hope, truth, bravery

Back in my hometown, Williamsburg, I used to drive the same route everyday. My family lives in what some call the "central" part of the city -- with the target, with the chick-fil-a...or I should say the orginals. There is now a new target and chick-fil-a, but everyone remembers the first loves. I live behind that shopping center. Down the road and to the left.

When going pretty much anywhere in Williamsburg, I always drive by the 199 overpass on Monticello Avenue. As people are coming on and off the highway, going about their days, maybe scared or lonely or happy, they were given a small gift. Just a little reminder. See, there was a phrase spray-painted onto the old, but not ancient, concrete wall with the mini-highway stretched above it.

"smile, things will get better"

short, simple. the words were even faded. but they were there.

I read that phrase a few hundred times. As did everybody else. It stuck out. There were no other drawings or words painted on the wall. Just this lone phrase. And it was smack-dab center, for all to read every time they passed by. It was written in black - nothing flashy, no pictures, no graffiti. It was nice. It served a good purpose. It told of hope: things will get better. It fostered happiness: just smile.

While home on Christmas break, I sat at a familiar stoplight...waiting to pass under the 199. I looked out my window at the gray cement of the overpass and read,

"no amount of paint can cover up my voice" with a lopsided heart next to the words.

I strained my neck to see where my little reminder of hope was displayed, but it was gone.

I felt sad, almost violated. Why would they paint over it? Why get rid of it? What harm did it cause? It wasn't profane, inappropriate, or political. It was showing love...in an unconventional way.

I thought about the rebuttal. "No amount of paint can cover up my voice." TRUTH. We each have a voice - a voice unlike anyone else's. And no one, and nothing, can take that gift away from us. You never know from which mind will spring the next great idea, the next beautiful invention, the next movement of love. We have things to say, things to share, things to do. We need to USE our VOICES.

I feel as if I need to clarify: I do not condone vandalism. In fact, I think it's one of the worst things to misuse or cause damage to something which is not yours, but this situation made me see from a different perspective.

Covering up the words someone says does NOT make them any less meaningful and does NOT mean they were never said. Covering it up is only hiding it and controlling it. That individual had a message of hope, and then another one --- even stronger --- a message that embodied bravery and power.

promising hope, truth, and even bravery,

destiny