“A Hawk Fell Last Night”

An Elective on Perspective

by UMES Junior Brittany Johnson

“A Hawk Fell Last Night”

October 22, 2012

To enter into college there should be a mandatory prerequisite to take an elective that teaches us how to put things into perspective. I was in biochemistry class following the teacher, but not quite…when my friend told me that a hawk fell last night. Right from the sky, he was soaring and his journey ended abruptly --roughly—last night was so ugly, and I sit here worrying about nothing. I could have never considered stressing over midterms as a luxury. But it absolutely is, because not many can afford to anymore. How important are the things that you hold dear? I’m sure I’ve seen you, never met you, but I know I’ll never forget you. It was a solemn day. I’m sure that the birds didn’t even have much of a song: there was one less hawk in their sights.

While I’m on campus wondering if I see my crush, what I’ll say, I’m sure your parents are at home thinking about how they’ll never celebrate another valentine’s day.  There aren’t enough black men in college and now there’s one less. For everyone who didn’t know you, everything carries on as usual remaining the same. But, I take it as a personal loss because maroon and gray runs through my veins. My hawk fell last night. Hawk hysteria didn’t matter because I’m sure you were hysterical, Halloween wasn’t important because you were already scared, but that’s what matters to us. I’ll express my condolences, but I’m sure you would excuse me so I can get back to the way life was. We always pretend to care when we first hear the news, but no one really does; this is my warning to, because you wouldn’t want to be a blurry memory if it were you.

On the fifth day God created the foul in the air to sing songs of praise, to ascend, to take flight. I know He cried too, because one of His hawks fell last night. It doesn’t seem that serious because he wasn’t your brother, best friend, or some significant other.  Because you have no higher level of empathy he doesn’t get your sympathy, because it wasn’t your fall. But I have a problem when I see a potential legacy that ends as a picture hanging on a wall. Your life shouldn’t stop because someone lost theirs, but it shouldn’t be taken so lightly either. I realize that each day isn’t a gift; it’s an Opportunity; because gifts aren’t taken away. I haven’t taken a shot at all of my shots yet, in any way. Life is ever fleeting. Take college seriously, please…I insist. Do you really have hawk pride? If not, you better hurry up and catch it. I’ll take my journey more seriously knowing that anything could be the end of me; because, never again to take flight, our hawk fell last night.

In loving memory of: Devin Aaron Clay. (Keep Kandace Sewell in your prayers).