In my little world, this blog is really just a place I run to when I want to preserve some random memory of my boys, or put something down in writing that maybe they can look back on when they're grown and realize that Mom had some good ideas. In my little world, my boys not only get along with each other, but they get along with the rest of the world.
Sadly, the rest of the world doesn't live in MY little world.
In the rest of the world, my boys face things like prejudice and intolerance, ignorance and selfishness. When it's directed at them, my boys can usually stand up for themselves, or for each other, against that ugliness. But when faced with ugliness geared towards others in the world who are too trusting and deep-down-to-the-soul innocent to stand up for themselves? I'm hoping I've raised my boys to stand up for them, too.
My Bug, he's smart as a whip. But most people wouldn't know that if all they did was take a quick look at one brief snapshot of his life. If someone caught him off-guard in the middle of a massive meltdown caused simply by being too young and inexperienced to adequately cope with being Bipolar? A meltdown moment when all he is able to hold himself together enough to do is cry, pull his hair and try to curl into a ball small enough to be overlooked? What do you suppose would be said about him then? What names do you imagine people who didn't know any better would call him?
And that's just MY son. My son, who 98% of the time is fully able to communicate clearly and concisely with the general population. But for those who can't? Well, that's when the rest of us need to stand up, pull up our big-girl pants, and do it for them. We need to strongly, clearly and unflinchingly tell the world to do what's right.
We teach our children to "use their words" when they're frustrated, angry or impatient. But do you stop to make sure you're teaching them the RIGHT words?
Today, I'm asking a favor of anyone who reads this. Take a minute to go to www.r-word.org. Take the pledge. And then HONOR and LIVE that pledge.
Because a world full of people who use the right words? Who stand up for those who otherwise can't? Make it easier to let my boys leave MY world and head out into the REAL world. And know that they won't be alone in it.
3 comments:
Warm sentiments, there.
And your blog is entertaining, too, not just a nostalgic dumping ground. Although that would be good enough!
I love your little world, and I appreciate that you're trying to make the rest of the world a better place.
I wish the battle to end use of that word as an insult weren't so hard . . . so necessary. And I wish Bug didn't have to hear anything that might make him sad. :-(
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