The Braley Blog

“Pete’s Daily Connection”

Dance in the Rain

Yesterday we had some heavy rain here in Virginia Beach, my home away from home. Normally that might upset some people especially if you had outdoor plans or errands to run. We had planned on having a beach day until the forecast earlier in the week said we might get what was left of Hurricane Laura. So, we changed plans.

There we were on a Saturday afternoon when the rain started. My daughter was quick to say, “Liam! (Her son, my grandson) It’s raining! Let’s get our raincoats!”

They went outside to dance in the rain. Those were her words: “Sometimes you just have to dance in the rain.”

Ain’t that the truth.

With all that is going on in the world, we do need to dance in the rain, or sing out loud, even if it’s in the shower. Have the ice cream, take a drive in the country, lose a few golf balls in the woods (or is that just me?).

Whether it’s Coronavirus or the rhetoric of politics, we are really dealing with a lot of …..it’s Sunday so I’ll be nice …. stuff.

Much has been said and posted this week about the Jacob Blake shooting. One thing that really caught my attention was an interview I saw with former Red Sox player Jim Rice. He was talking with Tom Caron from NESN (a white guy), when Jim Rice (a black guy) said that he was fortunate enough to play baseball and make a good living and so he drives a nice car. He told TC that if the two of them got stopped for speeding going home tonight, Rice would be asked, “Is this your car?” While TC would be asked, “License and registration.”

I cannot imagine what African American parents go through trying to raise their children. I remember when our children started to drive and we taught them how to be respectful if they were stopped but there evidently is a different set of rules if you have a different skin color.

And it’s 2020. This needs to stop.

I’m bracing myself for the feedback this could generate.
“If he didn’t resist he wouldn’t get shot.”
“The guy was a bad egg anyway.”
“The NBA and MLB should play their games and be quiet.”
And don’t even start with the “radical left wing/right wing nut jobs”.

Look at that interview again from Jim Rice. Why do we assume an African American man with a nice car must have stolen it?

I know that not everybody feels this way and it’s probably just a few that actually do, at least I hope it is. No matter though, that’s a few too many.

So dance in the rain or whatever you need to do to relax and feel less of the stresses of this world. Then be part of the change.

Everyone seems to be so divided lately. Let’s focus on what can bring us back together.

2 responses to “Dance in the Rain”

  1. Dorothy Avatar
    Dorothy

    Sick of the whole BLACK & White thing.I was at the store today and a nice gentleman helped with cat food on the top shelf .We talked about our SPOILED cats and so forth .Guess what .he was a tall nice Black man .Thanks again .

  2. Peg Britton Avatar
    Peg Britton

    Liam . your MOM is right about dancing in the rain !! we definitely need more ‘dancing’ in this world ! :>)

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