I love to write. I didn't always. While my life has not changed all that much over the years, there are times when I have to marvel at how different life is now than when I was a little girl. Then, I would have had to sign up to be a pen pal in order to connect with someone who did not live in my neighborhood, go to school with me or attend my church. It was a tedious process waiting weeks to get a reply and even more tedious writing on thin paper with erasers that more often than not, tore a hole in the paper. It was a difficult way at best to get to know people and see them as anything more than subjects in National Geographic or highlights from a highly edited or scripted television program. I certainly wasn't sheltered as a child. I had many opportunities but I was a typical middle-class female born to two hardworking parents at a time when life was far more predicable than it is now. Now connecting with others of differing viewpoints might be something of a risky venture, but the need to become modern penpals might be the venue that ultimately brings the world to a time of greater understanding. With understanding there is friendship and with friendship there is peace.** After nearly five years of writing this blog, this week, this post seems to be the most popular. Until I read it, I wasn't sure what it said. It has certainly become my voice to the world but with regret, the close mindedness of so many have made it a onside conversation. But even I, a small town retired teacher see the shift in awareness of the general population. The authoritarian mindset that ruled following WWII has begun to show its weaknesses and may soon fall to amore educated and embracing culture. Real Change is upon us and I can only hope that I will be lucky enough to see it.
Today's post, is the first of what I hope is many entries to this blog. I welcome you to comment on my posts as long as you can be civil. Please remember this is how I see the world - it is not the way I expect you to see it. If I can even bring about a small amount of understanding between two different viewpoints than I have accomplished what I hoped to do. I hope we become internet friends. Global friends in an ever shrinking world.