We can break these things because we have before

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I went away to a summer writing camp. At the end of the program, we pulled together a compilation of the writing we did that summer, and titled it, "I can break these things because I have before." Although the writing was, for the most part, high school angst poured into high school prose and poetry, I've always thought the title's sentiment was beautiful.

I came out a few years later, and although I was blessed to have a relatively uneventful coming out process, the decision to come out was incredibly hard. Today, when I'm going through a tough spot, I remember that I've faced down bigger demons, and came out better for it.

With everything our country is going through, sometimes I wonder why we don't take a stand more often. Maybe it's because we don't think we'd be effective, or that in the long run it really doesn't matter. Maybe it's because we don't live in a world of clear rights and wrongs. This video, set to the song "Hold On" by Mavis Staples, is a reminder that if we stopped paying lip service to change, stopped spending our nights and weekends in the office or at the bar, and actually tried to make it happen, we could do tremendous good.

Mavis Staples - "Eyes on the Prize"

"Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on."