Reflecting on Keeping On
Author’s Note: This piece was first published on Substack.
Most days, while I’m enjoying a homemade double espresso latte with oat milk, and a homemade blueberry muffin, scone or graham crackers and peanut butter sandwich, I scroll through Instagram reels.
It’s my rabbit hole. A guilty pleasure if you will. All I must do is look up and see the green digital numbers on the microwave that signify 15 minutes has elapsed. Wow, how did that happen? Alas, the intoxicating power of social media transported me from my kitchen table to others’ existences with only my right pointer finger as the navigator.
I know it’s a privilege to work from home, and I’m grateful for the ability to stay on task and be disciplined enough to get up from the table, put my phone away, and return to executing better-than-average work while I remain accessible to my boss.
Did I mention that I don’t take that privilege for granted, a simple pleasure of enjoying a coffee break in my own kitchen, flanked by my Labradors Christie, Jake, and Gigi?
Since surviving ovarian and uterine cancers, mostly due to early detection, unwavering support from my spouse, family and friends, excellent health insurance, and top-notch care close to home, the recognition of privilege consumes most of my waking hours.
Most of us didn’t really consider what the word meant until the summer of 2020, when people took to the streets to protest in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Racism could no longer be buried, and the burning question that remained was what were we going to do about it.
It’s not clear when the switch was flipped, and our world became more violent, racist, and scary. Some would argue that the monster was unleashed at the culmination of the 2016 Presidential election. One look at history, especially what isn’t taught in schools, and you’ll conclude that there has always been war, strife, and hatred.
Increasingly, we find it difficult to communicate and empathize with those who think differently from us. If we’re not worrying about natural disasters, the economy, or mass shootings, we wonder when we’ll hear “you have cancer,” like I did 4 years ago.
Last week, my mindless scroll session halted when I saw a post with the phrase, “Keep on keepin’ on.”
I hadn’t thought of that phrase since I photographed the green neon letters in a gallery in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District in 2016. It was only my 2nd trip to Miami, this time for a wedding. The first time was in 1991, when I spent $150 to fly there for an interview for a non-paying internship with CBS News. It would take two weeks working two jobs to replenish my bank account after that jaunt, but the trip was educational, if not exhausting, as I bolted out of the high-rise after the interview, practically sprinting down Biscayne Boulevard in high heels, ignoring cat calls, as I hailed a taxi to catch an earlier flight back to Tampa.
What I thought was a wasted day gave me the confidence to ace my interview a few weeks later at the local Fox affiliate. I earned that still-unpaid summer internship, but at least I lived at home for free.
Perhaps I was honing my skills at keepin’ on.
Seeing the phrase during a random scroll session prompted me to investigate its origins. I learned that it was first used by American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce in 1931, when he was asked, "Is there more that I can do at this time.” His response was, "Keep on, keeping on". Since then, the phrase has been used in films, and on many albums by musicians such as Len Chandler, Rose Royce and MC Lyte. It was cited in a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. Curtis Mayfield’s version was used in the movie, Roots.
Survival of anything means that we have kept on. If not for the benefit of ourselves, we choose to persevere and join others to fight for equality, equity, or safety. In the absence of giving up when 3 more people die from gun violence like the innocent souls shopping at a Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General Aug. 27, we keep on.
Through purposeful action, powered by love first, we can spread the notion of keepin’ on. We get involved in causes that we care about. We donate money to organizations that have a track record of affecting change, like Everytown and Moms Demand Action. We implore our elected officials to listen as we speak to them face-to-face and share evidence of how sensible gun safety laws benefit everyone, while preserving gun owners’ rights. It’s about saving lives. It’s about keepin’ on.
Mayfield inspired others to act with this plea from his 1971 song, Keep On Keepin’ On.
“We who are young, should now take a stand
Don't run from the burdens of women and men
Continue to give, continue to live
For what you know is right.”
Sometimes, it’s easier to lament, complain, and bemoan. Go ahead. Do it. Get it out of your system. Then get to work. Put one foot in front of the other. Believe that a collective group of committed individuals can brighten the world.
Keep on keepin’ on.
Harness your anger and turn it into action. As Jacksonville wraps its arms around the victims’ families, I encourage you to expand your capacity to embrace something new for the benefit of others.
Only one year in, I’m a proud Moms Demand Action volunteer. I’ve witnessed how intentional grass roots action can save lives. I was one of thousands of volunteers who traveled to Tallahassee during the legislative session to rally and speak to our lawmakers. Despite our advocacy, Florida still refused to protect its citizens from gun violence. While campaigning for President of the United States, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law permitless carry. Our state reinforced its commitment that it’s okay to kill.
Keeping on is how we combat ignorance and inaction by weak politicians who refuse to support sensible gun legislation, instead euphemizing this new law as “constitutional carry.” You don’t need to be a historian to know that the Constitution does not support killing people where they pray, shop, and live. Our forefathers certainly didn’t endorse killing children in their schools.
Yet, we keep on because we know that with enough voices, and an endless supply of hope, we can eradicate hate. Perseverance will pay off, but more of us are needed in this pursuit. Consider another lyric from Mayfield:
Many think that we have blown it
But they too will soon admit
That there's still a lot of love among us
When we act from a place of love first, it’s hard not to listen, respect, and empathize. Those are important first steps if we’re to begin to cure the gun violence epidemic. I encourage you to learn about Moms Demand Action and Everytown. Get involved if you can. We can’t afford to lose more lives to gun violence. After all, as Mayfield stated in 1971, “there's still a lot of faith, warmth, and trust when we keep on keeping on.”