer my candle question by simply lighting a few more candles myself.