Racism

Racism

I dislike this word.  I am in the camp of 'can't we all just get along' no you do not need to be besties with everyone but do we really need to argue?  I know some will say this is my 'white privilege' speaking but hear me out. I am saddened by the events happening in my home country right now.  It has led to some interesting conversations in my home.  My daughter wisely said just because you have not been discriminated against or judged does not mean it doesn't happen to others. While I am not an authority, on anything really, some things recently have touched our little family.

I am an adoptive mom.  This is not something that defines me.  It is not something that defines my child either.  In my house I am just mom.  Sometimes with the bonus of an eye roll!  I would not for any reason at all change the way I became a first time mom.  I would however like to make things a bit easier for her at times.

The last time the girls and I flew, my daughter got pulled aside for an additional security check.  I normally don't argue since hey they are trying to keep us safe and really who knows sometimes what sets a teenager off?  While she was getting pulled aside the security guard asked her where her mother was.  Now I need to give my kids credit.  They wouldn't walk 3 feet from me in an airport.  Ever.  In fact we were so close that when she stopped I nearly tripped over her.  My daughter turned around and pointed right at me and the lady was like "oh"  She had assumed Lauren was traveling alone because she wasn't with people who looked like her. It happened again once we had boarded the plane.  Our seats were kind of messed up and we asked if we could sit together and were asked if we were a family.  I of course thought this was obvious on several levels but apparently the flight attendant thought otherwise.

We were recently in Laos.  This is funny to me but I deal with most things with humor.  A man came up to her and said "Ni Hao"  she said hi back.  That is about the only word she knows in Chinese and all thanks to Ni Hao Kilan but I digress. She pulled me aside clearly upset and offended why did he assume I spoke Chinese?  Well honey........haha she took her frustration out on him thru her tough negotiating skills that would then get us asked to leave after making our purchase. This same thing had happened in Sydney when she went to the table with her noodles.  A woman asked her in Chinese (we assume) where to get the noodles.  When Lauren was completely confused the lady pointed to her noodles and Lauren pointed to the store where she got them.

I took the long way around to say don't judge a book by its cover.  You never know what is inside until you look a bit closer.  We are all "guilty" while some do not judge by color of skin, do you judge by peoples clothes? what they eat? how they speak?  their hair? Look closer next time.  Who knows what you'll find.  Might be the best thing that ever happens!

Have a wonderful day.  Choose Love.  It always wins!