Color Your World...

I have been trying to think of a way to write this all week. When we grew up, our entire neighborhood was white. By white, I mean the race of our neighborhood, schools and family was entirely white. However, my parents weren't ok with us having the "idea" that this was what the world was like. I specifically remember my Dad taking us to an all black church in Tulsa one time. It was a really neat experience. We were shown other cultures, and taught from a very young age that Race is just the color of your skin.

As I raise my children, MY family has changed. Our family is NOT all the same color. Some of us are white....some a little olive...some pretty tan...others you might call brown...some are REALLY white (don't be offended Blake - it is said out of love) and some are REALLY brown! But one thing I have made a purpose in doing is making sure my children grow up in a world of color! My friends are all colors, my co-workers are all colors, we have friends whose families are all colors....our dolls are all colors, and children in the books we read are all colors.

I was brought up this way. That the color of one's skin, says nothing about the person. I was never told not to bring home a boy of a different race. I WAS told never to bring home a boy who was not a Christian. This week, when we remember a great man who fought for Civil Rights.... we must do our part as parents to make sure our children are colorblind. ALL families have to do this. Racism exists in every race....but as parents we have to be purposeful in making our children accept everyone for who they are....not the color of their skin.