What Color Is Your Heart?

“Mom please hurry,” sixteen-year-old Miracle Binns pleads with her mother. “I want to be the first person in the store when it opens.”

“Slow down honey, that dress isn’t going anywhere,” her mother said.

Forty-eight minutes later they were parked in front of Party Dresses and Gowns. Miracle rushes out of the car into the store, saying, “Hurry mom.”

Minutes later, Miracle walks around the store looking for her mom, her sweet sixteen birthday dress in her hand.

A voice said, “Your maid can’t come in. Mrs. Hylton doesn’t want any blacks in here.”

Miracle follows the direction of the voice, facing a very tall male security guard.

Reading the confusion on her face, he repeats, “Blacks aren’t allowed in here.”

“But you are in here.”

“Well, I work here,” he confirms.

In confusion, Miracle asks, “You were hired to discriminate against your own race?”

“It’s just a job,” was his response. “And I don’t make the rules.”

“But you are paid to enforce it,” she fought back. “Can I see your manager please?”

He took her to the manager Mrs. Hylton.

Miracle looks at her and said, “But you are not white.”

“Well, I am not black either,” she affirms.

Miracle hands her the dress and walks out.

The fear on her mother’s face as she exits the store frightens her, but she bounces back, hugs her, and encourages, “Don’t worry Mom, I know what to do.”

Five minutes after posting her experience on Facebook, more than one hundred people of color shared their experience of discrimination against them by Party Dresses and Gowns. Many of them live nearby.

They agreed to boycott the store. By the time Miracle got there more than sixty young people of color were already there with their signs.

A few hours later they faced Justice Paul Anglin. He hit his gambol on the block demanding, “Silence!”

He got their full attention. “Thank you,” he said, scanning the crowd facing him. His eyes rest on Miracle and he said, “Young lady in the back row in the yellow tee-shirt, approach the bench please.”

Miracle obeys his order, and he asks as she approaches, “You are a part of this?”

“Yes sir, your honor.”

“Who is discriminating against you? Do you realize that you are the only white person in the group?”

“May I take a few minutes of your time sir?”

He nods in agreement.

She sighs, breathes in and out then begins, “When I was two years old, a drunk driver hit the car my parents and I were traveling in killing them instantly. I was in my car seat in the back. Both of my legs were broken, also my right hand and many of my ribs. I had a fractured skull and was in a coma. My only relatives turned me over to the state because they didn’t want the responsibility of caring for an invalid or dependent child. And that was if I survive. My prognosis wasn’t good at that time. They also gave the order to terminate life support if I don’t come out of a coma in 30 days. Many hearts were praying for me, but one heart battled with God, Fate, and Destiny for a miracle. A few seconds before the deadline, I woke up. For the next 14 years of learning to walk, talk, and to do many things healthy humans take for granted, I survived. I was given so much love and kindness, I didn’t know that hatred existed. Today, I found out that hatred does exist. The pain I witness on my mom’s face when the security guard refused her entry because of her skin color and thought she was my maid, hurts. From the look on her face, I knew she had been there before.”

Silence grabs control and she continues, “Discrimination is one of the fertilizers used to grow hatred. By discriminating against other races, we give life and power to the hate inside of us. Hatred prohibits unity, love, understanding, kindness, patience, and all the things humanity needs to exist. I know you are here Mom, please stand up.”

Christine Binns stood up, the crowd gasp, and she continues, “That woman,” pointing to her mother.

“Can anyone tell me what color her heart is?”

Not even the sound of a breath or a sigh could be heard, Miracle continues, “What about you Mrs. Hylton? What is the color of your heart?”

Silence roars on as all eyes found Mrs. Hylton. She rose and heads for the door.

The Judge orders, “Please answer the question, Madam.”

She slowly turns around, denying everyone eye contact, pushing out, “I don’t know.”

“That woman who loved me for 14 years, taught me, unlike the difference in our skin and eye color, DNA, likes or dislikes, our hearts are the same in color. This planet was not created for only one race to inhabit it. If more than the seven billion on our planet has the same color heart, where did hatred come from? I am white, and your honor is black, hating you, is hating myself.”

Justice Anglin sighs and said, “You are a Miracle?”

“No, your honor, that woman who loved me is the miracle.”

“Then who are you?”

“I am Tolerance. Because of a miracle, I learned Tolerance.

Miracles have the power to make what humans deem impossible, possible, and they happen every day!

For 2021, let your name be Tolerance.