It happened because my husband needed to be closer to work. The drives were long, and the hours were getting late. And when our baby came, I pretty much became a single parent almost – and that
was not part of our deal.

We found an area where the schools were great, the neighborhoods were clean, and the people were friendly. Or so I thought.

We got involved in our community and church in this “great area”, and I then began to see the true ugliness of where we live. Strangers feel the need to express how impressed they are with our well-behaved children. I guess they expect them to behave like animals.

Retailers feel comfortable reminding us not to steal with questions like, “Did you pay for that,” or statements like, “As long as you don’t steal it.” We encounter sales associates who are willing to offer daily deals and specials to the [peach] person behind us but remain silent once it’s our turn to save money.

Schools that award the privileged kids first and then fill in with color to complete a look and tell a lie to keep from having to address DEI.

Medical staff that dismisses your pain and ignores the sense of
urgency when there’s an emergency.

It’s a place where other customers (unsolicited) find it necessary to remind us of how great America is and how we should appreciate the privileges we do have.

We’ve learned of neighbors who cancel Bible Study once a person of color joins the group and ones who give their children the impression that we’re poor even though we can afford to live right next to them.

What looked so right on the outside began to look so rotten on the inside. It began to test my ugliness.

But then I realized that was His plan all along.

~Author Ty (2023)