On FB this morning, I posted a quote from Frederick Buechner. Frederick Buechner's writings are wonderful. Part of the quote said, "all moments are key moments." A key moment struck me this morning and hopefully I gained a little more understanding.
When the term "white privilege" was first being batted about, I took offense. I thought it meant that whites have everything handed to them, and I know how hard we, especially Mr. L, have worked, and there have been some extremely lean times. So, I felt resentment at being told I was privileged because of my color.
Listening to those who understood the meaning of the term better and whose counsel I highly respect, my thoughts began to change. Change is hard for me because I was raised in a religious environment that I felt taught me that change was being wishy washy, or trying to fit in with the times, and that if I had doubts about anything pertaining to God and Christ, then I did not recognize the Father's voice. Frederick Buechner also says that "without doubt, there can be no faith." Having adult children with minds and opinions of their own, has helped me in learning to see things differently and that a changed mind is not a sign of weakness. Gradually, I've come to understand a bit better, what the term "white privilege" really means.
This morning as I was walking in my neighborhood, a police car passed me. We have one black family that lives in my neighborhood and the husband runs every morning. We had just greeted and passed each other when the policeman drove by. My first thought was not, "oh, dear, am I in trouble," it was, "oh, no, I hope that black gentleman is not going to be bothered." That is white privilege. When a second police car passed me, I was reminded how privileged I am to live in a neighborhood where police cars are a rarity, not the norm, and that, in general when I see a police car I think of a helper not of a danger.
That moment was just one more stepping stone in my walk to understand better that which I cannot personally experience.
