Paying Double The Black Tax

The is nothing to fear but fear itself.  I have seen fear held people back and kept them from accomplishing their true potential so many times that it makes me numb. In looking back on my journey, I have been through so much, seen so much, done so much and accomplished and regretted so much I oftentimes feel I would need three more lifetimes to be able to tell the stories.  But its all apart of living, its like my favorite quote from The Lion in Winter when Katherine Hepburn informs her children that she has wona and lost more battles than they have teeth.

I often feel that my mind is being held prisoner in a world where the color of my skin still set the limits on the dreams of my childhood.  Everyday comes with a new struggle to prove myself equal or better to my counterparts.  Bad enough to be an Intelligent Black Man in America but its paying Double the Black Tax to be an Intelligent GAY Black Man in America.  But even so you learn to thicken your skin and sharpen your teeth and always have your guard up - its the way of the war and the path to survival and no one is ever going to look out for you as well as you can look out for yourself.

With each defeat you learn and grow, with each setback your forge ahead more purposefully than before and with each goodbye you learn.

It's gonna be a long long journey

It's gonna be an up hill climb
It's gonna be tough
It's gonna be some lonely nights
But I am ready to carry on

I am so glad the worst is over
I can start living now
I feel like I can do anything
And finally I am not afraid to breath
Anything you said to me
And everything you do
You can't deny the truth
Cause I am the living proof

So many thoughts fight
They just can't make it through
But look at me
I am the living proof
Oh yes I am

Thinking about life been painful
Yes it was
Took a lot to learn how to smile
So now I am gonna talk to my people about the storm
Oh so glad the worst is over
I can start flying now
My best days are in front of me
I am almost there
Cause now I am free

Everything you say to me
And everything you do
You can't deny the truth
Cause I am the living proof
So many those who fight
They just can't make it through
But look at me
I am the living proof

I know where I am going
Cause I know where I have been
I am gonna feel starts that showing
I am gonna keep rolling
That's the way that I will
Everything you say to me
And everything you do

You can't deny the truth
Cause I am the living proof
So many those who fight
They just can't make it through
But look at me
I am the living proof

Nothing about my life has been easy
But nothing is gonna keep me down
Cause I know a lot about today
And I know yesterday
So I am ready to carry on
Oh Lord