Bee In The Bonnet

  I liked to think of myself as a “WallFlower Child”. A “WallFlower Child” is a person that was desensitized by exposure to adult activities. This is why people do not curse, smoke, or use adult language around children and we tell them “Stay out of grown folks' business” “Stay in a child’s place” “Don’t grow up too fast” However taboo and rare, I was exposed to tons of adult content and experiences at an early age. I was always curious and observant in these adult settings. I was raised by a village of drug-abusing addicts, alcoholics, drug dealers, gang members, convicts, pimps, prostitutes, mental illness, and violence. We called it “THE FAMILY CURSE” I also identify as an empath. When I was seeing drugs on the tables, drunken fights, self-harm, and other dysfunctions by my elders, I absorbed all this energy and could FEEL and WITNESS to the emotions, the power, and the weakness in the environment. I felt the pain, anger, resentment, sorrows, grief, and stress of the adults arou...

  Ageism feels like a generational curse, with elders often projecting their differences in opinions, lifestyles, and eras onto younger generations. We hear it all the time: "Back in my day..." "These kids today..." or "You're too young for that." It’s ironic because while elders criticize the younger generation, they often forget that we were raised by them. If they were so perfect, where did things go wrong? Could it be envy of youth or a need for self-preservation? Growing up, adults constantly told me, “Don’t grow up too fast,” or “Enjoy being a kid.” Many children naturally strive for independence, mirroring the adults around them. It's not always about wanting to be "grown" or envying adulthood; it's about embodying freedom, maturity, and respect . I was one of those kids caught between wanting to be both young and grown. I was curious—how do adults make money, find food, cook dinner, and provide shelter? It’s a natural part of...