If parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out. ~ Marian Wright Edelman

During my morning devotional time, I read this line, Love is reached through a journey, and it requires practice. It comes from a larger context by Enzo Bianchi in which the topic of loving your enemy is examined. Maybe my mind is still on loving those who are different than you because of last night’s play. I think that I am on a journey of loving better and that requires practice. I find myself having conversations with a young person in my life and challenging her to think more broadly. She made a wise crack about someone’s physical appearance on TV the other night and I asked her why she would do that. I am still learning how to deal with jokes about racial, gender, and sexual orientation. I don’t laugh at them, but sometimes I don’t know what to say to show my disproval of them and the toxic language lingers in my mind and all those who have heard the poison.

The photo is from my trip to Burundi. It is the site of a massacre of one race by another. The Hutus murdered Tutsi students and staff here, hacking them with machetes or burning them alive at this spot. When I was there fourteen years after the genocide, I saw the struggle to love your enemies. I met people who were finding the courage to snuff out the racism and hatred. These people have learned to love in ways that most of us will never have to be challenged by. They are working on raising a new generation of children who will not hold the racial grudge. I wish them ever success in their venture. In the meantime, I am going to continue practicing on my own personal journey of discovering my own courage to do the same.

Peace,

Suzanne