An Ally’s Promise by Anthony J. D’Angelo

I believe
I believe success is the freedom to be yourself.
I believe nobody is wrong they are only different.
I believe your circumstances don’t define you,
rather they reveal you.
I believe without a sense of caring,
there can be no sense of community.
I believe our minds are like parachutes.
They only work if they are open.
I believe we only live life once,
but if we live it right, one time is all we’ll need.
I believe we must first get along with ourselves
before we can get along with others.

I will
I will seek to understand you.
I will label bottles, not people.
I will grow antennas not horns.
I will see the diversity of our commonality.
I will see the commonality of our diversity.
I will get to know who you are rather than what you are.
I will transcend political correctness
and strive for human righteousness.

I challenge you
I challenge you to honor who you are.
I challenge you to enjoy your life rather then endure it.
I challenge you to create the status quo rather than accept it.
I challenge you to live in your imagination
more than your memory.
I challenge you to live your life as a revolution
and not just a process of evolution.
I challenge you to ignore other people’s ignorance
so that you may discover your own wisdom.

I promise you
I promise to do my part.
I promise to stand beside you.
I promise to interrupt the world
when its thinking becomes ignorant.
I promise to believe in you,
even when you have lost faith in yourself.
I am here for you.