Gina-Marie Cheeseman

Heartbreak in Minneapolis. Heartbreak for a young family. Heartbreak for a city, a state, a country. An administration can say one thing to try and save face, but the truth rises. People are at their breaking point, and of course, why wouldn’t they be? Aren’t we all exhausted? Haven’t we all had enough? So many things have brought us here to this moment, where for so many our country is unrecognizable. People are on edge. They are afraid. Life changes in a second. Renee Nicole Good’s family and friends know this truth. There is no going back, only forward. My fellow citizens: keep your eyes on the truth. Don’t get confused by conflicting stories designed to confuse you. Keep your mind on the facts. Keep trying to rise above. Keep trying to move humanity out of the darkness and into the light. It’s a new year. We all have to go forward, one step at a time, remembering those we have lost and loved, determined to make life better for those left behind. It’s our job not to give up or in, no matter the foe, be it our own government, be it cancer, be it gun violence, be it a death of someone you love. Heartbreak abounds, so does courage. Let’s keep rising. It is our only choice.