“I Can’t Breathe.” These are the words we heard from George Floyd as he lie with an officer’s knee in his neck. This video that shocked the world and shook many to their core will be a lasting image of 2020. It wasn’t the first time Americans had heard those words in relation to police brutality, but the video hit harder than the words ever could.
This year is also marked by a pandemic where a virus attacks the respiratory system. Worldwide victims have fallen to a loss of breath, a virus has stolen their lives.
For all of these cases it was an outside influence that took away someone’s ability to breathe. What do we do when the ability is hindered by ourselves?
For the past two days every time that I start to think about what is at stake in this election I notice one thing. My head starts to pound and I feel it swell. I can hear my heart pump. Then I remember that I am not breathing. The involuntary action of breathing evades me. My mind focuses every bit into everything around me and breathing stops. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to stop thinking of everything else and regain my ability to take in the necessary air for life in the past couple days.
America is collectively holding its breath in the year where “I Can’t Breathe” has rang so true. I don’t know what the answer is to control this from happening. I just know that I am not the only one feeling this tonight. Close your eyes and force yourself to take that breath. I will be doing the same thing. I am with you and know that you are with me as well.
Changed So Much! 