After the ugliness of the past couple of days, today I'm enjoying the sound of Gracie and her best friend, Katelyn playing upstairs. I've open countless tubes of lip gloss and glitter and helped with crowns and earrings. They are dressed up in sparkly princess dresses and "high heels". The giggles echoing down the stairs are infectious and I can't help but smile listening to them.
Children are a blessing from God and they are only little for such a short amount of time. I plan to enjoy every minute of Gracie's childhood. Someday she'll dress up in a fancy dress and high heels with real makeup on her beautiful face and leave home to face her future. My prayer is that by the time that happens, she won't have to deal with what her mommy and daddy have had to deal with on her behalf.
As parents, we are the ones who pass on prejudice and bigotry. Children aren't born hating others because of the color of their skin or their ethnicity. It's learned in homes filled with ignorance. I grew up in a home like that. My father, as much as I loved him, was a first class bigot. My sisters and I were told that if we ever came home with a "n", we'd never be welcome in the front door again. I don't know how, but all 3 of us have somehow overcome that attitude and hate being with ignorant family members who think nothing of slinging racial slurs and making fun of other people. We have sworn to make sure our children don't have to "unlearn" hate. Kristie, Carol, and I spend very little time with our extended family and when we do have the opportunity to be with them, I'm appalled at what seems to be the "norm". I had a heated conversation with one uncle who had the gall to tell me that "those people" are different. I informed him that my daughter was one of "those people" and she was a precious child of God. I left soon after that conversation and haven't been back. I'm willing to turn my back on them if they can't accept her for who she is.
Hate hurts everyone. Please join me in praying for a world where children are no longer ridiculed because of the color of their skin or for their ethnic background. It has to stop somewhere. Let the change begin in your home with your children.
May God bless you.
4 Comments:
Great thoughts Angie.
Amen, Angie.
Great thoughts, and yes, hate hurts.
Unfortunately, I don't think we or our children will ever be in a world where people are not ridiculed for their race, religion, or nationality. That's just the fact of life in this fallen world we live in. What your daughter has faced even at her tender age is not much different from what I have faced in the 16 years I've lived here. I'm under no illusions that it'll stop anytime soon either, whether it's implicit or explicit.
All I can hope for is that hateful and ignorant words stop right there, and don't become hateful action.
Angie,
I am just getting caught up on what's been going on with you here and I am so sorry. But you have had immeasureable grace and poise in handling this situation. As a mom of two little ones, I have observed that my kids notice that their friends have different hair colors, skin tones and abilitiies--yet the answer to these differences are always "it's just the way they are made." And they commence playing and having a great time with their friends. That is also my hope for the world--to love others "just as they were made." Hugs to you all!
Sharon
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