Some thoughts on current events

So many voices. Swirling all around us. Social media bombards us. We are all very aware of what is going on in our nation.

I have so many thoughts in my head. Not sure if they are worth sharing or not, but then I thought maybe trying to get them out here would bring me some clarity.

I’ve always considered myself a person that is not racist. I do not want to be a person that judges someone else as less than because of the color of their skin. But, we are told that saying that ‘skin color doesn’t matter’ is not the proper thing to say. So, I do want to say that I want to be intentional at acknowledging skin color, recognizing the beauty that is in each one. For me, personally, skin color really doesn’t matter. Do I see it? Yes. And yet, I have family members and friends that have different skin color than my own, and when I see them, I don’t necessarily see them for the color of their skin, I just see them. And it’s who they are. That is what I mean when I say that skin color doesn’t matter.

Nobody deserves to die in such a brutal manner. Nobody. It makes me sad that people have to face this. It is so very wrong that people are facing injustices, here in our country, that is supposed to be free, and all because of the color of their skin. It is wrong. I care. I don’t know what to do about it, or how I can help change. I get it that I will never fully understand.

However, saying all of that, each one of us does, to a certain extent, deal with prejudices against us. I get it that they are not of the racist issue. But…we still deal with things. Each of us sees things through our own lens, and nobody else will entirely be able to understand where we are coming from, because we are each in our own journey.

For me, personally, I have this…and, like I said, I get it that it is NOT at all like a racist issue. But there are still certain preconceived ideas out there. You see, I am a white, forty-something mom. But, that is not all, I am a Mennonite, was raised in the Amish/Mennonite culture. That is a large part of who I am. I am used to it. However, I still know that when I go out, when I am shopping or whatever… in the city, people see me, they look at me, they notice me as different, and they have certain preconceived ideas about who I am, and yes, possibly they think less of me because of those preconceived ideas. Sometimes I struggle with this. Mostly, I am used to it, because it is who I’ve been my entire life.

I also realize that to be politically correct right now, this is not the thing to share.

But then, I wonder, why is it that only certain people are allowed or expected to share their thoughts and feelings, but the rest of us are not supposed to?

Bottom line is, we are all created by God. We are all His wonderful creations, and He loves each one of us for exactly who He made us to be.

I want to do my part to share His love with those I meet. No exceptions.