On a day, or shall I say a week when the United States has gone mad, and for good reason, I put together a big boy bed. I watched the news about protesting and the riots that ensued and I put together a bed. I thought about how very entitled I am, how very dangerous it is for others, and I put together a bed. I watched the rage, the endless, endless rage that permeates the whole country and I put together a bed. I listened to tweets that perpetuate violence from the pathetic leader of our country and I screwed in screws, read directions and built something that a little boy will love. I am safe, my family is too simply based on the color of our skin and where we live. Still that means I should care more, I should understand more, I should do more, have more conversations and certainly more empathy and compassion. I teach my children that we all matter, our skin color does not, our sex does not, who we love does not and how much money we have does not matter. But that comes from a very white woman who has never had to deal with the discrimination that is woven through the fabric of our country. We should be better, we should do better and that starts at the very top. How I long for a true leader, or should I say leaders, that do not incite violence and threats but who lead by example, compassion and a true love of the people of this country. It seems years ago that we had that. Vote my friends. Stay safe and VOTE!
26 comments:
Rank means not only privilege but also responsability.
Because we, the white, educated people, are fortunate, it's our duty to think about the less fortunate all over the world and how to make life better for them. Each country has its issues.
And yes, we can make a difference by taking on this responsability.
All the best!
Regula
I have no words Meredith to express how I am feeling. These strange times we are living in right now get harder and harder.
Thank you for the thought-full post, and especially for sharing LB with us today. You knew we needed the grounding images of a smiling boy and his dogs. But I see the violence differently. I myself have felt like punching a wall every time Trump tweets. Martin L. King said (paraphrasing) "Riots are the language of the un-heard." For many, if not most, of our society, they have few ways to be heard. To quote the chezzy commercial: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
P.S. Unlike Trump & Barr, I think outside opportunists white-supremists are involved.
My heart goes out to all my friends and family in America, in this day and age this should not be happening, discrimination is rife all across the globe and I can't see an end to it, such sad times, I feel your pain my friend and the injustice of it all.
That is a lovely photo of your boys Meredith and congratulations to little Buddy for his first big boys bed. xxx
It was so good to read your post, Meredith! Good words~how you enwrapped yourself into doing good when times of riot. It was so sad to have one man killed due to nothing he had done. Praying for his family and our police and fire fighters around the country. There were riots around in our state as well. It was so great to watch the Space X Falcon Dragon rocket blast off into outer space Sat. afternoon. Megan said it was like watching the space shuttle take off, when she was young. Something good happened in this time! Hallelujah!!!
When I was at Costco on Friday, both men that helped me were black and so kind, as always. I remember enjoying my new friends in the USAF of all nationalities!!! We had good times even if they were higher rank than me. We are all human beings. God loves us all!
Becky x--------x
We will overcome. As a woman who lived through the 60s and saw similar riots I am also heartbroken by seeing them again. But a statement is being made. And I hope we all listen. We should all have the same rights and freedoms and acceptance. It's people like you and I who teach our children about equality that are the hope for our future. All parents need to follow suit. I grieve for the children who are being raised by bigoted parents. I hope the good people outstrip the bad. Take heart, we WILL replace "him" in 6 months. I can't wait. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
I love the photos you've shared today Meredith. It's obvious that the fur boys love your little boy with the new bed with everything they have. Sweet photos. Just what we all need this morning after yet another night of insanity in this world we live in. Both sides need compassion and love. Love. Caring. I remember as a child in a VERY racially mixed city, my best friend was black and we had the best of times. We still keep in touch frequently although I moved halfway across the country. She is devastated by all of this too. White people aren't innocent, black people aren't innocent. Everyone needs to have compassion on our fellow man. One officer made a terrible, awful decision. That doesn't mean every officer is bad, or even the majority is bad. If one black person makes a terrible, awful decision, we don't blame every black person. I am so saddened by the fact that nothing seems to change since the riots when I was a child in the 60's. Our jnuior high and high school had stabbings daily, merely because of your race. By both sides. I was terrified to go to school some days. My friend and I were called traitors to our races because we were best friends. We stayed overnight at each others houses. We giggled and danced and sang together. We were young girls who did our best to keep innocence and love at the forefront of our friendship although the world tried to take it away.
I still hope. I still pray with her, over the phone now, that the world will someday learn before it's too late.
Blessings, hugs and love,
Betsy
The news is heartbreaking. CJ xx
Three big boys on a big boy bed! Happy news to counteract the bad, at least a little bit.
Thanks, great post! It has been a hard week! And yes, we have a pathetic jerk in the White House! And, I will vote to remove him even if I have to stand in a line with COVID positive people.
How wonderful for all three boys to have each other!!!
One extra benefit of having the boys with me--I won't have the news on . I have also followed the drs orders about no news--I can't do anything about it right now so I am being kind in my part of the world. Remember the love in your home and that most often, moms are its core.
I am old enough to remember the 60's and the smell of tear gas in the air. I am so sad that my life has come full circle and we haven't learned a damn thing....but the bed is cool. Your boys are just too precious. I needed that dose of happy tonight.
photos to soothe the soul and make us all smile. Buddy has come so far and his furry buddies look well settled in the new bed. I despair at how the world behaves, it is not just the US, we are surrounded by greed, rage and madness.
Well said.
Your son has a happy room. In November, we must all vote to give him a happy country and world.
your post as always is insightful and wonderful.
I've read every comment.
I used to talk too much.
I find myself now feeling that anything I say isn't good enough.
but mothers like YOU raising sons with the fair and courageous values that you have. well. it makes it all seem better. there is hope in my heart.
Nance said it best in only TWO lines!
bless you Mere. xo
and the bed and the boys are just exactly what I needed this morning!
Meredith, may that bed be blessed. We used to pray : Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
Bless the bed that I lay on. There are four corners round my bed. Four bright angels round them spread: matthew mark luck and john bless thee bed that I lay on.
Agree with you , once again. On every point.
Just when we thought it couldn't get even worse....
I read about the rioting there though I don't know all the details except that a black person was killed by a white office. I don't watch the news anymore to preserve my sanity. Discrimination is everywhere. If it's black and white in your country it's in some other form in ours. I don't think people will ever learn to look at a person as a fellow human being and not someone of an undesirable race, color, religion or something else.
Love the photos of your boys. They look terrific!
voting is more important now than ever, and congrats on the new bed!! Everyone looks like they are happy with it!
There are no words I can think of but hang in there Mere because the world needs more compassionate people. xx
Thank you for creatively putting together a bed, caring for your family, speaking up for compassion and caring for all, and for encouraging those of us who can vote to do so, Meredith. The latest riots remind me of the horrible race riots in the 1960s near Kansas City where I lived for 15 years. In 1969 I was hired to direct a summer park program in the little town where I lived. One day a class of Black children from Kansas City walked into the park. A little White boy faced the children and their teachers and told them to leave the park. I contradicted the little White boy and I apologized to the teachers and class and welcomed them to the park. I hope the little White boy was able to overcome the racial prejudice he had been taught. In the 1970s through the early 1980s, my husband and I foster parented two Hispanic girls for nearly 3 years; we adopted a racially mixed child whose father was African; we adopted a child from South Korea and we birthed two very White little girls. As best as we knew how my husband and I loved our children and since my husband's passing 10 years ago I am still at it...trying to obey the most important laws it is recorded Jesus shared, to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves...praying that the Lord continues to grow me and others, especially those in authority, in a loving relationship with Himself and empower me/others to live out those laws, to love more and more until my/our time on earth is finished. The jury is still out as to how united in loving my family will ever be just as it is still out as to how united our states in loving will ever be but as best as I know how I am a loving citizen and have voted and will continue to do so and volunteer positively when I can. Before Covid-19 quarantined us I loved volunteer reading with some children in a local public elementary school. The children were from varied heritages: Black, White, Hispanic, Iranian, Asian, Mixed. None of them showed signs of material wealth, but I am encouraged because I sensed that they were loved and learning to love more and more and I hope and pray that they and we will as best we can contribute to building good communities.
I agree with you and you expressed it very well. VOTE!! and Stay safe.
Thanks for your post!
Hi Meredith, I hope you do not not mind, but I have placed a link to this post in my latest blog post. Your post was beautiful written.
Such terrible events happening in the news, truly heartbreaking. I hope Little Buddy enjoys his new bed.
Looks like all the boys are loving the new bed. Sure is nice to see all those happy faces when there is so much craziness in the world. Take care!
So sad for everyone. The world is behind the fight for equality. I am so grateful to be living in a very multiracial country, New Zealand. Wishing you and your family, the very best, and safety too.
Wonderfully said!
Love the photos of your darling boy and the pups.
xoxo
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