With the arrival of a new Decade of life, one has a valuable opportunity to reflect deeply on the previous decade. As humans, we have undesirable experiences. We often bemoan those experiences. Unfortunately, we don’t devote enough time to auspicious experiences. Although everyone needs to wrestle properly with disappointing experiences, as I penned in “Don’t Let Disappointment Defeat You,” published by The Good Men Project, we should dedicate much more time to thinking about the good, those things, those experiences, those people who have helped us to simply be. Dr. Glass, thank you for being an example of resilience, for modeling and championing a version of what it means to simply be.
As I told you a few years ago, we all need to ask ourselves daily this essential question: “How you be?” Thank you for checking on “how you be.” Thank you for checking on me to ensure that I see “how I be.”
What your previous decade of life has taught me about you is you really care about those you love. You really care. I say this not because I’m surprised; I say this because of how you care for others and how you care for me grows more and more intense.
Although our love for one another has become a sister-brother relationship, I never want to discard the “friend” label—and “best friend” label. Why not? Because it’s important for me to employ how you do friendship to push back against those antithetical versions of “friendship” that, to be transparent, make me cynical sometimes about friendship. When I think of you, and our friendship, that cynicism retreats.
What do I know for sure about you? You’re my constant. What else do I know for sure about you? You’re a horrible singer—without question. Lmbo!
Even though this COVID-19 pandemic has made things less than ideal, to say the least, let today be a day of more than celebration; let it be a day of Critical Reflection, an ode to gratitude.
Reflect on the good of the past decade. What did you learn from the past decade? What did the past decade prove to you that you value? What can you take from the past decade to add fuel to this new decade of life?
Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being you.
Again, have an awesome day of celebration and critical reflection.
You’re old. I’m young and amazing. You’re old and kinda amazing. Okay, okay, okay, you’re amazing, too (sorta). Lmbo!
Happy 40th Birthday!
Love ya,
Dr. Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
This post first appeared on Revolutionary Paideia | Unsettling, Unnerving, And Unhousing Since 1981, please read the originial post: here
