Friday, 1/17/14

Monday we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day off of school. Today I took a good chunk of the day to teach my little ones about him, what set him apart from others and how/why his legacy lives on today. This piece (piece feels like WAY too small a word) of our country's history always feels like a blessing for me to teach. It's a little bit of a challenge to navigate the correct wording of such a delicate legacy of the how's, what's and why's of the history of our country that lead to Dr. King and his time mark on that history, but with careful thought and choice of phrasing, I hope to have hit the mark. The best part for me is always how bothered the kids are by what I'm telling them. They can't understand why people would treat others so differently and so meanly. I am not naive enough to not comprehend that this is due, primarily, to their young ages, but I am optimistic enough to keep the hope alive that they will carry that feeling with them throughout their lives leading them to be one voice in finally ending the scar of racism (and all -isms) that our country has yet to eradicate. Teaching about Dr. King and his powerful and beautiful lessons for all humans gives me pride in how abundantly far our country has come. That being said, there is continued work to be done. I pray that this generation continues the battle in seeing others with love rather than with labels and scepticism. To give others a hand up, and to see that putting others down is not what makes one strong; believing in and building others up is true strength.

Peace out!