Learning from a Child

There are two things I want to share that actually go together.
First, I'm learning more and more what TRUE forgiveness is. There is a child with whom Emily plays with on occasion (see previous post about me being a recluse). I've had frustrations with the way the friend treats Emily and I've broached the topic with my child. Her response is so Christlike and put me in my place in that sweet, loving way the Spirit can move you. She told me, "But Mommy, I forgive (this person) and it's okay." OUCH! Apparently I was harboring a lot more pride than my daughter ever thought about.
Secondly, when praying this morning over our breakfast, Emily prayed thanks for "The man who's birthday is today." I have to say this really excites me. She can't remember the incredibly long name (come on, technically it IS four names!), but she does remember that he was an important figure in our nation's history. I KNOW I have shirked in my responsibility to explain what Martin Luther King, Jr. did and why, but I have to applaud her teachers for helping her to be culturally aware. And, because I want to encourage that, we're going to have a birthday party in honor of him and accomplishing that dream of black and white and all others of playing and getting along together. If we all were a little more liberal in our forgiving, we CAN have that world where we become not only color-blind, but remove all of those barriers that divide and anger citizens of planet earth.