The Hate Within
When kindness cannot disable hatred, it has taken roots deep within you.
“You are the only family member that comes to visit her for the month she has been here,” Nurse Ellis said to June. “She gave instructions not to let you near her room. Why? Why do you keep coming back?”
June paused as the nurse’s words sliced through her like a sharp knife through baloney on a slab in the butcher shop. Pulling along with it the memories of the cruel treatment of her mother-in-law. Pushing the tears back, she gulped the rage down and said, “My son, asked me to deliver it personally.”
“I can deliver it for you if you want?” Nurse Ellis suggested.
Slipping in deep thought for a few seconds, June hands her the envelope saying, “You are right. It’s been too long. I need to get back to a happier world.”
With raised brows, Nurse Ellis took the envelope and headed down the hall.
June paces the hallway until she returns.
Handing her back the opened envelope, Nurse Ellis said, “she said no thanks.”
Thanking her with a heavy heart, June to the enevlope and response, then walked back to a happier place.
Ten days later, Yvonne Lyons died of Renal Failure.
Nurse Abraham couldn’t wait for the funeral service to end. She quickly stopped June before she exited the church.
“Please don’t feel bad,” she tried to console. “She was raised to hate. I know your son, her only grandchild begged her to take the kidney you offered her. You were a match too.”
Tears burst from June’s eyes, and Nurse Abrahams continued.
“She would rather die than accept a kidney from the only person who came to visit. A kidney that would prolong her life, giving her only grandchild more time with her.”
June wondered aloud through the tears, “How can hate be so powerful.”
“What did you do to her?” Nurse Abrahams asked.
“I was born black,” June said.
Nurse Abrahams’s eyes popped open wider, and her brows shot up, “Say what?” flipped out of her mouth.
“She didn’t want her son marrying a black woman.”
“But both of you are of the same race,” she said in shock.
“My skin is darker than hers, much darker.”
“So it’s self-hatred,” Nurse Abrahams said. “She didn’t hate you. She hated herself.”
“Then hatred is a lot more powerful than I could imagine,” Junie said with regret walking out of the church.
Self-hatred is indeed powerful.
Many parts of this story are true.
When kindness cannot disable hatred, it has taken roots deep within you. It is planted in many hearts and is allowed to grow and foster.
Someone wise said, “hatred does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than the object on which it is poured.
Don’t allow hatred grow within you!
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