As a follow-up to yesterday’s posting, I wanted to share some insight I received.

My dear friend Jenny shared with me a video from a girl dubbed the “World’s Ugliest Girl”. This is a girl that has every reason to hate the world because of a disease she was born with and the cruelty of the world she has endured. However, instead of being a victim she chose to write her own life and became a motivational speaker. Her story and courage are incredible and she attributes it all to good parenting.

Today my friend Jeni and I were talking about my posting and she brought up a really good point: “I don’t think worrying about those external factors is as important as being the type of parent who can cultivate tools for their children to thrive in the face of any adversity.” (Yeah, she’s super wise; why do you think I keep her around?) My reaction to racism and hatred is more hatred, but what would that teach my children when they are faced with any cruelness people hurl at them?

I can choose to be angry at every racist person my children may one day encounter or give my children the strength Lizzie has to help them define themselves instead letting others define them. I need to focus my energy on learning how to create that environment instead of worrying about what city we end up in.