As 2015 ends and 2016 is now upon us, I can’t help but reflect on the past 12 months. Personally, it has been a year of highs and lows. The biggest “high” was marrying my husband, while the “lows” spanned a multitude of levels, with the most significant being the deaths of family and friends.
While you likely know of the passing of some people whom I loved and respected — people like Tuskegee Airman Arthur L. Carter Sr. and noted journalist and broadcaster Amos Brown III — you probably aren’t aware of Tyler Penman.
Tyler was my 16-year-old cousin who was killed in a car accident in the early hours of Christmas morning. Sixteen years on this earth barely seem like enough time to fully understand the complexities of one’s teenage years, let alone to live and die within that time frame. But that’s what Tyler did … he lived and he died. All within 16 short years. During the final days of 2015, I found myself overwhelmed by all the pain and negativity we are currently experiencing in this country. The instances can be so overwhelming, in fact, that one can become cynical, depressed or even apathetic.
However, I’m striving to remain optimistic and not let the negative tone of the country or the pain of losses, like the death of a loved one, get me down and out. Instead, I will try to put a positive spin on certain things as 2015 closes out and 2016 begins.
Here are my New Year prayers:
Prayer 1: Black lives are valued more.
We all know the statistics specify the number of Black people (men in particular) who are killed at the hands of law enforcement. I pray Black people are viewed as the human beings we are, thus valued and treated in a fair and just manner. Black men in particular are not valued, and the instances of wrongful deaths are proof. I’m hopeful that we will see a significant drop in the number of racial profiling and wrongful death victims.
Prayer 2: The next president will represent all people of the United States.
So far some of the candidates vying to be the next president have been divisive, ill informed and narrow in their perspectives. The next president of the United States will have to be credible, intelligent and considerate of all Americans. That person also has to have great interpersonal skills and the ability to work across party lines as well as geographical boundaries. We need a commander-in-chief with decorum and a sense of compassion for all people, because that is what will help this country, as well as our foreign relations.
Prayer 3: Stronger gun control.
We have been talking about effective gun control for years, but the upsurge in acts of violence and shooting sprees have reignited the discussion. Politicians have to stop fighting one another and instead focus on what will make this country safer. Instituting new systems for gun purchases will help reduce the number of fatalities caused by people who are mired in hatred or suffer from mental illness.
Prayer 4: Reduction of senseless deaths, crime.
Whether Black-on-Black crime, random acts of violence or police shootings, the senseless crimes have to stop. I pray that parents and educators teach children conflict resolution skills and adults who are violent develop a sense of respect and compassion for human life. It is not our responsibility to determine when someone dies, so stop playing God. And for people who think it’s OK to rob and steal to get what you want, I say get a job and make your own way. Stop expecting to get something for nothing. In order to have anything, we have to work for it.
Prayer 5: More love and kindness are exhibited.
My mom used to say, “People don’t have to be kind to you.” She was right; they don’t have to, but they certainly should. I pray we show love and kindness to one another, whether we smile at a stranger, pay it forward by purchasing a meal for the person behind us, or tell those close to us that we love them. Life is too short to be negative and mean, so I pray we demonstrate more positive attributes.
Happy New Year!
