Monday, January 15, 2007

Black and White and Shades of Brown

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Our shul sponsors a blood drive every year on the Sunday before MLK Day and both Husby and I went to donate. I usually go every two months, but couldn't donate last time due to low hemoglobin (iron). Yesterday, my iron level was up from two months ago, but still not high enough to qualify. I was bummed. It's become quite meaningful to me to donate blood; this past year I made a point of scheduling a donation on 9/11 as well.

If you qualify, please give blood. It saves lives (a mitzvah), it's definitely a form of tzedakah (charity), and it fills a need that nothing else can fill.

Oldest Son is in school today. The school has an MLK focus all day today in all grades. He's been learning about civil rights for the past week or so, and the other day, when comparing his skin color to Youngest Son's to Husby/Abba's to mine, he said that it didn't make sense why people were so focused on skin color when none of us had exactly the same skin color anyway. Even within our family, our colors range from light brown sugar to pancake dough.

"Why do people think what you look like matters when it's who you are that counts?" Oldest Son asked.

Good question.

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