I have been journaling and reflecting a lot the last couple of days about the state of affairs in this country. No doubt as we get closer to January 20, we are all anticipating change.
Change won’t happen magically, though. We are all part of it — within us are the tools we need to reshape what our future looks like. And before we can move forward, we need to address our past and our present. Acknowledgment is important.
With decades — centuries, truly — of prevalent, but hidden, racism and suppression shaping our present, it’s important to take in this moment. Breathe. Cry. Grieve. Accept that there is work to be done and we have a role to play. Take responsibility for not doing more.
My heritage and my skin color have nothing to do with my values and morality — neither should yours. We owe it to our fellow human beings, no matter their ethnic background or racial identification, the same liberties we demand for ourselves.
Questioning deeply-held beliefs and inherent biases is important. Having open conversations about what we feel and why we feel the way we do is imperative. Seeking help, looking up reliable sources of information, fact-checking — all go a long way in helping create space for acknowledgment, acceptance and, ultimately, action.
I hope that we are all able to introspect, press pause before lashing out, and truly focus on what’s important. When we give a damn for someone else’s pain even though it doesn’t affect us — that’s compassion! When we care enough to speak up for those who are being mistreated — that’s courage!
Our children are listening, watching and soaking in.
Change begins at home. Change begins with one.
I am the change. You are the change. We are the change we want to see.