Howdy Y’all,
Firstly happy Monday, this post is late today because I spent most of last week sick and this weekend was about my daughter and priorities. Yes she is another year older, three today,where have those three years gone? We have done lots I have aged what feels like a century,but bizarrely it feels like only yesterday I was driving with Mr L and Mummy L to the hospital. That little 7lb 3oz bundle of love is now a very sassy, independent, sweet, funny and bright young lady. She lives for Disney Princesses and Tutu’s but loves Lego and bricks. I feel this year acutely because we only moved a few months ago and don’t have the infrastructure that we have had in previous years. (It takes time to make friends!) This meant we didn’t have a party, although our great friends came for tea yesterday and she had a ball. This is the Debbie Downer for the way we live, it also hurts that she is far away from family and long term friends, but one has to “suck it up.”
I have been in a reflective mood this week, (which often happens in birthday season.) I am concerned about the world Little L is growing up in. It seems so apt I am feeling this way, when my daughter is celebrating her birthday the day before history could be made, with the US potentially electing its first female President. I have never made this blog political and I don’t wish to start. Those who know me personally will know I have held an elected political office during my lifetime, so it is a passion of mine. I have always welcomed healthy debate, differing opinions, educated and informed reason. I have dreamt of the time when being a women would not be noted in political office because it would be the norm. That has not come as quickly as I imagined, frankly I think it is disgraceful it has taken till 2016 for a major contender for President to be a women. I do not think the gender, ethnicity or sexuality of a person should determine whether they are fit for office, more their moral grounding, experience and work ethic. Here I face my problem. I want to be excited that potentially for the first time in my life and Little L’s young life we could see women running three of the major Western nations. I want Little L to see that the glass ceiling is smashed, I want her to see that the world is her oyster, but my problem is that I want her to see these things and be able to achieve these things not by degrading herself in a process which has no moral compass .
As a mother I work and try hard to teach Little L right from wrong, to be kind to others, be respectful and understand why someone is being mean. I try to teach her that often when people do something unkind it is because they are hurting or unsure. It is very difficult to teach these lessons when the potential leaders of her nation have such blatant disregard for these simple lessons. Honestly how low can people sink? I am very proud to be a guest of this country, I am often touched by the friendly and welcoming nature of my friends and neighbors, good people, people like us trying to teach their children decent values for which humanity should stand. I am genuinely disturb that my three year old hears the kind of vocabulary and slurs which have been used this campaign season in the regular media. Words and accusations that I can not even type they are so disgraceful. Even in my neighborhood (and it is a very decent one) there has been vandalism of peoples property which my daughter could see and heated dialogue about sign stealing. I think this has been the most hostile and angry campaign I have seen in my lifetime. Why can people not have healthy debate? Why is it not ok to disagree with each others ideas but still remain friendly and show each other respect? When did it become ok to vandalize, steal and shout abuse at people?
I hope after tomorrow whatever the outcome people can accept the result, move forward in peace and unity. I pray the same thing for my own country with Brexit, the country spoke and the majority rules, it may not have been my wish but part of being a grown up is accepting outcomes and moving forward. After all “you win some and you loose some.” For Little L’s sake I do hope we are not faced with another campaign of personal disrespect and anger. It is so disengaging. I believe so many people have been turned off by this constant news cycle of slurs. For young people this is not ok. I mentioned earlier I wanted to raise Little L to be socially responsible and interested in international development,it worries me that this sort of behavior will cause apathy and disinterest and ladies lets remember what women went through to get the vote. We want a youth engaged, energized and caring about the worlds future. So I pray perhaps naively that after tomorrow we can move forward together standing together, upholding the simple lessons which we teach our babies.
So sorry this turned into a little of a tirade, but it has been bubbling away. I’m off now to wrap the last of Little L’s presents and to fetch her from preschool, it is raining today and she has been so tired with all the fun of the weekend. I think we will curl up with a new movie on the couch, I am going to cuddle her (if she lets me) and try and relive this special time three years ago, when I was given my greatest blessing and teacher ever. I’m going to hug her and keep her warm safe and young for as long as possible, so that she doesn’t have to be exposed to some of the dark offerings which have been displayed in these past few months.
Ta Ta for now.
TLLx