Juneteenth and the Luxury of Doing Nothing

Holding the weight of history on an ordinary day

My daughter in Chicago - photo by me

I didn’t grow up knowing about Juneteenth. It wasn’t taught in my schools. My family never mentioned it. And that stings a little, because I’ve always prided myself on being well-informed when it comes to our history. So when the holiday became part of the cultural zeitgeist several years ago, I had to play catch-up. And when I learned my ancestors in Texas remained enslaved for TWO additional years after freedom was supposedly won… well, it didn’t surprise me, but it did piss me off.

I won’t sit here and give some long historical rundown. I’m not the person for that. But I can tell you what I’m holding today.

I arrived from Los Angeles to Chicago yesterday and today is my first full day hanging with my daughter. No big plans. No hustle. Just the sweet, quiet joy of doing a whole lot of nothing with her. Our biggest adventure today was walking three blocks to buy an item from Facebook Marketplace. Oh, then we walked to the grocery store and bought some Dippin’ Dots. That’s it. Now I’m writing in her tiny apartment as she applys for summer jobs on her iPad. I’m feeling grateful for the small things. The quiet moments. The things not instagram worthy.

On Juneteenth, I feel the weight, the privilege, the luxury of doing nothing. The fact that I can be here, resting, laughing, meandering through an afternoon, on a day that commemorates the blood, sweat, tears, and struggle by those who came before me. Yes, there are still battles ahead and too many injustices to name. But today, I’m holding both truths: the fight continues, and still, this quiet, ordinary day is a victory.

Doing nothing, with the ones you love, that’s a freedom too.