It’s Ok to Run, Just Don’t Run Away

Today, while driving through my neighborhood,
I saw a boy who reminded me of me.
No, he wasn’t wearing glasses or reading poetry,
actually, on the surface, few would ever consider comparing him to me
because we shared no features
physically.

It was his activity that sent my mind back,
back to days that I sometimes thought had long past
but time’s grasp refuses to let it be so.
Shoot…
I was in the same spot just 4 years ago.

HE WAS RUNNIN’

running with the same look of determination that I used to run with.
And for what?
I knew why he was running.

I’d often run through my neighborhood in my highschool days
as an extension of track practice (loved running those relays).
All year through rain and snow (and some sleet) I’d race,
and when things got rough (in life) I’d pick up the pace.

I became faster and faster each time and
could go longer and longer each time as
I ran in those same straight lines that
stretched as Fenkell, Lyndon, Evergreen, and Lahser.
I was “STRONG”. Yet, I was weak

My love interest at the time would massage my muscles gently,
causing me to naturally, grin and moan in ecstasy.
I felt great! And why not? After all, this running and exercising
was keeping me in shape, but in hindsight my friend,
I was trying to escape

I WAS RUNNIN’

Runnin’ far and fast over fences,
on cracked streets with uneven surfaces,

I WAS RUNNIN’

through high grass and past liquor stores,
nevermore wanting to see or remember
the buildings which house the poison that is
but one ill that is overwhelmingly
pumped into my community.

I WAS RUNNIN’

out of fear that if I did not “escape”, i too would be
consumed by the testament of classism,
by the flames of violence, injustice, and inequality.

I WAS RUNNIN’

out of fear that if I did not “escape”, I too would “fall through the cracks.”
running away from society’s description of me as being an emotionally dead, unintelligent, crime prone, STD ridden, oversexed individual who is incapable of upward mobility and taking responsibility for his actions.

I was afraid… afraid of my own
determined…determined to escape….but no longer….

Its AMAZING what a few years of good grace and guidance can do to one’s personal evolution.
Now that I’m older and wiser I realize that “escaping” is not the solution.

Too often after “educating” ourselves we leave the burden to another person,
and as we leave our homes, the condition only worsens.
Noble intentions coupled with action makes for great deeds,
but giving up on a young brother will not quell his taste for weed.

So I’ve made a choice to be a voice for those who cannot speak,
I choose to AC-CEN-TU-ATE the POSITIVE and EL-IM-IN-ATE the negative within me..
thereby inspiring others to release the heroes & heroines that exist naturally within themselves.

I’M STILL RUNNIN’

Now, when I run through the “hood” I have the same determination with a new state of mind.

I seek to give back, and this time my path goes full circle instead of those same straight lines. When I help my brothers and sisters, I help myself. There’s a quote which says: “success unshared is bad for one’s health”
If we HELP each other, we can all gain wealth.
If we LOVE each other, we can all gain wealth.

Sometimes life gets difficult, there’s no debating that,
But pressure makes diamonds, there’s no debating that
We’ll struggle for a while, but at the end of the day,

It’s okay to run, just don’t run away.

I wrote this in June of 2007, and after digging through some old things and giving it another read, I think it’s still relevant to my own life…a reminder of sorts. I hope it proves thought-provoking for you.

Can you relate? What are you running from? What are you running toward?

Grace & Peace,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW

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