In an iconic gospel song Donnie McClurkin sung we fall down but we get up.
Imagine a row of dominoes, each uniformed, waiting for the next to fall behind it. There goes an unforgiving grandmother, mother and daughter each lining up behind each other and falling for the same trick; a stubborn, hard to approach, father who teaches his sons, who teaches their sons who will teach theirs.
Dominoes is one of our most favorite past times. Even if you don’t know how to play the game we are all too familiar with the concept it teaches us. If one of us falls, we are all prone to fall too. But if one of us is strong enough to push back against gravity, imagine how many who came before us we can uplift and how many behind us we can prevent from falling.
Generational curses are often the excuse that many of us use for our troubles. Our claim is that we never had anyone to show us any better. But innovation is not a blind concept; it starts with the idea that maybe there is a better way.
What’s your better way?
Generational curses work both ways. Some of us come from settings where success is a traditional value and for some reason we’ve stepped out of that tradition.
Sometimes creating our own row for ourselves is a bold move. Imagine what’s it’s like at the Kennedy family picnic for Lisa who decided to become a hair dresser. But imagine who they go to when they need an emergency haircut.
While there are generational curses, I believe there are generational cures. There are people who will pioneer of the resurgence of their family by planting their tree in fertile ground commanding for it to grow.
Look around at the dominoes in front of you, and think of the ones you will place behind you. Are we falling or are we standing tall.
