Harper Valley, You Live My Life For 2 Seconds (With a Twist)
Welcome to Harper Valley, where everyone's got an opinion, but nobody's got an ounce of empathy. You know the type—judging from their porch swings, sipping their sweet tea, acting like they've got the secret to life when really, they just have a WiFi password and a lot of nerve.
Let's play a game:
Live my life for two seconds.
Not a day, not a week—just two seconds. Drop the pissy attitude, the side-eye, the "I'd never let that happen to me." Step into my shoes. Feel the weight I carry, the looks I get, the doors that slam before I even knock. Experience the exhaustion of explaining yourself to people who already decided not to listen.
Now, here's the twist—don't just stand there. Give me an E.
No, not the letter grade, not the party favor.
Give me your Everything.
Your empathy. Your energy. Your effort.
I know it's a lot of work. I get it. But please, just try. Just try to act white.
What does that mean? It means try to be polite, try to listen, try to see me as a human, not a headline or a stereotype. It means putting aside your assumptions and giving a damn. Because honestly, an ETA—a little heads up that you give a damn—would be a hell of a lot nicer than your judgment. Just FYI.
You want to be "Always Be Creating?"
Try creating some understanding.
Try creating a moment where you actually see me, not just my mistakes.
Try creating a world where people don't have to beg for basic kindness.
So next time you're tempted to judge, to gossip, to Harper Valley PTA my life, remember:
You couldn't handle two seconds in my reality.
But you could make it better, if you gave me your E—your everything, your empathy, your effort.
And maybe, just maybe, if we all stopped keeping score and started keeping each other, Harper Valley would be a place worth living in.
Moral of the story:
Don't just give advice. Give a damn. And if you can't give everything, at least give an ETA that you'll try.
Because sometimes, trying to "act white" is just trying to act human.