Thursday, July 1, 2010
Thankful Thursday
It's Thankful Thursday which means tomorrow is Friday but who cares cause from now until late August, everyday will feel like Friday and for that, I'm EXTREMELY thankful! WOO HOO!!
I was working on a sample for a Make-It-Take-It and as I completed the tag I realized that growing up during the turbulent era of the 60s and early 70's is something else I'm thankful for. Although I didn't know it then, I was learning valuable life lessons. I was being shaped. And, I'm very surprised to say, it took me until recently to see it but like the saying goes, better late than never. I was raised in a predominately African-American neighborhood and at school I was only one of a few Mexican-American students. In high school, the numbers changed to near equal numbers of Latinos, African-Americans, Asians and Anglos (wow, look at all those "A's!" HA!). And we were all female! I'm realizing that the experiences I had of being exposed to young people of various cultures purged me of potential stereotypical assumptions people sometimes make about other groups. And it's for those experiences that I'm thankful for. In fact, I'm even more thankful for those than of having to go back to school in late August. Life lessons. You never know when one is gonna bite you in the ass. LOL!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
I think it is facinating that you were lucky enough to have such a diverse group of people to grow up with. In my little town where I went to school there was only one black person, a boy. He was a friend of mine. He was quite popular becasue he was so nice. He moved to Chicago when we graduated. I have not seen him since. He did come back to our small town and my daughter met him. He sent greetings to me by her. I am thankful to have known him.
These lessons are something I can connect with...I graduated in 1968 from high school so we were experiencing some turmoil in our hearts and minds. Beautiful images! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart
What a beautiful tag!
And what a good reason to be thankful ;)
Hope everything is ok with you!
Here we are enjoying summer and the kids are in their last school weeks.
In August I will plan to go to NY and take the youngest with me.
Enjoy summer Linda!
Lisa, so true about my fortune of growing up among various cultures. My children have also had this wonderful experience.
Mary Helen, I truly feel that growing up during that time gave me the skills to be compassionate towards people different from me. At least that's how my experience was.
Marianne, all is well with me now that I'm finally getting settled into summer. Thanks for the comment on my tag! Have a wonderful time in NY. Hope it won't be too muggy for you!
Linda, did you go to the other kid's houses to share more of their culture? Or just interacted at school.
I grew up listening to people that looked down to anglos, because the men were weak guys with aprons doing dishes, and other men kissed their wives and danced with them at weddings. Horrors to a macho Mexican, haha. Yeah, talk about culture clashes...
When living in Mexico City I studied Japanese and was very involved in Japanese culture, even going to meditate, doing zazen, and karate practice, and I had Japanese friends, with issei parents.
Now, living in LA, I am starting to know a little about African Americans, and I hope to find some friends in their community.
Live and learn, no matter your age.
always found your roots so fascinating, and am soooo happy for you that school is OUT!
Christina, how lucky for you to have been touched by the Japanese culture.
Soul, when is your last day of school?!
Mija, first of all I am THANKFUL you shared that tag! It rocks my world! LOVE it!!!
I am overwhelming thankful that I grew up learning to embrace diversity. Friends of EVERY color, religion, and sexual preference sat at our table.
I have lived in 'vanilla' towns (like Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, CA) and found it difficult to relate to the close minded prejudices-- and now I am in Anaheim, CA where I can once again feel a part of "real life" and a melting pot of cultures.
I have heard of 'hoods referred to as "the good side of the tracks" and "the bad side of the tracks"...we need to finally realize this is ONE WORLD and we need to stop DIVIDING people and learn tolerance and love.
Wow, how wonderful to have such a culture steeped time at school. We were mostly 'white middle class' at our schools. There was only one African girl at my grammar school too. I just love that tag.
Jolene, I always think back on how our paths crossed while visiting our grandmothers. I think it's great that your new neighborhood feels like home to you.
Gina, I suppose that England, like the U.S., has pockets of diversity. Glad you liked the tag!
I grew up in Indiana back in the day - red necks, white socks and blue ribbon beer! LOL
I lived in what they referred to as a "mixed" neighborhood growing up, but that just meant there were Whites and Blacks.
However, I moved out here to Southern California when I was 21, so I've been fortunate to meet and have friends of ALL nationalities. So glad I got on that Greyhound Bus back in 1975 *smiles*
Oh yeah, the tag. LOVE it! *smiles*
Post a Comment