Black Lens - March 2021

Page 2
March 2021
www.blacklensnews.com
The Black Lens Spokane
ON MY MIND
THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR
by Sandra Williams
They are Falling
All Around Me
Years ago I created a video that I
played at the memorial service of
one of my closest friends. Her death
had taken me by surprise and I was
trying my best to figure out how to
make sense of her absence from my
life and the hole that it left there.
I found a song that spoke to my heart
and so I used it to create a video and
set photos of my friend to the music.
The words in the song said what
I was unable to find the words to say
myself.
I have been thinking a lot about that
song over the past several weeks, I
guess because I have found myself,
once again, at a loss for words.
My mom lost a dear friend a few
weeks ago. Her death was not a
surprise in the same way that my
friend's had been, but still it caught
us off guard.
Jean and my mom talked every day.
They laughed. They joked. They
gossiped. They shared stories. They
gave each other advice. They critiqued
the Sunday church service.
They talked about everything. And
they talked about nothing. Every
day.
And even though those phone calls
were not meant for me, I felt like I
was a part of them too. Every day.
And I miss them. I miss Jean.
There's a depth and a breadth of
friendship that women my mom's
CSM THOMAS
E WILLIAMS
age are able
to share with
each other that
I am envious
of. Maybe it
comes from
having lived
through so
very much and
having overcome so much more that
they are both able to understand each
other in a deeper and more profound
way. I don't know. But I do know
that I learned what friendship is by
watching the two of them and listening
to the two of them, and for that, I
will always be grateful.
So, Jean, I'm playing this song right
now for you. Rest in Power!
They Are Falling All Around Me
By Bernice Johnson Reagon
(Founder, Sweet Honey in the Rocks)
They are falling all around me
They are falling all around me
They are falling all around me
The strongest leaves of my tree
Every paper brings the news that
Every paper brings the news that
Every paper brings the news that
The teachers of my sound
are movin’ on
Death it comes and rests so heavy
Death it comes and rests so heavy
Death comes and rests so heavy
Your face I’ll never see no more
But you’re not really going
to leave me
You’re not really going to leave me
You’re not really going to leave me
It is your path I walk
It is your song I sing
It is your load I take on
It is your air that I breathe
It’s the record you set
That makes me go on
It’s your strength that helps me stand
You’re not really
You’re not really going to leave me
And I have tried to sing
my song right
I have tried to sing my song right
I will try to sing my song right
Be sure to let me hear from you
Paid for by People
for Betsy Wilkerson
THE BLACK LENS NEWS
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