I am participating in 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes 2018 (all of my submissions can be found here).
Today’s prompt is: COMMON
There’s one line in Common’s The Light that makes me laugh:
You know I ain’t the type to walk around with matchin’ shirts.
But there are other passages in the song that zing with authenticity, such as:
If Heaven had a height, you would be that tall
Ghetto to coffee shop, through you I see that all
Let’s stick to understandin’ and we won’t fall
For better or worse times, I hope to me you call
So I pray every day more than anything
Friends we’ll stay as we begin to lay
This foundation for a family, love ain’t simple
Watch for yourself here:
First of all, the “matching shirts” line just makes me laugh because that is my marriage (and my parenting, to an extent). Wayne isn’t the kind of person to be into matching ensembles (but I know he would do it if I asked). Regarding the kids, I did dress them in coordinating outfits (some) when they were little. Maybe the fact that they are boy and girl kept from from going overboard, but even if they had been the same gender, matchy-matchy probably wouldn’t have been a priority for me.
But the line “if Heaven had a height, you would be that tall” gets me in all the feels. I just love the imagery of that line. Ironically, one of the realizations I have come to over 5+ decades of life experience is that no human being ever ends up rising that high, no matter how incredible they are.
Still, it is a lovely sentiment, and worth the optimism of thinking “there’s someone out there whose stature rises that high,” whether it is as a friend, lover, coworker, leader … no matter where that person fits in a life’s constellation.
I see lots of people on social media talking about this, and people say it in person. While it may be controversial or lead people to think I’m bereft of connections, I am a little leery of the phrase “my person.” I get it, and crave having that (sometimes), but the honest truth is relationships don’t always work out that way over the long term.
It is an uncommon thing to reach the “my person” height in relationships.

Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Some matching can be super cute. Other times it’s way overboard!
Yes this is true!