Green Leafy Veggies
Dark green vegetables like spinach and kale are known to be “super foods” jam packed with necessary nutrients. To be fair, most adults only eat these out of necessity. If most of us had our say so, French fries would be considered a major food group and part of balanced diet. The necessary evil. That’s what kale is to me, something I willingly participate in out of necessity and hope that my temporary misery will pay off in the end. Attending and graduating from college for many of America’s youth is an expectation and requirement, especially by college educated parents. High school students across the country spend hours studying for the SAT’s, participating in extracurricular activities and in the office of guidance counselors in hopes of getting into every college and university they apply to. They get into school, sign off on loans, attend class, maintain a social life, work and survive for the next few years of their life and then graduate!
This next part, the life after college, the part void of guidance counselors, dining dollars and beer pong is tough. We’re in our early to mid-twenties and besides preparing to pay back the debt we took on at 18, we are in the process of figuring out who we are and where we fit in the world.
For every individual that has found themselves under tremendous pressure by the fact that their entire family is depending on them to make it, this body of work is for you. For everyone that has a fear of being a disappointment to themselves and has felt that fear all too often, this is for you. May you cry, scream, write, read, research and work until all the dreams and plans that you have set for yourself come to be. Seek mentor-ship, pray or meditate, call your parents, be willing to do things you have never done before and go places you have never gone before.
I was born with digested dark green leafy vegetables on the top of my head, and since then I have worked to figure out my purpose and passion in life because there must have been a reason. Kale and spinach are tough, audible foods that have a strong taste and are packed with nutrients that makes digesting them easy. Many of us are the dark, green leafy veggies of this world. We have had to be tough, we have had to speak up and advocate for ourselves because we knew of no one else that could, we have taken on what has seemed impossible and have made sure that we never forget the people and communities that help us along the way. We are the dark green leafy veggies. We are strong and good to and for the world especially when working to digest its issues.
May this piece inspire those that found themselves to identify as kale and spinach and for those that don’t, may you be a strong pillar, like broccoli and support those that do.
Be strong and keep going!
-Reneé Simone.
