The 60s and 70s were a tumultuous couple of decades in the United States of America. In a naive way, I thought the Civil Rights Movement in the US would change things. As I see it now, much of what I imagined was pure fantasy. The social unrest was just that. Unrest. It went on for awhile. People marched. People prayed. People participated in sit-ins. Some things changed. Schools stopped being segregated. The refrain “I’m Black and I’m Proud!” could be heard everywhere. I think it was James Brown who was responsible for that powerful cry.

Some attitudes didn’t change though. It seems they have lain dormant until here we go again.

Same problems. Different days.

I don’t want to be naive anymore. I don’t want the status quo either. Coupled with all the political divide, the racist attitudes, the anger and frustration that is playing itself out again, the global pandemic, and endless wars, we have a lot of problems. Sometimes as individuals, we may feel helpless, but there are many things we can do to ameliorate our problems.

I’m going to go with what I can do.

Just me.

You can do what you can do.

Just you.

Together we can do this. I don’t know about you, but allowing for helplessness isn’t going to get me anywhere.

In the middle of all this, I wrote and illustrated a children’s book. It was a dream of mine and I made it happen. It was one of the most thrilling days of my life when the book became available for purchase. The exhilaration was short-lived because one of my former colleagues who bought the book wrote me that it contained two typos.

As a former English teacher this is not acceptable, but unless I’m willing to part with more money–lots of it–$300.00 worth–it will remain a flawed book. I already spent close to one thousand buckeroos to make my dream come true. Now, I have learned more lessons in life. At least two. One: do a better job of editing the publisher’s copy. Two: learn to live with egg on my face.

I keep thinking of that adapted line from Proverbs in the Bible, “Pride goeth before the fall.”

Now, to put everything into perspective I have to take a deep breath and embrace the fact that this tiny problem of mine is not worth worrying or fretting about. I am a human being who has learned a lesson. One of many of life’s lessons. And as a woman who wants to remain a life-long learner this is a gift. Not my favorite gift, of course, but a gift nonetheless.

My life is very good. I am blessed with health and love and I live in a beautiful place surrounded with nature’s incredible gifts. I get by with lots of help from my friends too.

I have joined a group of women who are going to meet and discuss the racial divide in the world, and what our roles and responsibilities might be. They will differ I’m sure, but we are going to study white privilege, look inside at our own biases, and study topics like “school to prison.” We will learn how we can use our voices, join with others to do small and big things to help make things equitable.

As American women, we have the privilege to speak up, to act, in ways that all women in the world cannot. We must do it for our sisters. And our brothers too, because we will all be better off with a just and equal society.

Will my voice be heard? Will your voice be heard? I hope so.