“The time is always right to do what is right.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The month of February is set aside to educate us all about black history. We personally utilize this time (along with every other month of the year) to further our understanding as a family of the beauty, sadness & depth of the layers of what has been called “black history”. This is not something we shy away from, it is a daily part of our vocabulary & culture. This is something, in my opinion, that is VITAL for us all to engage with & expand our understanding in. If we truly desire the world to be a better place, let’s start with ourselves. Let us be teachable, practice humility & grow ever more in our knowledge of the world around us & the history that has made it the way it is today.

“History, despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived – but if faced with courage need not be lived again.” -Maya Angelo

Here are some simple ways to do this:

1. READ.
   • Here are some good books if you need a place to start both for adults & kiddos:
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2. WATCH.
   • Find a documentary on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.
   • Watch a film.
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3. LISTEN.
   • There are podcasts, speeches, music. Listen & be educated.
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“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” -Rosa Parks

“We need to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.” -Angela Davis

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” -Barack Obama

We live in a world with practically everything within our reach to gain knowledge & understanding through the use of the internet, etc. There are free resources everywhere as well if you are not able to stream documentaries or purchase books. Check out your local library, thrift stores, used book stores, ask friends. We can do this. I know that for the rest of my life I desire to be a LEARNER. I want to deepen my understanding of the world around me so that I can be a better person for the world around me. For myself, for my children, for my grandchildren. For my neighbors & friends. For the people I connect with through social media & in this digital world. For the Kingdom of Christ. For so so many reasons. Knowledge is freedom, knowledge is power, knowledge can grow compassion & understanding. It is so valuable. Take some time today to enrich your life. This is a call to action for myself as well. It’s worth it. So worth it.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” -Nelson Mandela

 

Cheers,

Katie.