By Von C. Howard
There’s a moment in life we don’t talk about enough, the one that comes after the egg cracks.
We love talking about planting seeds, setting goals, and “not counting our chickens before they hatch,” but what about the moment when the shell breaks? That’s when you see what’s inside. Sometimes it’s strong and ready to stand on its own. Sometimes it’s fragile and needs care. And sometimes…it’s nothing like you expected.
In 2025, “the egg cracking” can mean so many things. For a child, it’s stepping into a new school for the first time. For a teenager, it’s opening that college acceptance or rejection letter. For a young adult, it’s starting your first job and realizing the work is much harder than the interview made it sound. For seasoned adults, it’s getting news about your health, your family, or your career that forces you to adjust. And for leaders, it’s the day after the big announcement, when the applause stops and the real responsibility begins.
And then there’s Humpty Dumpty, the nursery rhyme we’ve all known since childhood. He sat on a wall, had a great fall, and “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.” Interesting story? Maybe. It’s also a reminder: once the shell cracks, you can’t go back to the way things were. You can only deal with what’s in front of you.
In the Black community, the egg cracking often comes with extra weight, breaking generational patterns, fighting through systemic barriers, and balancing personal goals with family and community expectations. We’ve seen it before: ribbon-cuttings that don’t lead to lasting change, community programs that launch with energy but fizzle without follow-through, and leaders, me included, discovering that the dream in your head doesn’t always match the reality in your hands.
Before the hatch, it’s all possibility. Your teens are sending in college applications. Your church is planning a big outreach program. Your neighborhood is talking about starting a community garden. But when the hatch comes, when the real work starts, life brings surprises, setbacks, and sometimes blessings you didn’t see coming.
Here’s the truth: the hatch is rarely neat.
For kids and teens, it’s realizing social media “likes” don’t guarantee real friends, and that grades, discipline, and character still matter.
For young adults, it’s understanding that independence comes with bills, deadlines, and the need to advocate for yourself in rooms that may not value you yet.
For seasoned adults, it’s managing life changes that require more patience, humility, and flexibility than ever before.
For leaders, it’s learning that your community will hold you accountable for promises made, and that trust takes years to build but can be lost in a moment.
That’s why hope isn’t enough, you must prepare for the hatch, whether what comes out is a gift, a challenge, or both.
Here’s what preparation looks like:
Equip yourself before the crack. Build the skills, resources, and relationships you’ll need for what’s coming.
Accept that some hatches bring hard news. That’s not failure, it’s part of the process.
Expect variety. Every chick, every project, every person will be different. Adapt.
Protect your own shell. Stay spiritually, mentally, and emotionally strong so you can handle whatever comes out.
Stay flexible. The plan on paper may not survive reality. Adjusting isn’t a weakness, it’s wisdom.
In 2025, the stakes feel higher. We’re facing rising costs, faster technology shifts, unstable job markets, and constant social change. In our community, that means strengthening families, holding institutions accountable, and preparing our young people not just to break through, but to last once they do.
Because when the egg cracks, just like Humpty Dumpty, there’s no putting it back together. All you can do is decide how to care for what’s been placed in your hands. And sometimes, what hatches won’t look like what you prayed for, but it may be exactly what you need.
