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Fences



Several days ago I stopped to talk to one of my neighbors about a vacant private pool property in our neighborhood. We briefly shard our perspectives on the what if's of the property, and the countless possibilities for the local children if it were open. Needless to say many of the residents where we live share the same vision.

Ironically days after that conversation, I had the pleasure of witnessing two middle school aged girls jumping the fence to play basketball at the property. Usually I wouldn't think much of this observation but being a father with two daughters, I couldn't help but notice. Especially when they're no trespassing signs posted everywhere.  However, me thinking like a rational adult, I had to quickly remind myself to think like a kid and note that the fence obstacle wasn't going to be the girls end all for getting some shots up.  On the heels of the conversation with my neighbor it was confirmation that we're all on one accord.

So, the following day I returned to capture some images of what I thought it would look like from a child's perspective unable to climb the fence. While downloading the images I took a moment to really digest the word, "fence".  I researched the definition and I even googled numerous fence related images, and although I know what fences are designed to do, here's what the definition states.  fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary.  

Be though as it may, the two girls were trespassing but they didn't allow the "fence" to break or restrict their movement of their dreams or goals for the day. All across America there are facilities like the vacant one in my community, gated, and locked with no one to absorb them with dreams.  They lay dormant. They're housed by broken promises of politicians and wealthy investors that sell endless empty promises of "fences".  They're extensions of dreams deferred. What if these same individuals were able to witness what I and many others were able to witness? Children looking to expand on their dreams in productive places without locked fences...

jmcqueen@goallinemedia.com    

Photo by: J.J. McQueen 

Photo by: J.J. McQueen 
 
Photo by: J.J. McQueen 

Photo by: J.J. McQueen 


Photo by: J.J. McQueen 




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