I want to preface this post with a statement:

I do not consider myself to be any kind of expert on the subject of race relations. I have not studied it extensively and, living where I do, I am rarely confronted with race issues. Also, I do not presume to speak on behalf of anyone other than myself.

Now that I’ve put that out there, I want to say that I’ve been thinking about race relations quite a bit lately. My consciousness, if you will,  has been raised because of things I have read and seen and heard and today I want to share three of those things with you.

First, something I have read. Actually it’s two somethings, both written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. We Were Eight Years in Power and also Between the World and Me. Both can be difficult to read, at times, but both are so very very important. Powerful and eloquent, they opened my eyes in a profound way. Do I agree with every point Coates makes? No. But do I have a new understanding of race relations as they are now after reading this books? Absolutely.

Second, something I have heard. The most recent podcast from This American Life called Three Miles. Here is their description of this episode: There’s a program that brings together kids from two schools. One school is public and in the country’s poorest congressional district. The other is private and costs $43,000/year. They are three miles apart. The hope is that kids connect, but some of the public school kids just can’t get over the divide. We hear what happens when you get to see the other side and it looks a lot better. It’s about an hour long and I was captivated for the entire time.

Third, something I have watched. It’s less than 5 minutes long and I hope you will indulge me and watch it. It moves me to tears every time I see it and it explains, in a very powerful way, the concept of privilege.

So. Those are three things that I think help illustrate racism, white privilege, and oppression. I don’t know how we fix this but I do know that talking about it without getting defensive and listening to each other without being dismissive is a good place to start. I’m sure that I’ve said or done things in the past that could be considered racist but I truly believe this: when you know better, you do better. So whether I’m reading, listening or watching, I’m really just seeking out a way to know better so that I can do better.

Be kind in the comments, my friends.

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Going on day 3 with those first-of-the-year posts and today I’m going to take about intentions. NOT resolutions. Just 3 intentions that I have set for myself for 2018.

1. I will continue to do my best to live an authentic life. This one is about living a life that is fulfilling and happy. It’s about sharing happy stuff and keeping the negative stuff private. It’s about honesty and integrity and learning and growing. It’s about continuing to incorporate my previous yearly words – joy, grace, shine and peace – while adding this year’s word – kind – to my ever growing arsenal of finding ways to cope with the world. It’s about creating and meditating and doing the things that make me add to the good in the world.
2. Dale and I sat down on New Year’s Day and creating a list that we have called 18 for 2018. There are fun things on there (travel somewhere new, eat at 2 new restaurants) and home improvement things on there (paint the bedroom, figure out a plan for the front yard). There are some lifestyle improvement things on there like taking walks together and some private things, too. I’m looking forward to setting up a way to track our progress and hoping we can stay the course for the year.
3. I’ve pretty much avoided the doctor since my beloved primary care physician retired two years ago. I can’t do this any longer and I need to do things like schedule annual physicals and stuff. I’ve made headway on this one already by calling yesterday and making an appointment with a new doctor for later this month. I hate the thought of going but I owe to myself and my family to do it.

So, those are my 3 things that are loosely connected and all about being happy and healthy in 2018. Do you have a list of intentions? I’d love to hear about the things you are going to focus on in the coming year if you do.

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Today I’ve got 3 random things to share with you because random is just the way things are right now.

1. One Little Word sign ups are open. I’ve done this now for the past 4 years and I’m planning on doing it again. My words so far have been: joy, grace, shine & peace and, while I haven’t made a definite decision about next year’s word, it has been on my mind a lot and I’ve got a few contenders vying for the role. If you want to learn more or it you want to just go ahead and sign up you can visit Ali Edwards.
2. Last Thursday was our annual Christmas Tree lighting on our Town Common and I was warm from my head to my . . .  legs. My feet were freezing and I realized – I have it covered when it comes to outdoor clothing except for a pair of warm boots. I’ve got a down coat and plenty of wool hats and mittens and scarves. I’ve got L.L. Bean hunting shoes, which are great for wet weather but they aren’t insulated at all so they don’t keep my feet warm. After the evening was over I was bemoaning my problem and both Dale and Tom said, you need a pair of Sorel boots. In the spirit of “there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing,” I ordered these Joan of Arctic boots and they came on Monday and I lurve them. I lurve them so much I’m hoping for an outdoor activity on a cold day so that I can wear them.
3. I don’t think I updated you but we did, in fact, purchase an artificial tree. We got a 6 1/2 foot Classic Fraser Fir from Tree Classics and we love it. The color changing lights are perfect for us since Dale prefers multi and I prefer clear. Right now we mostly have the clear lights on during the day and then we change it to the multi at night. The clear lights are definitely brighter and I think they show the ornaments better but the multi are old fashioned and remind me of my childhood. We both love that it doesn’t have to be watered and that you can brush against it without having a jillion needles fall to the floor. Check back with me after the first of the year when we have to take it down and find a place to store it!

And those are my three things this Thursday. Have a great day!