1 Parable:
“The Farmer’s Luck”
An old farmer’s horse runs away, so he can’t work his crops. The neighbors say: “Such bad luck!” The farmer says, “Maybe.”
The horse comes back, bringing with 3 wild horses with it. The neighbors say, “Such good luck!” The farmer says, “Maybe.”
The farmer’s son gets thrown off one of the horses and breaks his leg. The neighbors say, “Such bad luck!” The farmer says, “Maybe.”
Soon after, the army comes drafting young men for war. Because of his broken leg, the son got passed over. The neighbors say, “Such good luck!” The farmer says, “Maybe.”
2 Testimonies:
“The Emergency”
Last week was hella stressful. Deadlines stacked on deadlines, our A/C went out, my daughter got sick, and I was going to sleep and waking up thinking about everything I needed to do.
Then, while flossing, my crown lifted. Went to the dentist to have it re-sealed and learned that the tooth underneath needed to be extracted ASAP. Between the extraction and the implant, I was looking at over $2,800 out of pocket.
Except getting that tooth pulled forced me to renegotiate deadlines, cancel plans, and rest. For 48 hours straight, them meds had me in a haze—either sleeping, waking, or dozing off.
So I caught up on rest, cut back on snacking as I’d been trying/failing to do, got extensions on deadlines that didn’t initially feel possible, caught up on overdue time with my mom (we stayed with her while A/C got fixed), the man took care of the girl, and I was reminded one of my deepest knowings: all is well and will be.
“Maybe It Was a Sign”
In the middle of all this, I was also debating whether to apply for a job I could do with my eyes closed. It offered security, but felt like old skin. Is applying the responsible thing to do, or do I keep trusting the process and lean further into my artistry?
The application was due the same day I was cleaning up a transcript from my latest Krak Teet Cornerinterview with art curator, TK Smith. Near the end of our interview, TK told me he loves reviewing art shows, but doesn’t do it as much anymore because publications don’t pay much for it, and he feels like he should be thinking bigger these days. I told him I be feeling the same way, but wonder whether that’s actually me or capitalism talking.
In response, he shared something he’d heard from a fellow curator, Tempestt Hazel. I looked her up to make sure I had her name spelled correctly and recognized her. We attended the same Black and Native artist retreat in Maine back in 2022. We’d spent several evenings sitting at the same dinner table and had even exchanged numbers.
I met TK through Le’Andra LeSeur, who I’d interviewed for the previous Krak Teet Corner. Le’Andra later invited me to Atlanta to do a live talk with her and TK.
So, on the very day I was questioning whether I should retreat into work that felt safe, the work I actually love doing circled me back to an invitation-only gathering I’d been lucky enough to attend four years earlier, communing with artists and thinkers like Sonya Clark, Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Dr. Jessica B. Harris, and Chef Sherry Pocknett.
A sign? Coincidence? A reminder of something I already knew? Maybe.
Deep inhale. Long exhale. I didn’t apply for the job.
3 Quotes:
- “Infinite growth is cancer.” —Tempestt Hazel’s quote that TK shared with me
- “I don’t know what happens after we die. I’m interested in life before death. The question, actually, is ‘Is there life before death?’” —Jon Kabat-Zinn on an episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday
- “Every choice has fangs.” —Margaret Dutton (the 1883 series)
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