I remember walking home one day as someone on the street was blasting French Montana’s “Aint Worried About Nothin’.” If you’ve heard the song, you know there’s not much to it. The song is basically the phrase “N*gga, I ain’t worried about nothin” repeated over and over again. And despite its simplicity, it was constantly being played. So, I heard it, blaring from cars, on more than one occasion. But I’ll always remember this particular time because an older woman was walking along the same street as me that day and expressed her distaste for it.
“I hate that stupid song!”
We were strangers to one another. Still, she said in such a way that I could tell that she was looking for my cosign. But she was out of luck. I wouldn’t be the one to give it to her. While I would never argue that the song was a masterpiece, I’m certainly trying to get to place where I can say, “N*gga I ain’t worried about nothin’’ and mean it. If nothing else, I could appreciate a song that spoke to my ideal mental state, no matter how unrealistic. With work, family, health, this crazy political culture, and all the social injustice, any conscious person will always be worried about something. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that such a state of carelessness might not exist “til we all get to heaven.” That, to me seems to be one of the most comforting things about dying. That the stuff that bogs us down on this side, just won’t matter anymore in the hereafter.
I was reminded of this sentiment when I read the news that Beau Biden’s widow is now dating his brother Hunter Biden. As you may remember, Beau passed away from brain cancer in May 2015. Months after, Hunter and his wife Kathleen separated. And in 2017, Hunter and Hallie, Beau’s widow, went public with their relationship.
Former Vice President, Joe Biden confirmed the news of the relationship with the New York Post’s Page Six,
“We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness. They have mine and Jill’s all and complete support and we are happy for them.”
You may be wondering what the hell “N*gga I ain’t worried about nothin’” has to do with all of this. Well, I’m trying to put myself in Beau’s shoes. I’m wondering if my soul would be troubled by the fact that my sibling was now romantically involved with my spouse. A part of me thinks that I would be occupied with more pressing concerns, like how my parents and children were coping in the wake of my departure. I would like to think that I wouldn’t be tripping about the fact that two people who I loved dearly, fell in love with each other. Once you get past the salaciousness of the news, it makes sense. Hallie had just lost her husband. Hunter had just lost his brother and then left his wife. Their names both start with an H. You don’t have to think hard about how they might have ended up with one another.
But then, being that I’m still on earth, I have to wonder, ‘There was no one else you two could have found?!’ I believe that real love is not about ownership, especially not when a person is dead and gone, but still, there’s a “ick” factor to your sibling and your husband or wife having sex. Because honestly, it’s not so much the fact that they fell in love, but the sex. Admittedly, we’re a little preoccupied with sex on this side of heaven. Maybe Beau’s spirit is happy that his wife is with someone he loves and can [hopefully] trust. Or maybe Beau’s spirit is like my earthly mind wondering whether these two got together for love or just convenience and shared grief.
With Hunter and Hallie though, it’s not just the sex that has people caught up. There’s also the bit about Hunter not being divorced yet. He and his wife are just separated, estranged. But not divorced. So not only is Hunter in what many would regard as a tricky relationship, he hasn’t fully ended his last one. That to me is more of an issue than the fact he’s with his sister-in-law.
What do you make of all this? Do you think your soul would be cool with your sibling getting with your spouse?
Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.
