Love

Today I’m going to sing like I’m in concert, and it don’t matter who’s listening. Today I’m going to dance like I’m on the set of the Thriller video, and it don’t matter who’s watching. Today I’m going to smile like I’m advertising toothpaste, and it don’t matter if I’m the only one smiling. Today I’m going to look you in the eyes and say hello, and it don’t matter if you greet me back. Today I’m going to speak broken English, and it don’t matter if you have a problem with it. Today I’m going to be happy for no damn reason other than the fact that life is beautiful, and it don’t matter if you get irritated with me.

Today I’m going to do some un-American things, like give thanks to God instead of my country, read the Qur’an and the Bible, turn off the TV and embrace life, be kind without ulterior motives, write an unstructured poem, converse with a homeless man or a woman without judgment, walk fearlessly with my head high and my heart on my sleeve, and be thankful for a freedom that came from God and not through drone missiles or military force. Today I’m going to say In God We Trust and Mean It.

Today I’m going to tell the world that you can’t be free if you live in fear of our children, of the terrorists, of the big black man, of my long bearded turban wearing Arab brother, of the white supremacist, of the Mexican mafia, of poverty, of not having a bunch of consumer goods we don’t need, of failure, or of being alone… If it is, it’s because God wants it to be.

Today I’m going to love you, even if you don’t love me, even if you don’t love yourself, even if you don’t understand what love is, even if you don’t want to be loved… Today I’m going to love you without expectations of reciprocity or the condition that you need to earn my love. Today I’m going to give my love for free because I’m free.

What are you going to do today?