Striving For Understanding

Even though we have black and brown grandchildren that have either lived with us in the past or currently live with us, and whom I love with all my heart, I don't completely understand what it will be like for them to BE mixed-race Americans. While I have some limited cognitive understanding, I also don't completely understand what it's like to be female, gay, vertically challenged, or deal with life-long physical handicaps, because these are not my personal experiences.

I am a tall, Caucasian, college-educated, relatively healthy, heterosexual male American citizen, who is striving to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and who derives joy from helping other people. I readily acknowledge that I enjoy some advantages (some would say privileges) because of the conditions of my birth, my citizenship, AND the natural consequences of the choices I have made and the hard work and diligence I have applied towards striving to achieve the American Dream of enjoying life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Even though I have studied the German language and even lived in Germany for several years long ago, I don't completely understand what its like to BE German. I have also studied Spanish and visited both urban and rural areas of Mexico on several occasions, but I don't completely understand what its like to BE Hispanic. I deeply love our gay son, but I do not completely understand what it is like to BE someone who has feelings of same gender attraction. Even though I have lived with my own mother or the mother of my children for nearly my entire life, I do not completely understand what its like to BE a mother. Even though our easy-going black son-in-law seems to get along with everyone, and even though I have spoken to him about his experiences as a black American, I do not completely understand what its like to BE him. Its difficult to understand what its like to be another person unless, as the saying goes, we walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

Back in Junior High or High School, I read a book entitled “Black Like Me”, which tells the story of a Caucasian man who chemically darkened his skin and travelled the Deep South during the late 1950’s to understand what it was like to BE a black American living in the segregated South. To say it was an eye opening experience would be an understatement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Like_Me

Fortunately, conditions have dramatically improved for black Americans in the past 60 years, but as the attached article points out, even successful and well known black American men have experiences with which I am mostly unfamiliar (although I too prefer to not be alone with females to whom I am not related in order to avoid the very appearance of impropriety)

I'm going to strive to be more empathetic with other people with whom I don't share identical life experiences and continue my efforts to serve and love others. I invite you to consider doing likewise.

https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2020/6/4/21280445/black-lives-matter-white-privilege-racism-alex-boye-julie-boye