Who I hope to be.

Dear Beth,

After this course is ended I hope you go into the world with a greater appreciation for the differences that make us all unique. I hope that you never look at another person with anything but compassion and understanding, and that you have learned to not judge a person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins. I hope that you are able to see the reasons people are who they are and understand that it is a complex balance that creates the person before you.

I also hope that you become an ally to those who would call upon you. That you stand up for your beliefs and do not let others tread upon those around you who are unable to speak for themselves. I hope that you celebrate the differences of those around you and cherish those differences for they are what make the colorful world that you love. I hope that you never hesitate to tell someone to let go of their prejudices and stand up against discrimination at every turn.

I hope that you become a role model for the younger girls that you know now and will come to know. That you tell them it is possible to be a strong, sensitive and intelligent woman all at the same time. Help them to know they don’t have to put those around them down to keep themselves afloat. And, when you hopefully become a mother, tell your children about equality. Help them to grow in an environment where differences are wonderful and every person deserves just as much as the next. Give them the same open eyes to view the world that your parents gave you.

This may seem like a heavy bill but I know it is one that you can fill if you so choose. So, go into the world and fill it with understanding and love, never hate.

~Beth