raising a mommy

raising a mommy

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

i'm done being quiet

Here are some of the reasons I've been quiet so far:
  1. I don't know as much as I should. I will admit that there are a lot of things about which I am ignorant. I'm afraid of sharing my opinion and having someone shoot it down and make me look silly. No more. If I share something that is just outright ridiculous or wrong, I want you to call me out on it, preferably gently and with tact. I will never intentionally share incorrect information, but I gladly welcome intelligent conversation in which all sides (because there aren't just two) can not only be heard, but also listen.
  2. I've been trying to figure out how to play the middle ground. I have a lot of friends and family members who are extremely conservative, and I have a gift (I think) for being able to see multiple perspectives. I've been taming down what I want to say about a lot of things in hopes that I can still reach some of those who are turned off by the abrasiveness with which people like my little brother sometimes share their opinions. (All the respect in the world to you, Adam! Keep fighting the good fight!) Does that make sense? If I come out and say "The president is a moron." I'm going to lose my ability to reach people. And that's not something I want to say anyway. I will say, "The president does a lot of things with which I disagree."
  3. I've thought I don't have a voice that reaches enough people to make it worthwhile. On average, roughly 50-100 people have read each blog I've posted. There have been others that have been bigger (miscarriage, mental health, and my lament on what it's like to be a woman in a society that does little to control rape culture), but for the most part, I reach my friends, my family members, and a few random strangers if I happen to chose the right hashtag.
I am done with all of these. I do not want to look back 50 years from now and say "I could have done more." I'm not okay with that. I want to look back and say "I used my voice and it made a difference." I want to be able to say that there are people who are alive now because I stopped caring about offending those who didn't value my opinion anyway. Because I used my voice to fight for the rights of the oppressed. I'm done being quiet, and I'm looking forward to it.

God will forgive us for being quiet, but history will not.


Saturday, January 28, 2017

ignorance is not bliss

It is dangerous. And choosing to remain ignorant is not an option. Ignorance is not bliss. One more time in color with a fancy background?



But here's the good news: ignorance is treatable and often costs nothing but a little bit of your time. Don't know where to start? Here are a few suggestions:
  • Mental health
  • Racism
  • Immigration
  • Infertility and miscarriage
  • Religion
  • Child brides
  • Forced prostitution/sex trafficking
  • Modern day slavery
Reach out to someone who can teach you. Find someone with a mental health issue and ask them how if affects their daily life. I can almost guarantee there is someone closer than you think.

Walk into a place of worship that is unfamiliar and set up a meeting to talk to their leader. You will likely find that you have more in common than you thought.

Google a cause you know nothing about, find a phone number, and ask to speak to someone who can tell you what they do. Please. I have never heard of a scenario in which someone was upset or offended by another person admitting they know very little about a cause, condition, organization, or issue. The absolute worst thing that could happen is that you waste a little bit of time and are no longer ignorant.

If you have a cause and are willing to share your knowledge or passion, please leave a comment below or share this post so people can reach out to you. If you are even mildly interested in any of the above or any other cause but don't know where to start, leave a comment below, reach out to me personally, or share this post and ask for suggestions.

You may decide, after learning a little bit, that you passions lie elsewhere. That is absolutely fine. But continue to search for your passion. There is no shortage of injustices in need of a champion. You don't have to go into it with the goal of changing the world, but how cool is it that that could be the accidental byproduct?

I came across a quote that reads "Ignorance is the single greatest tool of oppression."

Don't want to be oppressed? Don't be ignorant.

How about one final time, really big?


Thursday, January 12, 2017

grandpa

I'm thinking about my grandpa today.

He passed away last June. I only saw him and my grandma a couple times a year, so his passing has done very little to change my day-to-day life. But every now and then I stop and remember, especially lately.

My grandparents have been into social justice since before there was a name for it. They're the ones who, when the alcoholic deadbeat they hired to help around the farm came to collect his pay, refused to give it to him and instead gave it to his wife so she could use it to feed and cloth their family before it got lost at the bar. They have always the the quiet fighters for what is right. They care for the poor. Not just with a couple dollars in the collection plate on Sunday, though they knew that was important, too, but with their literally countless hours of volunteer work in their church, their community, and their world.

So today I'm thinking about my grandpa. And I'm crying, just a little, but I'm inspired. He left an 84 year legacy of service, discipleship, and all those other cliches that go along with an amazing man like him. Now it's up to us: his wife, his 9 children, his 21 grandkids, his 6 (and counting) great grandkids, and everyone they touch to carry on that work.

Please, in memory of my grandpa and all those who have gone before us trying to leave the world a better place than they found it, do something today that will make someone smile.