Life in the Fast Lane

Only not really, it's kind of like life on foot around here lately. I'm down to one more week of my tough summer classes and my formerly rising at 8:00 a.m. to work all day self is back to her old ways. In fact I just got a 96 on a paper I wrote on a book I didn't read. That's classic under-grad Meg peeps. I'm not proud of it but it's summertime and when there's an afternoon thunderstorm like there is today I don't want to be reading about the judicial process in Virginia. I want to either be napping, watching one of the multiple documentaries suggested to me by you fine people or re-runs of The Office on Netflix, or reading something I'm interested in like this little pretty:

Finding the balance of light and heavy content on this blog has been something I've struggled with since starting My Own Yellow Wallpaper. Do I want to pull the serious political crowd whose views of Christianity are evolving like mine? Or do I want to talk about books, birds, and weekend activities. Let's be honest in all reality I'm pulling only one crowd and they are all blood-relatives so they'll read it no matter what I say.

So in keeping with the trend, how about something serious for a while? One of my classes this summer is Multiculturalism and I am riveted by it. We talk about equality for all types of people in our classrooms and how to love. No, we don't call it that in class but that's what we're learning. We're learning how to love children of all races, religions, SES's, abilities, genders, and sexual preferences. Sure we're learning how to teach them as well but the common theme is that we must care about them first and give a crap about where they come from and respect it before they will give a rip about what we have to say.

For some it is easy. I came in knowing which groups I held biases toward and I was ready to face them and move on from them. But I see other people fighting it, I see people who want to hold onto ideals of over-generalizations and stereotypes because they are so deeply ingrained.

I think every person currently in a career and every student should be required to take a multi-cultural class. As teachers, we are not the only ones who come in contact with all different culture types.The content I have learned in this class is more valuable than anything I have learned in school so far and that's not an exaggeration. I just wish I could carry all of you to class with me each week. Your soul would be moved.

My definition of helping has changed.
My belief in the "culture of poverty" has been diminished.
My awareness about white privilege has been raised.
And most importantly I'm once again shown my purpose in this life, to: