Friday, July 12, 2013

While the jury deliberates











These are random photos, all but one of which I took in Jamaica last week. I haven't had much energy to post this week, partly because of an intense week at work, and partly because I am emotionally drained by the George Zimmerman trial. My son is very upset that Zimmerman might walk, after stalking 17-year-old Travyon Martin on a rainy night and shooting him square through the chest. Trayvon Martin drew suspicion for no other reason than the color of his skin. Yet the defense says this was not about race. My son knows better. All I can say to him is that anger makes you blind, and he cannot afford to be walking around in this world blinded by anger, not if he is going to concentrate on keeping himself safe. I thought Prosecutor John Guy did a masterful closing argument today, but I'm not sure it will be enough. I can't write about this. Let me caption this assortment of photos instead, which are in no particular order, but which are easy to grab from my phone, so here they are because it is far simpler to circle the wagons with unquestioned full-hearted love.

Photos from top:
1. Devon House, Jamaica, our ancestral home, according to family lore.
2. My daughter and niece sharing an ice cream cone at Devon House.
3. My daughter gave my mother a manicure after her physical therapy session.
4. My niece and the rest of us dined at Usain Bolt's restaurant one evening.
5. My daughter did the Kingston nightlife with her two cousins and many of their friends. They sure were a good-looking crew.
6. Granddaughter pileup or watching the game show network from Grandma's bed.
7. Frozen yogurt (froyo) with the younger cousins.
8. This photo, which is tucked into the margin of the mirror on my mother's dresser, was taken on my girl's first day of preschool.
9. And this one, also on my mom's mirror, shows her father escorting her to her first day of work when she was 18.
10. And one more, of my beloved now-grown babies. I remember someone once told me that having children is like giving your heart permission to walk around outside your body. I now know what she meant.




14 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos , lovely family! I do agree about Zimm freak- if he walks, my guess is that he will not walk far- he has few sympathizers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah! I LOVE your pictures and always look forward to seeing them. My life is too boring for a blog. Plus I'm not much of an "eloquent" writer. you must be SO tired. Bet you haven't even unpacked yet. Hope u all can rest this weekend. Thank u for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. All these pictures are just beautiful! I like that saying "that having children is like giving your heart permission to walk around outside your body."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Living in Orlando, the trial is absolutely inescapable. I haven't watched it, but just based on what I hear on NPR/in the breakroom at work/on FB/on twitter I actually think he will be acquitted, just because they can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was not in danger and had to protect himself.

    The fact that he started the danger, than if it hadn't been for him stalking and following a teenager after the police told him not to, doesn't seem to matter much, legally. What would have happened if George Zimmerman had not been there to protect his neighborhood? A teenage boy would have made it back to his dad's house with Skittles and ice tea.

    It's sickening. I hope I'm wrong about the outcome of the trial.

    On a happier note, lovely photos, and lovely family. Your mother's sleeveless dress with the brightly colored flowers looks so tropical :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had thought that my tears had dried up until I got to this post. All of it- from your babies to your mother (and oh- when she was a baby!) to the possibility of Z. (I can't even bear to write out his whole name) walking- unleashed the tears again.
    Life is so hard, Angella. All we can do is hold each other.
    Here. My hand.
    We will go on.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh and if Zimm goes free...he will NEVER be free in the outside world. I predict he will have to go in hiding like Casey Anthony. People ALL over the world are very familiar with this case. He's gonna wish to move completely off the planet!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well there you are. Welcome home. I missed you. Watching the Zimmerman trial with horrible sad hope that the truth will rise racism and class wars and all of it a disgusting commentary on life as we know it.

    Love,
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's just outrageous.

    And your children, especially in that last photo are outrageously gorgeous and filled with light. They truly are.

    ReplyDelete
  9. That last shot of them and the one of them on Mother's Day 2003....like Elizabeth said, outrageously gorgeous.
    This is good sound advice for your son about anger making you blind.
    You are a wise and wonderful mother Angella.
    love,
    yo

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree with others that no matter what happens, Zimmerman will never be free. I also agree that you are a wonderful mother. And your family are beautiful. My favorite pictures are of the tender moments between your children and your mom. You give me the best kind of hope for love in this world. I admire you. Sweet Jo

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am like your son. And during this trial I've thought of him (your son) and you and being a black man in American and being the mother of a black man and I'm so afraid. So angry, so disgusted.

    But.

    Your pics are amazing and you are right to concentrate on that. Your family is wonderful. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful photos, as always. I really do not think Zimmerman will walk. I may be delusional, but I think he's going to get manslaughter.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That house, your family, your mother, just wow, and she is an amazing looking woman, what a sharp dresser too, and then that trial and what you say. You are wise, I knew it. Your lucky kids.

    ReplyDelete