Just think about it...

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day. Out of couriosity I had a long talk with my kids about why we recognize this day as something important, and what they think about it. To my surprise they knew so much more than I could imagine they would have. They all took their turns,Bryce, Hailee, Kaden, and Kaleb, telling me about how they felt about people being judged for the color of their skin, their ability or social status. Bryce impressed me when he began speaking about how Dr. King fought his wars with words, not violence, and how we all have that choice. How we all have a it in us to choose words that can and will make an impact, even if it is not immediate, it will over time. Bryce was using the examples of war. He surprised me when he said, "Mom, why do people kill people? Its not like anyone will remember the good things they did, only the bad things. If everyone would use their voice and words to tell people how things can change and how we can all help, they would be remembered... wouldn't they?" To an extent, my 10 year old, was right. How many people are remembered for fighting in wars? How many people remember the names of those who kill someone to "make peace"? Don't get me wrong, I love my country. I love my freedoms. I love, and am forever greatfull for the military men and women who serve and have given life and limb to protect us and keep us free. But, tell me, how many of those who have given ALL in war are remembered by name and face in history? They are remembered as a number, not a single number, but a mass number... Lost in time and given just a number. It does not seem right. It IS NOT right. Then there is the little voice sitting next to me, the voice of reason and it came form Hailee, my 8 year old little girl. She turned and looked at her big brother and said," Bryce, it might make a change over time, but words dont always win wars, and people sometimes die to make a point," very intuitive i thought, and she continued," war is a way of making the fight make its point. You sometimes have to fight to get where you are wanting to go. Right?" Where in the world do kids find the time to grow up so fast and become so strong in their own words? This is amazing to me. Not wanting to be left out, Kaden and Kaleb put in their opinions. Kaleb sitting across from us all wide eyed and innocent says," Thats what Mrs. Parks did. She heard the voice that told her to fight and she did what she thought was good." Then Kaden interjected defending his brother and sister,"Yeah! She sat in the white man seat and started a war on bus between black and white people. She didnt use words Bryce!"This just blows me away. We sat for a while longer as we all exchanged things that we have learned about people, their character, their goals in life, and how we should encourage the good in everyone. I sit here impressed by the way my children absorbed the information that they gather from books, teachers, family, friends, and anywhere else it seems to fly at them from. When your kids, aged 6, 8 and 10, speak with you about history, war, and why we should remember EVERYONE that makes an impact it makes you feel as if you are on the right track with them. They know that things have changed profusely since slavery, concentration camps, segregation, wars in the past and wars now. But still they try to find the good in each of these situations. They try to find the lesson that history has left. No matter if it was with words, actions or lack there of on any part, our children understand more than what we think they do. Today was a perfect example of that. I am proud of them for recognizing all aspects of the lessons the day brought. I always used to think," Why is it that we Celebrate MLK day? What did he do that was so great? All he did was preach and make a few speaches." Pretty sad it took 4 kids to show me the impact that was made in those words, and how it should make us all think about where we are, how we got to be where we are, and who we should thank for it. Just think about it.....