A Meditation in Release for Ms. Breonna Taylor in the Last Full Moon of 2020

This came through while reading this thoughtful piece written by Jenna Wortham for the New York Times’ 2020 The Lives They Lived, which memorializes those who passed away over the course of the previous year.

Cover Image of September 2020 ‘O Magazine’ depicting Ms. Breonna Taylor.

As We look upon Ms. Breonna’s image

—an image because we took the breath from her body, the living Breonna from her life, the joy of her presence from her family and friends—

We feel Our heart tear and Our eyes tear

We don’t cry only because the innate terrorism of whiteness ensures We remain always wary that “That could be Us.”

Or even only because “It could be anyone We know who looks like Us.”

And these would be more than enough.

We weep because

Even if as a society We began committedly today transforming the deathly dynamics of white-centeredness

To dynamics of God’s love and mutuality for and through all people’s and cultures

People will still die in the time that it takes Us to stop, turn, and heal towards Heaven.

Because transformation takes the time it takes,

and it comes with the lagging pain of our consequences catching Us face to face in Our turn.

We weep because many most of Us won’t begin today

Or tomorrow

Or the day after

And so many more have died and will die still for no purpose,

except We will not tell a mechanism of greedy self-centered self-hatred turned outward

That We Love more.

And so We weep

For the lost beauty and vibrant giftedness of God which will no longer be experienced through a human who was murdered while they rested.

We weep

Because the walls surrounding her were granted more justice and value by our penal system which refuses to see Black as living color.

We weep

For all the fingers that hashtagged her name, whose hearts, minds, lips still will not fix themselves to respect and protect Black women.

We weep

With Our hands and Our arms and Our embraces each day, holding everyone dear, because We don’t know who We will cut down tomorrow to offer to the god of White nonsense and noise.

(*PS - “Sacrifice without consent is oppression.”)

We weep

In life with Our loved ones and work with Our people to live what We are called and able to live in peace, love, joy, and justice.

We weep

To remember to Our Selves be and co-create in the world that which We hope to be and see in it.

We weep

Knowing the only promise We receive of what will be is that which We commit to manifest.

We weep

And We live the belief that Our lives matter

Simply because We are.

And We. Are. Magnificent.
Amen & Axè.

*This is a quote that We hold and engage often, shared by Rev. Dr. Herbert R. Marbury, Associate Professor for Hebrew Bible at Vanderbilt Divinity School.