Consider what 8 minutes and 46 seconds feel like

If you come upon a road that is blocked by protesters, and after 30 seconds find your only reaction is to start honking your horn, may we suggest an alternate expression.

Set a timer.

Set it for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Be aware and cognizant of just how long that is sitting there and being inconvenienced. And then multiply the inconvenience by the factor of a knee pressed into your neck.

Be aware that no inconvenience that you are suffering at that moment, can even compare to that one act, not to mention 400 years of repetition. 400 years of repression. 400 years of oppression.

Take this opportunity, when your vehicle is paused unexpectedly, and breathe. Take a moment when the universe is forcing you to slow down — and breathe. Breathe before you keep honking your horn. Breathe. That which George Lloyd could not do for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

If need be, set that timer again.

Try holding your breath for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

You won’t be able to do it. Yet, as you struggle to prove us wrong and can’t breathe, what will you realize? That you can stop holding your breath. So stop holding your breath. That you have the choice to stop struggling. Yet those who have blocked the path in front of you don’t have that choice. So, just stop fighting us and — breathe.

Now that you have the experience, a little more cognizance, will you find a bit of compassion, and thus turn your outrage in a more apt direction?

Can you change course while sitting still...sitting, still...in a vehicle?

You can. We know you can. It starts with remembering to breathe. It starts with remembering to breathe when you feel you cannot because you have forgotten you still have the choice to breathe.

Because only then can you feel solidarity with those who don’t have that choice.

Because only then can you feel solidarity with those who weren’t given that choice.

Because only then you can feel in solidarity with those who cannot...breathe.

Where