By now many of you saw the heartwarming story about the two kindergarten friends who wanted to play a trick on their teacher, but in case you didn't, it's worth repeating. The two boys thought that they looked enough alike that if they got the same haircut the teacher wouldn't know who was who. After the haircuts and back at school they couldn't believe the teacher could distinguish one of these boys from the other. Turns out they were different races. How great is it that they didn't see in color?
Recently I was in Miami Beach where there's what I call international harmony. On the beach you couldn't tell where people were from by looking at them. You can begin to guess either when they speak in what is probably their native language, you hear an accent you can identify, or they are reading a book and you recognize the language that the title is written in. But even then, you can't know for sure.
For example, the hotel employee who helped us had an accent but turns out he grew up and went to college just 30 minutes from where I live. I never learned if he was actually born in another country, had parents who spoke another language or he picked up the accent somewhere along the way. Instead, because he said he had been there five years, we talked about living close to the water and found out what we had in common: we both own kayaks and love the Everglades National Park, one of us uncertain about ever kayaking there because of the crocs and gators.
But I will admit, it's very, very hard to not see in color. I had another experience recently where I was in a restaurant that was mostly not my race. I felt uncomfortable because I had just come inside after speaking up in the parking lot expressing that I was there first for the spot. I am not happy with myself that I saw the person "in color" instead of just seeing them as someone who I could readily express my opinion. It's very interesting when experiences like this happen really close together. It makes me stop and pause and realize that I don't not see in color.
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Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you! Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.
Reflective questions:
1. Are there things you did better when you were in kindergarten?
2. What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)
Recently I was in Miami Beach where there's what I call international harmony. On the beach you couldn't tell where people were from by looking at them. You can begin to guess either when they speak in what is probably their native language, you hear an accent you can identify, or they are reading a book and you recognize the language that the title is written in. But even then, you can't know for sure.
For example, the hotel employee who helped us had an accent but turns out he grew up and went to college just 30 minutes from where I live. I never learned if he was actually born in another country, had parents who spoke another language or he picked up the accent somewhere along the way. Instead, because he said he had been there five years, we talked about living close to the water and found out what we had in common: we both own kayaks and love the Everglades National Park, one of us uncertain about ever kayaking there because of the crocs and gators.
But I will admit, it's very, very hard to not see in color. I had another experience recently where I was in a restaurant that was mostly not my race. I felt uncomfortable because I had just come inside after speaking up in the parking lot expressing that I was there first for the spot. I am not happy with myself that I saw the person "in color" instead of just seeing them as someone who I could readily express my opinion. It's very interesting when experiences like this happen really close together. It makes me stop and pause and realize that I don't not see in color.
-----------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you! Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.
Reflective questions:
1. Are there things you did better when you were in kindergarten?
2. What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)
* I use the term God as a universal term. You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today. It is not for me to decide.
Miami Photo by MH
Miami Photo by MH
So I am not sure if this answers the question "Are there things you did better when you were in Kindergarten", but this did bring up a story that happened over 30 years ago.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was born when my husband and I were living in up state New York, (1/2 hour from Canada).
The community we lived in happened to be all white. When my daughter was 3 we moved to Baltimore MD. for a job change.
The day after we arrived her and I were standing in line at a convenient store. The women standing in front of us was black and my daughter was staring at her and at that point I realized that I had not prepared her to meet people of different nationally, cultures or color.
As she continued to stare at the women in line she said "Mommy, why does this lady have on her slippers?" At that point I said thank you God and I promise I will talk to my daughter when we get in the car.
We did talk and she told me that she knew people had different color skin because she watches Sesame Street.
Reading this blog today reminds me how simple it is for children to not see color and yet at times as an adult that is the first thing we see.
Oh God just reminded me that it is not impossible to think as a kindergartener if we think through our hearts.
I love that! "(we) think as a kindergartener if we think through our hearts." Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDelete