When my daughters were little I was able to be at home with them. I was excited about taking on a new role in becoming a mom and I learned a lot as I developed a shift in focus and priorities. Day planners were replaced with diaper changes, reports were exchanged for children's books, and discussions at meetings became mommy/daughter talks. It was wonderful.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Before becoming a mom I had time to consider what the changes would mean and how it would affect my thoughts, attitudes and approach to each day. Since it was something I very much wanted and prepared for, the changes were welcomed. But there were surprises that came too--big and little--as we maneuvered through these new experiences.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Our new schedules meant that I could sometimes catch-up with a soap opera I had watched when I was in university years before. This isn't my typical viewing choice but it was fun re-visiting a show which had often served as a study break for me. Months later I was watching the Daytime Emmy Awards while doing some cleaning, and when an actress who had returned to the soap for a brief run was given the best actress award I shut off the vacuum and was shocked to hear myself exclaim (out loud), "Her? You've got to be kidding me. Why her?" This was followed by a quick look around the living room to ensure I was alone and no one had heard my outburst. Who was this person I had become? When had I turned into someone who cared about who won a daytime Emmy?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 We can point to many experiences in life that have impacted profoundly the person we are; becoming a parent, a change in career, an illness, the things that have left an indelible mark. Other events may be less significant but nonetheless serve to shape who we are鈥r, more importantly, shape who we are becoming.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When I voted in my first election I was decisive in my choice. In the years since, the issues have become increasingly muddled as I have gained more experience in seeing how these things play out in the lives of those around me. People I've met, books I've read, stories I've heard, the growth in my faith, and places I have gone have had their effect on me, how I perceive the world around me, and especially how I see my place in it.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In 1965 Martin Luther King asked people from across the United States to join (at tremendous risk) a walk with black Americans from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to exercise their constitutional right to register to vote. These risks were played out dramatically in the movie 鈥淪elma鈥� and it was inspiring to see those who took up the challenge. I was moved by their courage and want to believe that if I was presented with that challenge鈥 would answer. I want to believe that is the person I am. I want to believe that I am someone who when pressed to do the hard thing鈥ould do it.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽I have had to make tough choices in my life and do what I knew to be right even though the cost was high. But in those instances it was about my own life and circumstances. What would I do for someone else? Would I be willing to stand with a friend, neighbor or stranger in a potentially dangerous situation? I want to say yes鈥 want to believe that I am the person I think I am, but in order to answer that I have to question the smaller ways in which I may, or may not stand up for others. How do I respond when I hear malicious gossip, ethnic slurs, or distasteful jokes? How willing am I to be the one in the room to stand against that?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 How we respond to comments at the expense of others is one of the benchmarks of who we are. The way we stand with each other in those things will put us on the path to standing up for what truly matters to us when others have fled. Each day is an opportunity to move closer to being the people we believe we can be. That's my outlook.
