Took a walk today to drop some things off at the post office just as it was starting to turn dusky. It was only about a mile each direction, but it felt nice to walk around with such “warm” weather. It’s about 50 degrees out right now.
I went through a cute little park as a shortcut and up a hill (the incline reminded me of home!). I noticed a black squirrel. Don’t think I’ve seen one before, but I’m wondering if it could be a color adaptation to help absorb more sunlight and warmth in this cold climate.
A schoolbus was pulling up on the other side of the park and I saw parents already at the stop to walk their kids home. So suburban!
On the way back, I finally snapped a picture of the sculpture I’d seen every time I drive down Lee Hwy (nearly daily). It was just outside an old church with a pathway lined with hand decorated bricks. I figured they may have been dedicated to donors, or were possibly used as a children’s art project, until I noticed the quote “STOP KILLIN LOVE WITH HATE” written in large, legible lettering.
After I got back, I learned I walked through Halls Hills, a historically Black neighborhood. Patty told me that there used to be an actual wall surrounding the area. What a terrible thing! Thinking about the history here, with segregation and prejudice, this statue and brick-laden path became more complex. I appreciate the fact that rather than walls, the bricks used in front of the church represent something more beautiful than a barrier. They’re welcoming and allow people to meander, take their time, and be a part of the locale. On the one hand, the sculpture seems to stand as a celebration of the family, hands clasped around each other whole heartedly. On the other, it could be a stand in unity against the outside world. The silhouettes with distinctly Black features can be looking in either direction, but maybe they mean the same thing either way.
The quote that reeled me in calls for more love yet seems angry, speaking out with boldness. Sometimes it takes something brazen, striking, audacious to encourage change. Sometimes it helps to think through, or even see more than one possibility before acting. How appropriate then, that seemingly opposing ideas—commanding aggression alongside a hopeful plea—paved my way here.