anywhere, anyone, anything

post read-aloud shortie conversation:

"if i were alive back then,
i would have punched anyone
if they told me i coudn't go
into a restaurant or bathroom."

"i would have gone in anyway."

"you might have been killed!
you would have been scared."

"it was dangerous to fight.
if you did, you would be hurt
real bad."

"people had to be brave.
that is why we have our school today
and we can go anywhere we want."

looking out at my shorties,
after reading a story about the
life of the late, greatest,
courageous martin luther king,
i was glad for their gumption and pluck.
glad knowing that if martin
could hear them
he would know that his fight
was worth every step.
worth every sleepless night.
worth every second spent
summoning courage to face
what was overwhelmingly
wrong.

martin would be as proud
as i am to hear
my shorties say,
"...we can go anywhere we want."

yes, my sweet babies.
you can.
to the moon and back home again.

happy birthday, dr. king.
thank you.