Weight of the World

Being a black man in the America, the concept of freedom hits very close to home. But when I stop and contemplate what it means to be Free today, I can’t help but reflect on what it meant to be free for my forefathers. Freedom came at the cost of lives, hard work and tireless effort. My forefathers had to carry the weight of countless lives on their backs for the fight for freedom, and it is my burden to carry that responsibility on mine. As a black man, people see me and automatically make assumptions about my entire life, my entire family, and my value to them and the world before I ever get a word in. And I must carry that weight as well. Myself, and other black men, must carry the weight of the world on our shoulders for a nation that historically has held little respect or appreciation for us. But like Atlas, this is a weight we can bear, and carry into the future to ensure the future generation will remain free to chose their own paths.