3 Comments

Very good, although I did not expect the therapist part at the end. All the way up to that point, you do not sound like someone that (in my mind) would want, let alone need, to see therapist.

To your point about these performative but otherwise pointless stolen land acknowledgements, I had no no idea you actually stood up and collectively recite them. Sounds a lot like a replacement to the old Pledge of Allegiance days. Maybe it is? I had thought was more like a preacher reading a prayer while everyone bowed their heads, closed their eyes, maybe holding hands.

Your stolen jewelry example is perfect. Personally, I use the stolen bike example. You are walking down the street because your bike was stolen, and some guy rides past you on your bike, but at least says "I acknowledge I am riding your stolen bike" as he goes by. Mayors of big cites should give stolen car acknowledgements before any speech. Bad movies should have stolen time acknowledgements in the credits. Actors should give stolen brain cell acknowledgements before any speech at an awards show, since we will lose a few IQ points by the time they're done.

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Thanks for your comment. I love your examples and further extrapolations of where these "acknowledgments" could go. The actor one being my favorite.

I'm also glad to "surprise" you with the inclusion of my therapist. I try to make it so my writing goes to places you might not expect, and I'm also glad I read as far more "put together" than I am. In the future, as people in my life die and/or otherwise move on, I will be publishing some pieces which detail my journey and why therapy has been necessary and beneficial for me to come off sounding like I do. But it's not time for those stories yet. I think my piece, "The Horrors on Parenting" is a snapshot of what I hope to craft more of when the time is right.

Thanks again for reading.

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Very good, although I did not expect the therapist part at the end. All the way up to that point, you do not sound like someone that (in my mind) would want, let alone need, to see therapist.

To your point about these performative but otherwise pointless stolen land acknowledgements, I had no no idea you actually stood up and collectively recite them. Sounds a lot like a replacement to the old Pledge of Allegiance days. Maybe it is? I had thought was more like a preacher reading a prayer while everyone bowed their heads, closed their eyes, maybe holding hands.

Your stolen jewelry example is perfect. Personally, I use the stolen bike example. You are walking down the street because your bike was stolen, and some guy rides past you on your bike, but at least says "I acknowledge I am riding your stolen bike" as he goes by. Mayors of big cites should give stolen car acknowledgements before any speech. Bad movies should have stolen time acknowledgements in the credits. Actors should give stolen brain cell acknowledgements before any speech at an awards show, since we will lose a few IQ points by the time they're done.

Expand full comment