Melting pot boiling over and digest version

So in March, the world became familiar with the terms social distancing and COVID and flattening the curve but this past weekend we watched the Minneapolis riots. These are world altering events playing out before our eyes unrelated but weeping into each other. George Floyd's name - a black man killed by police brutality, has been echoed across the globe and he has become a signal and a symbol for change. The nation has been divided on so many things and the melting pot seems to be bubbling and boiling beyond control. People stand divided on so many issues - masks or not, riots, defunding the police, COVID19 measures, statues, it seems that we all have an opinion and have become an expert and the information just keeps coming.

I wonder what has happened to bring this social unrest. Is it a changing times, is it the surge in media, is it the consumption and availability of information, is it the birth of social media, is it a higher educative class? Or is it because I'm older, is it because as I've opened my eyes to prepare my children to become adults I am seeing more?

I'm scared for this world. I'm scared that we aren't listening. I'm scared that opinions are being made too quickly, I'm scared that questions aren't being asked. I'm scared that people are judging opinions versus the quality of character. I hugged Grady the other night as he stirred before falling asleep and not the hug that you placate someone but a hug that I will remember in my soul until the day I die. I can't protect him and his sisters from the harshness of this world. I can't protect them from judgments of others. I can try to teach them to listen, to ask questions, to look for the good, to stand for their concept of right, to look past bigots, to consider others in their language, and to sometimes shut up. That's a harsh statement I realize but there are decisions being made by others that I don't know or understand and my opinion doesn't matter. I don't need to throw matches on the fire, I need to learn from the situation and I want to teach them that.

This world is not fair. This world is not always just. There are moments of humanity and I hope that they see those and can create those for other people. I hope they see people based on their character and qualities. I hope they realize that they've come from a place of opportunity and that they've been given a path that they must continue to build up for themselves. Recently Matt and I had a conversation about what does success in parenting look like and I don't think we'll know for years - we are doing what we can know so our children can define their success and be good people.

So that rant and my musings have gone on enough. The short of the long of it, The world is changing right before our eyes, no matter what side you are on it. It's scary and overwhelming and I feel like I need to walk on eggshells for a bit.