My daughter asked me the other day: When you date someone, does your skin have to match? First I asked her what made her ask that, and she mentioned seeing a show on Disney where a boy with brown skin had a girlfriend whose skin didn’t match his. I told her that God made everyone the same on the inside, where it counted, and that it doesn’t matter what color you are on the outside. No one really “matches” their skin with someone they love. I told her that if she compared Daddy's skin to mine, she would see that we aren't even close to the same color.
Our conversation reminded me of one I had with my friend Wila not that long ago. I’m not sure what started it, but I think I mentioned to her that I thought my son, because he is so fair-skinned, should marry a woman of color. That way his children might have a chance at being outside in the sun without constantly seeking shade or wearing sunscreen. When I told him my suggestion, he agreed. Besides, he’s always had a thing for Jennifer Hudson!
Wila said she has a theory about the second coming of Christ. She thinks he’s waiting on us to all be one race, to blend our skin tones with marriage and babies until we are all truly seen as equal. (Did I tell you she’s a smart woman?) I think she might be on to something.
I hope I am raising children who are “color blind” when it comes to how they see others. And that one day, they will choose to love someone for who they are on the inside and not judge first his or her outward appearance.
1 comment:
Its nice to know someone thinks I am smart, thanks.
I try to accept people not only for their skin differences but for their cultural differences. I find the obvious ones, such as faith, language and traditions, easy to appreciate. But others, such as personal experience and upbringing are often so subtle that I am sometimes confounded by them. I often would be "smarter" to follow my children's lead on these matters. It is one area that I find today's generation much further ahead of my own.
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