Sep 28, 2015

Stuck on Me

    While I'm at it, I figured I'd post another poem real quick. Another struggle I've been having lately is getting stuck in my head. If you know me, you know that I think... a lot. I could honestly spend days alone with just me and my thoughts, contemplating life's great mysteries. This can be good, sometimes, in some ways, but it can also be dangerous.
    It was good for me toward the beginning of the month when my life could use a lot of re-thinking, but now I'm just making myself confused as I strongly relate to Solomon as he writes Ecclesiastes realizing that really, there isn't much that matters in life no matter how much you think about it. Lately I've been stuck in my thinking brain so much that I find it doing more harm than good for me, so I'm praying that Jesus would take the reigns and help me get out of that old brain of mine and just live in His grace (because Lord knows how much I need it).


It’s so easy to get stuck on me.

Stuck on me.

I am stuck on me.

As if the fall of man started on the “me tree.”

Stuck on you, and him, and her.

As if I could get things to go back to the way that things were.

Stuck on time, and stuck on space.
As if all the bad things, I could go back and erase.

Stuck on the beauty of the lives that I’ve lived
And stuck on the dreams that have died as I did.

Stuck on confusion.
Stuck on tiredness.
Stuck on all the things that make me sick of this!

But still, though I am stuck,
I must say, things are alright
Because I still have you to tuck me in every single night…

And you wake me up every morning,
And you walk me through every day,
And though sometimes I get hurt without warning,
I know that it’s okay.

Because I’m just stuck on me

I’m stuck on me
But you love me anyway,
And you will set my heart free.

It might be today,
Or it might be tomorrow.
But no matter the way,
I know that all of this sorrow

Was hung on him.
It was hung on him.

So in that, I can let go
and my new life can begin.


*[But oh God! Won’t you help me understand
Why I can’t get unstuck?

I know what I want to do,
but I can’t seem to get out of this rut.

I am stuck on me.
I am stuck on me.

And I’d like to be anywhere else,
As long as it’s where I should be.]


*The end is in brackets because it's somewhat an "extended ending." I like where it ends before that because I feel like it ends with a more finite and grateful resolution, but the reality is that the rest of it exists because just as I was finishing the writing, I realized that I was not very content with the knowledge I had or being where I was. Instead, I really did just want to be anywhere other than where I was at that moment even though I wish I could say I was finding contentment where I was, even if where I was wasn't perfect. But alas, I was not.

C'est la vie.

Live, Learn, Love, Leave a Legacy, & Stay Creative,
Emma

A Sad Poem

      It's been forever since we've posted anything. Unfortunately, on my part, I know that it's because perfectionism has taken it's toll on me (in a bad way) lately and I haven't felt like I've had time to devote myself to anything "really good," so instead I've just tucked away my ideas and not written anything. Ironically, that literally defeats the purpose of why we created this blog, so here's a poem I just wrote right now because to be honest, my heart is feeling downcast and a little on the sad side right now. I'm bummed about various situations in life and wanting to work through them, while simultaenously having to work on life's physical tasks (4 hour dance rehearsal starts in 45 minutes). I couldn't let it all sit inside of me completely so I just dashed this (dashed? I don't think that's a real phrase, but I'll make it a thing) together real quick and decided that I should post it for the sake of keeping our mission alive and forcing myself to get over my perfectionist issues. 

     Granted, I know that hardly anyone will ever read this unless I share it on Facebook, and even then, my poetry posts don't tend to be as well recieved... but for you few and proud readers out there-- Hi. My name is Emma and I am sad. If you are sad too, know that you're not alone and that it's okay to just be sad sometimes :)



Have you ever felt so alone?


Like you have a great family,
But still no home…



Have you ever felt so confused?


Like what was once just okay,
Now, makes you feel… abused?



Have you ever felt so ashamed?


Like you know that you’re forgiven,
But you’ll never be the same…



Have you ever felt so numb?


Like you go 6 hours full of life,
and then in seconds, you have none.



Do you ever feel like me?


Like no matter what you do,
You’re just never meant to be?



Do you ever feel kind of lost?


Like no matter where you go,
It doesn’t matter. What’s the cost?



It’s not that I’m not loved…
Some people know my name…
I have everything in Christ…
But today it feels like it’s all in vain…


And I know that it’s not true, and you would try to change my mind
And tell me that it will all be okay in the end even though I’m feeling shocked inside
And I know that you’d mean well and I know that you’d be right,
But it wouldn’t mean that much to me because after every day, follows a night
And the cycle goes on and on and on until the cycle has no end
And here I am all by myself, hanging out with Jesus, my best friend


And I love him, yes I do. For he has allowed this pain in my heart.
And even before I was born, he knew I’d be writing these words from the start.


So who am I kidding? No matter what I feel,
I guess it always comes back to the fact that the Creator who loves me is incredibly real.
And he is good and he is great and he is mighty,
His power will save me
And he is big and he is strong
And he will help me when the days are long


And when my friends find themselves a replacement,
And my heart gets stomped on the ground,
And when I get [somewhat] stitched back together but I’m still not okay, it’s okay ‘cause he’s found,
That I am beautiful even though I am ugly and I am wonderful even though I am bad,
And I am whole even though I am broken and I am His even when I am sad.




“The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1


Live, Learn, Love, Leave a Legacy, & Stay Creative
Emma

Jul 7, 2015

52 in 52 Challenge: Week 27

I am over halfway done with my 52 in 52 challenge for 2015!  Wow.  I can't believe time has passed so quickly.  What have I been up to in the past weeks, near months?  Well besides reading, a whole lot. Two jobs over the summer, volunteering 10ish hours a week at my church, volunteering as a journalist for a medical clinic, trying to get my next novel's first draft finished, and trying to sleep.  Life is busy, as always!  I realized today that I haven't updated my progress on this challenge since Week 14.  So, let's review some of the books I've read recently, shall we?

I read Beowulf, which I quite liked, and Gulliver's Travels, which I enjoyed less so.  I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, and then I read The Time Keeper.  After that I read all five of the Percy Jackson books, bummed there wasn't a sixth.  I read a book called Harry Potter and the Bible, which was fantastic and sad at the same time.  I picked up Sanderson's Mistborn and read it for the third time, falling in love with the series once more.  Then I read Boundaries by Henry Cloud, and last night I finished The Long Awakening by Lindsey O'Connor.

Fun fact: The Long Awakening is a memoir about Lindsey's experience as a woman who was in a coma for 47 days, and her long road back to health.  Good read, for anyone who doesn't mind a lot of emotional turmoil and a little bit of blood.

I didn't expect to like the Percy Jackson series, I'll be honest about that.  I picked up The Lightning Thief from a friend and texted her the next morning, asking for the second. She brought me the second and less than a week later I returned for the third.  She eventually just brought four and five to me, and I had the whole series finished a few days after.  Not only are they easy-read books, but they're also pretty fun and packed with Greek mythology (which has always fascinated me).  I appreciated the fact that they didn't paint the Greek gods as all-powerful, all-knowing gods like our Creator.  Instead, the books mimicked an idea like something from The Avengers--other-worldly, much stronger than us and can't be killed like we can.  But they aren't God.  So I appreciated that.

Right now I have a plethora of options to start on, including Count of Monte Cristo and the sequel to Mistborn, titled The Well of Ascension.  Technically, I should read the prior first, because it's been sitting on my 'to-read' stack longer.  But the Mistborn series is so fantastic that I want to rip open the cover of the second book right now and immerse myself in it.

I may yet choose another book, like the Fitzwilliam Darcy series based on P&P from Mr. Darcy's perspective.  Or I could read Street Sweeper, which was suggested to me by a good friend.

Choices, choices.  I've had a lot of good book recommendations as of late, and I am truly thankful for them all!  So many books, so little time.  Better get started on the ever-building pile sitting next to my bed.

What books have you read lately?  Any ones you'd suggest to a bibliophile?

-Laurel!

May 29, 2015

The inevitable one about Harry Potter

Disclaimer: I'm speaking from personal experience, and am trying to do so in love.  I do not pass judgment on anyone whose opinions vary from my own; I'd like people to know why I came to my conclusions on the subject, and perhaps if anyone is struggling in the same way this can help.  If you are curious what the Bible says about witchcraft and how that translates to things in the world of entertainment, here's a starting point.

Many people have asked me why I don't like Harry Potter.  I decided to write this post because it gives me a chance to articulate some of my reasons.

Growing up, I wasn't allowed to watch the Harry Potter movies or read the books--mostly because of the magic, and partly because of some "scary" bits.  As a kid, I got scared easily.  As an adult, I appreciate the various movies my parents kept from me until I got a little bit older.  When I was 17, I decided to watch the HP movies and choose for myself what I thought of them.  After all, every other person I knew had seen them and most were in love with the series.

I desperately wanted to love the movies.  I felt like I'd be "in" with people; I thought, surely, they can't be that bad if everyone loves them.  One afternoon when the movies were on TV, I sat down and began to watch.  I saw the first one, then the second, third, and fourth over the course of the weekend.  With each one, I could feel myself being tugged in two different directions.  A part of me desperately wanted to watch them.  The plot lines were intriguing, humor throughout, and the magic was enticing.  But there was a small voice inside that kept telling me to turn the TV off.

At first, I decided not to listen.  I progressed on, watching the next movie.  The voice got a little bit louder and tugged harder.  Onto the third movie!  By the time I finished the fourth and started on the fifth, I was sick to my stomach.  I picked up the remote, which suddenly weighed a hundred pounds, and fought against myself to turn it off.  I craved the movies because I wanted to love them and fit in.  But I desired to listen to the voice even more.

I don't want you to think that what I'm saying is if you were really listening to the Holy Spirit, you wouldn't watch these movies or read the books.  No, I'm simply giving a true and honest recount of my experiences.  This is personal, people.  Mkay?  Mkay.

I prayed about it a lot, because God usually doesn't convict me so strongly on movies in the way He did this time--I was a little confused (and definitely conflicted).  Something just didn't feel right when watching them.  I knew the reason why, and decided to look into what God has to say.  There was a part of me that somewhat hoped to find a way around what I knew I would read, but I was also determined not to be swayed by my emotions as I discovered what the Lord said.

I listened to so many people who said it was okay--I began to wonder if it really was, and that's a dangerous place to be without seeking what the Lord says on any topic, not just this.  Looking it up, I found that God is very clear about witchcraft.  We should never seek them out (Lev. 19:31), He wants nothing to do with those who practice it (Lev. 20:6), it is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21), and there is a price to pay when you dabble in dark things (Rev. 21:8).  It is evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:6), and He is against it.  Notice that two of those verses are in the New Testament--this isn't one of those things God only talks about in the O.T.  It's everywhere.  There are many more verses that talk about this subject, throughout both Testaments. 

In fact, Acts 19:18-19 shows us:
"Many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.  And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all."

The problem I found with the Harry Potter series is that witchcraft is portrayed as sometimes good and sometimes evil.  God is clearly against it--He makes no exceptions.  To Him, it is always detestable.  I personally would not want to indulge in something and spend my time watching/reading/thinking about something God is so vehemently against.  If something is written in the Bible, I think it's because it's important.  I don't believe that God tells us things of no importance.  So if anything written once in the Bible is important, how important must this subject to be to the Lord, who shows us time and time again how evil witchcraft is?

Some people have tried to talk me out of my convictions.  In those times, I am reminded of Romans 14.  We're given examples of people who have different convictions: some believe eating meat is alright, and some believe it isn't.  But, "Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats...Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?"  (Romans 14:3...4)  A few verses later, we find another example of differences in personal convictions.  Paul emphasizes that each person should be fully convinced of his/her own decision (Rom. 14:5).

That is not to say that we should make up our own convictions willy-nilly.  Rather, "If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord."  (Rom. 14:8)  Our convictions should be based on Truth, which is the Word of God.  There's a difference between personal convictions when it comes to food or celebrating holidays, and choosing that something God is strongly against is suddenly alright.  People in our culture do it all the time--just think of the two biggest religious arguments that are going around right now.  Personal conviction, or Truth?  For me, I strongly feel in my own life that the Truth about Harry Potter is decidedly against what my culture tells me.

The real issue here isn't whether or not a person reads/watches HP, though.  It's not about getting on one side of the fence and arguing till we're blue in the face.  I think we can all use a good reality check in life--our spiritual lives are important, and it's easy to get sucked into the things of the world.  As it's been said before, just because everyone's doing it, doesn't mean that it's right.  But hey, if you are on the other side of the HP fence than me, I'm not asking you to "repent of your evil ways!!!!" but rather, know where I'm coming from and don't try to talk me out of what I know the Lord has spoken into my life.  I promise I'll try to do the same. Perhaps you have reasons you've found in the Bible to watch Harry Potter--if you have, definitely message me, because I'd love to know what more the Bible says about the subject!

In this day and age, it's a popular thing to say "don't judge!" to anyone who expresses a different view than ours.  While it is true that we should not put ourselves in the place of God and judge a person's soul, we as believers should test everything (1 Thess. 5:21), and that includes even the things we may enjoy.  There's a difference between judging a person by condemning them, and using discernment to judge whether or not something is right.  I know I've had to do it many times, with a variety of movies, books, and other forms of entertainment.

Now, I certainly don't get it right all the time.  Far from it!  I am a completely incomplete work-in-progress, and God is definitely not finished with me yet.  I'm in no way saying that I'm better or holier than another because of my choice in movies and books (or lack thereof).  I am convicted every day by those around me, and though it's sometimes painful to realize something I love is not pleasing to the Lord, I am thankful to be awake enough to see it in those times.

You may not agree with me; that's alright.  My reason for posting this was to shed light on some of the reasons I choose to not watch or read the series, and to somewhat attempt to explain the other side of the argument.  Because honestly, it seems like everyone is allowed to talk about Harry Potter all they want--until they have a different opinion than the masses. 

No matter what our differences on convictions are, we are the body of Christ.  Which is totally awesome.  I hope that you will, whoever and wherever you are, have a fantastic day in the Lord as we all continue to grow in Him and learn more about Him. :)

Peace out!

~Laurel

P.S. If you want to hear more of my thoughts, feel free to contact me and we can talk--but please don't do it if you're only looking for an argument!  ~  Also, feel free to check out books like "Harry Potter and the Bible" by Richard Abanes to read about what other people have to say on the topic.

May 6, 2015

Beautifully Broken

    Here's a poem I literally just wrote, mmm maybe, 10 minutes ago. I wrote it in less than 5 minutes or so. Usually I wait to post things until I've edited it a lot or let it sit and marinate a bit but I decided that today I would let there be something beautiful about the raw truth and imperfection of right now. 

     I was dealing with some anxiety and decided to write this poem. Luckily I've had fewer anxiety attacks now that I have learned how to identify and deal with it as it comes but I had one of those moments where I could feel it dwelling up in me, so I took to ye old typewriter. (Just kidding, I don't own one of those, but I did type everything out on ye new computer nonetheless). 

     If you don't know what anxiety is... look it up, because I don't feel like explaining it. Haha! The majority of people I know think they deal with anxiety, though they don't. But with the insanity of life in this century and the lack of ability or knowledge for people to deal with negative emotion, anxiety is greatly on the rise and you'd probably be surprised by just how many people struggle with it. Having said that, there is a different between being anxious and having anxiety. Also, there is a difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack. Panic can seem very similar to anxiety because they can come from similar root problems but they are not the same. 

    Many people are pretty ashamed to talk about their negative feelings or admit that they can't handle life all the time. Though I sometimes feel this way too, I think it's a very beautiful thing for people to admit that they don't always have their act together. Honestly, I don't think I ever have my act together, but I think that's part of being beautifully broken. The fact that I can feel so dark sometimes and be so disillusioned and discombobulated but still make my way in this world really is a miracle in itself. So I think this world needs to share more of its personal brokenness. We can't be miraculously healed or heroically rescued if we are never hurt or in need of help and I think that without brokenness we would never see such beautiful redemption. Maybe that's why I don't inherently hate sad movies... huh... Anyway, here's a glimpse of what I feel like sometimes when anxiety strikes its way into my stomach... 


Beautifully Broken

Ready to get out,

Ready to let go,

Ready to leave behind the chains that hold me close.

Over my chest, they press and press as they steal my each and every breath.

Over my heart, my lungs, my breast, the chains pull tighter. They never rest.

And so I hurt inside— I writhe, I wriggle,

Trying to break myself free.

Until I’m hysteric, hilarious, foaming and brittle—

Past the point of no return is where I’m heading.

And I cry and I cry and I cry and I cry and I cry until I can’t keep crying anymore

Because I’ve decided to take a swim in my salt lake of tears where I can bathe in my misery galore.

And it’s dark and it’s dank and it’s full of screeching souls

But I’m tangled up in chains so I don’t mind

But inside me is the metal of the chains I’ve swallowed whole and now they seem to bind me from inside.

And I burp and I belch and the chains come poking out, like the birth of devil spawn inside of me.

And I can’t seem to figure out what the heck I should do because I’ve tried (for so long!) not to set them free.


So I shut down.


Completely.



I learn to live in the dark.

No flashlight, no nightlight, all the light has been set apart.
I am completely bound by darkness, like the death I was born to be
And though nothing makes any sense, in essence I am free.

Finally, I mustn’t answer to anyone I know. I mustn’t answer to anyone at all.

Finally I am capable of nothingness in my head.

If I close my eyes, I might even fall-- 

But it only lasts for one second before I wake up and find myself dead.

Until I'm right back at it and the cycle is starting again.

I might as well let it get the best of me...


A n x i e t y.




Live, Learn, Love, and Leave a Legacy,

Emma

May 1, 2015

Sufficient Grace

Grace.  We hear about it on Sunday mornings, talk about it at Bible studies, and try to live by it in our daily lives.  But sometimes, life gets in the way and prevents us from seeing and knowing the truths Jesus so lovingly told us.  We forget to give out that same grace that was lavished upon us.  And sometimes, we forget what grace really even means.
Dictionary.com defines grace as, "a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior...favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity." 
The Merriam-Webster dictionary, additionally, describes it being, "unmerited divine assistance given humans...a virtue coming from God...a special favor."  
On Tuesday, I found myself in need of the grace of the Lord.  I always need it--but sometimes I don't see that need.  I struggle with a condition called Neurocardiogenic syncope, which causes me to be careful in how I live.  Usually, I can catch and take care of the symptoms before the downward spiral.  Earlier this week, however, I found that all of a sudden, my body was saying loud and clear: PREPARE TO PASS OUT!

My sister picked me up from class and drove me home, and I spent the rest of the day vegging out on the couch and trying to down as much water as humanly possible. While my symptoms usually last from a few minutes to about an hour, this one lasted the better part of the day.  In times like those, it's hard for me to comprehend why I have been dealt these cards, so to speak.  I need to remember to immediately run to my Father for help, because the truth of my condition is that I cannot just fix it.  There is no magic Syncope-Be-Gone medicine.  But there is relief of a better kind.

Amidst the problems I was fighting through, a verse was put on my mind.  2 Corinthians 12:9.  I grabbed onto that verse and held it close, reciting it over and over as I waited for something to change.  But then I thought, why should I struggle so hard to be the strong one?  In what way does putting on a strong face, pretending nothing is wrong, help magnify Christ's strength? 

Over and over, I heard the voice of the Lord telling me exactly what I needed in that time.  My grace is sufficient for you.  Chill out, Laurel, I've got this.  My power is made perfect in your weakness.  Do you understand that?

Like the apostle Paul, sometimes we are given a thorn.  This can be literal--a physical illness causing pain--or it can be a number of other things.  Emotional turmoil and spiritual warfare, to name a few.  We ask for our pain to be taken away, but the answer isn't always yes.  Instead, sometimes God tells us simply that He is enough to get us through.  No doctor, no medicine, no lifestyle change can take away some of life's pains.  Our lives are not about feeling great all the time...they are about relying on Christ.  And often times, it is easiest to trust in Him completely when we realize how little we can rely on ourselves.

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me."  (2 Corinthians 12:8)  Paul was suffering, and he asked three times for the Lord to take his suffering away.  Yet Christ, while in the Garden of Gethsemane, chose to have the right outlook, despite his pain.  "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done."  (Luke 22:42)

This is the attitude I want to adopt in hard times.  Not my will, but Yours be done.  God knows infinitely more than I do--I am only a feeble-minded human.  In my weakness, His strength is magnified.  So if He wants me to walk through life with a thorn in my side, be it literally or metaphorically, how is that a bad thing?  It means I get to experience the strength of the Lord in a huge way.

And I would rather have that than have superficial strength any day.

Apr 21, 2015

The Oreo Speaks

There's simply something about being black that no white person will ever understand. 

I've tried to explain it many times, but in the end, I can't quite find the words... so to all of you white people out there, you just have to trust me in believing that there is an intangible difference between white people and black people and you'll never really get it, but that's okay. It is what it is. I feel like I have the authority to say this because I am black and I am white and I've seen and heard and understand things in a way that I believe no only white and no only black person can understand. Being a carmel baby really gives you the ability to empathize (not just sympathize) with both groups. Unfortunately, even then, I can only empathize so much because I have never been 'completely' white and I've never been 'completely' black either. I have only experienced some of the privleges and disadvantages of both types of people and therefore cannot completely empathize with either. 

Good thing God understands us all, eh?

The majority of people I am around are very much of the WASP derivative, and though I fit in with that group most of the time. It's moments like this-- when I hear about men like Martese Johnson-- that make me feel so alone because I know that no matter how often I think that I am on the same page with the people around me, I know that we will never really understand each other. 
I haven't seen the comments yet, but I can imagine the thousands of people searching and speculating in every way they can to figure out what Martese did to deserve the beating he recieved. And I have seen the many comments that say "this is only in the news because he's black, this happens all the time to white people too, it's just never sensationalized." And though I'm sure there is an element (whether a small or large element) of truth to both sentiments, I still firmly agree that this instance is a moment for our country to recognize that there is a problem and racism against black people does exist. I'm tired of hearing people claim that, "We have a black president now, so therefore there is no such thing as racism against black people," or "Look at Oprah! If she's black and successful, all black people can make it too with equal opportunity, as long as they aren't lazy and don't sag their pants." 

The truth is, there is still a lot of racism against black people but it takes a very different form than it did in the past. Don't get me wrong, I definitely believe we have made major progress in racial relations between black and white people from the beginning of our country until now. So don't view my words as a hate speech or some sort of "our country is on the fast track to hell" sentiment. Rather, I simply do not think that we have a good reason to stop trying to make progress just because we're at a "good" place. I don't desire goodness, I desire greatness, and I believe that greatness is possible-- especially when you consider the fact that no matter how good or even great things get, improvements will always be necessary when it comes to American culture. We must remember that change doesn't happen from the outside in, it starts from the inside out-- meaning you and I need to be the change. *Refer to the bottom of this post for disclaimers and further explainations.

First, I would like to identify a few (only a few) ways that prejudice is physically prevelant toward black people in our (American) culture today. Then, I would like to propose a few ideas of how we can change our mindset and be the change that we'd like to see in the world. Are you game?

From a young age, we (westerners) are taught that black is not beautiful. "Hold up, hold up," you say as you start listing your top 5 favorite black celebrities and pick out the 2 or 3 black friends that you think are physically attractive. Yes it's true there are MANY black men and women who are deemed beautiful by our society, however, unfortunately a good number of them are black people with white features. "Say whaaaaaat????" You're thinking... Yeah. You heard me. 
Usher (Google)
Let me explain-- many of the black people that we deem beautiful in our culture are people that have the 'black' skin color or culture but are deemed beautiful because of their caucasian-like features. For example--
Beyoncé (Google)
Jennifer Hudson (Google)









Many of my white friends would consider the people above to be attractive and many of my black friends would agree. But let's look at this for a second and consider some of the facts about these 'beautiful black people.'

1. Beyonce' is a mixed chick like me. Most people assume that she's 'completely black' but she is not. Here's an interesting statement from the writer Touré in Rolling Stone

“Beyoncé has become a crossover sex symbol a la Halle Berry, a black girl who's not so overwhelmingly Nubian that white people don't appreciate her beauty." 

That's not necessarily a bad thing, but why can't someone be "overwhelmingly Nubian" and still be considered beautiful by white people? I think there are many reasons why, but regardless, I think we should try to change that. Many people will talk about the differences of being black, versus being "straight from the heart of Africa black." My question is, why can't someone be "straight from the heart of Africa" and be considered beautiuful by our society?

2. The hair. 
Alright so Usher doesn't really count because he's a guy and men's hair is it's own topic, but look at Jennifer Hudsons hair for a second and take a moment to realize that THIS IS NOT naturally BLACK PEOPLE HAIR. Okay? Okay. Good. Especially some of my friends who have grown up in Colorado Springs don't understand the concept of wigs and weave, so I felt the need to highlight this. Another white person feature that our culture tends to relate to 'beautiful' black people is white people hair. If you don't know the difference or some of the hair vocabulary mentioned above, Google it.
Image via Google

3. Nose. Slim nose for the win, no doubt about it. Many black people have big noses, often times the media we see does not portray such people as culturally 'beautiful.' That's all.

4. Lighter is better. Generally speaking (as this whole post is generally speaking because there are always exceptions to rules) if you're "black" but of a lighter variety in skin tone, you're generally afforded more opportunities and seen as more culturally beautiful. An interesting article I read on the BBC News website says,

"In many parts of Africa and Asia, lighter-skinned woman are considered more beautiful, are believed to be more successful and more likely to find marriage." 

How sad...


Those of you that know me know that I am pretty light skinned. Believe it or not, I don't even really look like your typical mixed chick. This is because I actually have a lot of other ethnicities in my family and many more than two racial types in my blood. I usually just tell people that I'm 50/50 because my dad's skin is black, my mom's skin is white, and that's what I identify with culturally, so it simplifies things to explain it that way.

Photo by Mixed Chicks
Even amongst bi-racial kids I'm pretty different so many people stare me down, trying to figure out what race I am. Not gunna lie, it's kind of funny to watch when that happens.

Overall I don't mind being different at all, and I used to think that I never minded. But when I really began to think about some of the decisions I've made throughout life, I've realized that my perceptions of race have played a larger factor in my decisions than I originally thought. (Probably because so many of the thoughts and stereotypes I had were subconcious).

I remember one summer when I was a little girl, I was afraid to go outside for long periods of time because I thought that if I stayed in the sun too long, I would get "too black" and it would make me ugly. I would stay inside if I could and wear insane amounts of sunscreen if I went outside. Obviously, I had some pretty big misunderstandings about the concept of tanning, but still, as an 8 year old girl, these thoughts had to come from somewhere-- didn't they?

Yours Truly; Photo by Laurel Burlew

My answer is yes. Our subconscious misunderstandings don't pop out of thin air.

Having said that, I definitely believe that the media plays a huge role in shaping these perceptions but not necessarily in overt ways. When were you ever straight up told that black people aren't beautiful? Maybe you have been, but many of you have likely never heard that from the media. However, when have you been told that black people are beautiful--even when they don't have the features of white people? In fact, I tried to find pictures of the type of non-white, black people that I'm thinking of on the internet, but the only thing I could find were pictures of white-black people (i.e. people with black skin but fake hair and little noses). Not that those people aren't beautiful (of course) but the point I am trying to make is that they aren't the only black people who are beautiful.

I remember watching a movie at my friends house once. While we were waiting to start the movie the menu screen was showing the various characters. I was with a group of all girls, mind you, so all the girls were being so squirrley and excited as they talked about their celebrity crushes. However, when the picture of one of the two black men in the entire movie showed up, there was complete silence. In fact, it was kind of awkward because we all knew that the reason everyone was being silent was because the dude is black. Then when one of my friends said, "He's kind of cute too..." my other friend mentioned "eh, he's cute I guess-- for a black guy." 

OUCH.

"For a black guy? What is that supposed to mean?" I asked her.

Then she tried to dig herself out of a hole by saying, "Well, I just don't really like black people."

OUCH again! Right through the heart! The teeny me inside my head was screaming, "Um-- HELLO!-- I am a black person!!!"

The real me simply said, "Well, I'm black" to which she replied, "oh yeah, but not you. Just other black people..." and then she continued to try to dig herself out of that hole by saying things that I will not repeat for the sanity of mankind.

It is also important to recognize that many of the stereotypes about black people do come from an element of truth. The amount of fatherlessness, abuse, gang activity, etc. is typically higher in black communities. However, if you've ever taken a sociology class and have learned about the various factors for these statistics, you'll realize that there is a cycle of hopelessness surrounding specific communities that tend to be made up of minorities. The best thing that can be done to change this is when such communities recieve help from the people who see the root causes of the problems to break the cycle for good, as opposed to the quick "help" of time in jail and public shame. If you think about the orgin of black people in America, it makes sense for these statistics to exist. Though what I am trying to help you recognize is that just because someone is black does not mean that they are a statistic, because the many of them are not.

Now I've been the recipient of many backhanded compliments and ignorant remarks on a daily basis, but one of the biggest things I've noticed is that this mindset that's been created, whether by history, by the media, or stereotypes with an element of truth is rarely just a 'racist mindset.' I have met people who are just plain racist, but very few people. The majority of people that I know who say ignorant things about what it means to be black, don't say it because they hate black people, rather because they have been trained to believe certain things and simply don't know any different.

One of the hardest things for me to admit is that I've noticed that I do tend to be more afraid for my safety around a group of black people than I do in a group of white people and there is no acceptable reason for this in most cases. I am faster to stereotype black people than I am white people, and I tend to notice black people first as a black person and second just as a person. You can probably only imagine the amount of shame I have in admitting that and I am not proud to recognize those statements as truth. In fact, it saddens my heart. Why do I have these prejudices against my own people? These are all mindsets and heart conditions that I am working to change. Majorly. 

This leads me to my first point in a call to action, which is--

1. Recognize your prejudices, then combat them: You don't have to publicly share your prejudices on the internet like I just did, but be aware of your conversations, be mindful of your thoughts, and recognize the stereotypes and portrayals of black people in the media so that it might be easier to seperate fact from fiction when you need to. Then when you see someone coming and recognize what pre-existing notions you might have had, set them aside and approach the person with a fresh perspective. Even if you view yourself as a very tolerant and accepting person, think about it enough and your subconcious prejudices will come to light. Often times we even hold ourselves back due to prejudices about our own race. In communications this concept is known as internalized racism.

Another way you can be a part of the progress in race relations in America is to 

2. Be a part of diverse culture: When I lived in Washington D.C. there were SO many different types of people constantly around me that I didn't tend to seperate them out very much. I just thought of all people as people. However, when I moved to Colorado and found myself living in a place where I was often the darkest skinnned person in any given setting, it shed more light on the idea that someone else was "different" from me and that I was "different" from them. 
     On one particular trip back to D.C. I remember picking up my brother from school and seeing all the kids coming out. Unbelievably, I found myself sub-conciously counting the number of black children that I saw, simply because I was astonished. I had been in a community full of white people for so long that it really highlighted the fact that there are people who are "different" from the group that I had been used to, almost like the seeing someone you've heard stories about but never met in real life. I was honestly quite ashamed that I had noticed, let alone counted, the kids that I saw because they were "different," when just years ago when I had lived there I never saw someone's skin color before I saw them.
      Even if you do live in a predominantly caucasian place, find groups you can be a part of or places you can go to see diversity on a more regular basis. For example, many people aren't aware that there are many ESL groups and refugee camps in their area which provides a space of more diversity. I also noticed that different parts of town have more diverse groups and when I had a job at a gym, I was more likely to see more diverse groups because fitness unites people (I suppose?). Bottom line, make it happen, because you can. 
   

Having said all of this, I am so thankful for who I am, and though it feels lonely sometimes, I am so thankful to be able to see the world from such a different perspective than many of the people I know as a black and white person. In many ways that I can't explain, and probably in more ways than I know, my racial identity has shaped a great part of who I am and I am so so so so very thankful for the way that God has been able to use me to relate to people all over the world in unique ways because of the color of my skin.

I hope that you have learned something from this post (or at least have been given something to contemplate) and I encourage you to open up this conversation and continue to be the change you want to see in the world.

Thank you!

Live, Learn, Love, and Leave a Legacy,

Emma

*Disclaimers and side notes--
I am very aware of the racism and inequality that circles immigrants and other people of other races, including white people, but I feel that because there are so many different types of racism and the situations are both very similar and very very different between them, I would like to narrow the focus of this post to being about black and white. Especially because these are the two sides of me that I feel are consistently at war with each other and something that hardly anyone likes to bring up.  I am not trying to make it seem as if that's a bad thing, I just believe that we need to have the oreo talk and I haven't seen many people that I know getting it started, so I wanted to iniate something.

Another important thing to note is that this post is VERY broad. As mentioned, there are exceptions to every rule and a lot of grey areas in moral topics. Trust me, I know about grey area-- I was practically born one. So please don't take the absolute statements I made and assume that I meant them all as absolutes.

Also, there is honestly SO much more that I could say about this post but I simply don't have time to write it all so I focused on some smaller areas. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask or contact me. 

And lastly... if you disagree with me about something(s) and would like to bring that to my attention, I appreciate it, but please be kind. That's all I ask.


Apr 8, 2015

Update: Week 14

For those of you who keep up with this blog, I apologize for the lack of posting.  Things have been busy around here for Emma and for myself!  While I have been a little too busy to be posting often, I have still kept to my 2015 goal of reading 52 books in 52 weeks.  With the semester getting ready to wrap up and work picking up, it's been difficult to read as much as I would like to.  Couple that with the fact that I have been choosing 1,000-page books more often than not, and it makes reading a large number of books a little bit difficult.

However, I have still been reading!  I have no idea where I was at last time I posted about the books...but I have read some fun stuff in the last few weeks.  I read through The Song of Roland, which is an epic poem that has been translated from the original French.  Though it dragged out in some places, I was pleasantly surprised at how much humor was in it.  Very entertaining!

I also just (and when I say just, I mean I literally just put it down) finished a book called The Shadow Rising, which is the 4th in a 13-book series.  That's right, 13 books!  So much happiness.  The series is incredibly intense, and I would recommend it to anyone in high school or older.  They are thick reads, so don't expect to finish it in a day unless you spend all 24 hours reading.  And just in case you were wondering, I know it can be done because that's how I read through the third book.

Next up on my list?  Well, I'm on to book 5 in the Wheel of Time series.  In addition to that, I would like to read Beowulf--it's been sitting on my nightstand for weeks, and I keep forgetting to actually read it.  So hopefully this week will be the week I finally get around to it!

Week 14 is coming to an end, and I have successfully read through 18 books (or long plays).  While it's not where I originally wanted to be, I am very pleased with how this challenge is going so far.  I can't believe it's already been 14 weeks since the beginning of 2015.  It's also hard to believe it's only been 14 weeks!  Time is such a strange thing, friends.

What have you read lately?  Anything fun and exciting?  I need more book suggestions!

Happy reading!