The Wind Down is a captivating collection that invites listeners to unwind and immerse themselves in the tranquil melodies of Michael Jackson's songs. Each track serves as a gateway to a world of introspection and relaxation, accompanied by vivid sh...
𝓑𝓾𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓼 , Invincible 2001 Just make my dreams come true
New York City The Opening Scene ᥫ᭡.
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""Love is never any better than the lover." I know that's right, Toni." The familiar sting of tears welled up, a reoccurring theme for Melody after each reading of The Bluest Eye. And although she knew the emotional toll it left her with each time, it was the one piece of text that taught her how to love herself.
There were times when Melody, like Pecola, had felt ugly. Times where she felt undeserving, unworthy, of love. Her dark skin, coily hair and full lips that prompted scorn and tasteless remarks from a young age. These were things she grew to hate about herself. And, to her, it seemed everyone else hated her for it too. There was a time when she too wondered, if her skin were lighter and her eyes brighter, would things have turned out differently? Could she have been treated like the "beautiful" girls?
Perhaps, she thought, this inner turmoil was why after so many years, Melody had never been loved properly. Or, if someone did try, such as her mother and father, she couldn't receive it. Or, she looked for it in all the wrong places. But this book seemed to be the one thing that, at the very least, helped her overcome her insecurities.
Melody no longer accepted that she was not beautiful, and she knew she was deserving of love. The conclusion she came to at this point in her life, likely missing other valuable lessons from Toni Morrison, was that it was everyone else that didn't deserve her - men in particular. So, now that the duckling had emerged into a sightly swan, when geese would approach her pond, Melody would politely decline and send them on their way.
Well, maybe not "politely." The "once-ugly-duckling turned swan" also had a reputation of transforming into a fierce beast to desiring suitors. That's how her exes and male coworkers would describe her, at least. Except one in particular who had been silently watching Melody for a while now.
Sitting in the library of the university was her typical routine after classes ended. It gave her the opportunity to grade her students work, plan out curriculum, or escape into the worlds inside the texts surrounding her. Maybe she was avoiding the lonely solitude she'd forged at home, but regardless, this atheneum was her sanctuary.
"Still here, huh?" A pleasant voice tickled Melody's ear as she took the final sip of her coffee. She glanced up, to be met by the friendly smile of her coworker, his slender frame towering over the desk where she sat.
"Oh, hey Michael! I'm actually just finishing up. Should be heading home here shortly. What about you, what're you still doing here?"
Michael, standing meekly with his hands in his pockets, shrugged his shoulders before replying, "Just hanging out. Had a few things I wanted to take care of and time just got away from me."
