Good Neighbors Share Umbrellas

My words from me to you about my recent “Good Neighbors” experience. So a few days ago I decided to go for a walk even though it’s a Saturday and I usually only walk on Monday thru Friday. However, since my “essential job working” hubby had to go into the office for a few hours; and I just happen to be carrying my full share of Covid-19 pandemic shut-in weight. I figured, why not go for a walk and burn a few extra calories for the day and make my doctor, (Dr. R) virtually happy even though she doesn’t actually know.

I put on my GirlTrek gear (i.e. sun visor hat and t-shirt) and tennis shoes and headed out the gate of our backyard to our local community walking path about 100 feet away. I figured that I would at least do a quick 30- minute walk. Not the 1-hour one Dr. R suggested I should be doing at my most recent appointment because according to her, that is what it will take for my numbers to read right on all her reports and instruments. Sigh…

Good Intentions Wet Results

The weather was nice outside. Although it was a little overcast due to the predicted impending storm heading to this part of Texas later in the day. I was sure I would be back in the comfort of my own home before the rain actually started falling. I was wrong.

Just one quarter around the walking path. Light drops of rain started to fall. Within 25 more steps. Harder drops began to fall and apparently planned to be consistent. Go figure. At the half-way mark, I was soaking wet.

At that point, I could have chosen to begin jogging like my neighbor who passed me. Announcing “…it’s raining” with a chuckle! Instead. While continuing to walk. I chuckled back to her how I’d been wet before so a little rain wouldn’t kill me.

As consistent drops of water fell a few inches from my eyeballs from the GirlTrek sun visor I was wearing but no longer needed. I noticed the lady who had passed me up had resorted to walking once again. By that time I’d chosen to walk along in the pouring rain encouraging myself to pretend I was under a waterfall. Welcoming every drop of water as if this is what I was waiting for all along. As if I was in some faraway vacation destination spot and it was my chance to be one with the water and all that good stuff. I guess she did the same.

At the three-fourths mark, I looked over to the adjacent street and saw that the lady’s husband had come out to meet her with an umbrella for her to continue her walk home. “How sweet,” I thought to my soaking self as I watched them walk down the street together.

Less than 10 seconds later I heard her call out to me. “Mam’ would you like to use one of our umbrellas?” “Wow,” I thought to myself. How so doggone absolutely neighborly of her to offer. By this time I was only about 200 yards away from my backyard. I was appreciative of them for the offer. Drenched already. I thanked them again and said that I’d dry off when I arrived home. Waving goodbye I thought to myself. What a good neighbor.

Umbrellas, Rain, and Racial & Civil Unrest

The whole experience struck me deeply as I thought about it through the lens of how it feels for many of us (i.e. Black people) to be living during this current time of racial and civil unrest. Like most other Black people. The daily experience of “living-while-black” in America is something that is always at the forefront of my consciousness in one way or another. Even when we may try to repress it. It remains.

I imagine this way of being is hard to fathom for the “It’s not always about race” crowd. However, the reality is that constantly being aware of our race is simply a permanent part of our story for black people. It is as real and tangibly present as the very breath we breathe.

Through this lens, I saw the umbrella as representing white privilege. An intentional and strategic (by design) covering for a certain group of people that has existed from the beginning of the entire American experience as we know it. To quibble about whether the privilege is the result of past or present actions is only a distraction. The reality is that the umbrella of white privilege exists to cover some from the rain, but not everyone.

What then does the rain represent. I likened the rain as representing the multitude of injustices falling down on the lives of Black and other marginalized communities. Consistent drops resulting from police brutality, a broken criminal justice system, systemic racism, voter suppression, as well as past and present disparities in economics, education and, healthcare. Racism being the source cloud from whence the multitude of raindrops fall.

Sharing Umbrellas

I then again thought about my neighbor. I didn’t know her. She didn’t know me. However, what we both knew is that we are neighbors. We live in the same neighborhood. We share the same community walking path. Our children have probably attended the same schools. That was enough for her. I was simply her neighbor who by offering something she had could help cover me from dripping rain. She already knew that she would lose nothing sharing the umbrella with me. The umbrella her husband carried was enough to cover them both and they would still be protected from the rain.

We Are All Neighbors on Earth

The reality of the matter is that regardless of our multitude of differences. Our commonality is that we are all neighbors sharing this earth’s space. Equitable treatment is a right we all share, deserve, and expect across the board. This is essentially what this current and growing movement is all about? It’s a clarion call for good neighbors. Good neighbors who are willing to share umbrellas to make sure all people are covered from the rain.

There are neighbors. And then, there are good neighbors. Good neighbors share umbrellas. Which neighbor are you?