July Message from Deb Green
Finding the strength to push on
A few weeks ago I married my partner of 20 years. Our invitation stated, “Now that we can, we shall!” which exemplified how we felt about finally having the legal opportunity to be surrounded by the support and love of so many of our friends and family.
Eight days after my wedding, while far away in Canada on vacation, I learned of the horrific shootings in Orlando. Both my partner and I were filled with so many emotions, ranging from gut-wrenching grief to despair to beyond-words anger. We were glued to news reports and read far-too-many Facebooks posts.
I remember where I was at the very moment I heard of the shootings in Newtown, CT, Blacksburg, VA and Aurora, CO, amongst others. I will now add this one (the deadliest ever) to that list and this one, for me, seems more personal.
I know that many people can relate to the range of emotions felt and the need to find the strength to push on. For me, I continue in the work that I have done for the past 35 years for one very basic reason...I believe with my heart and soul that we have the opportunity to change the world through young children. This is what guides me and pushes me forward.
Children are not born with bias, prejudice, bigotry or hatred. Sadly, those are learned traits.
Our children can and will encounter many differences throughout their lives. Differences in values, in ideas, in race, in religion, in sexual orientation, in family composition, and in a multitude of other ways.
I believe that when children are exposed at a very young age to differences of all types, and most importantly, given strategies to peacefully solve their conflicts and given honest answers to their questions, differences become their norm.
But it is up to us, as parents and as educators, to be the leaders in this work. We must talk (and talk some more) to our children about the differences in our world, and to celebrate both the differences and the similarities amongst us all.