... the desire to protect and be protected...  to be seen as a human worthy to be celebrated... admired...forgiven...

It's not about celebrating one over another. It's about equal protection for a chance to get it right... or to get it wrong...

I think President Obama got it right when he honored the bravery of a six year old girl named Ruby Bridges by hanging Norman Rockwell's painting "The Problem We All Live With" in the White House. Many thought the President got it wrong by choosing to highlight such an "ugly" part of American history. I see the image of Ruby shielded by several U.S. Marshalls and my heart aches and swells with pride. I guess we all have a right to choose what we will never forget...

Who do we readily accept as our heroes? And if someone who looks like Serena Williams is that hero... do we explain it away by saying they are exceptions and not the rule? When the American flag fell during Serena's medal ceremony at the London Olympics (2012), I felt a slight twinge of anxiety for how some would interpret it as a bad sign... But Serena's response made my heart soar:

The problems we all live with... we may not agree on what they are or how to solve them, but I can say this... Having a colorful past is about as American as it gets.

Thank you [Xièxiè (谢谢), Dhanyavaad (धन्यवाद), Gracias, Merci, Shkran lak (شكرًا لك), Dhan'yabāda (ধন্যবাদ), Obrigado, Spasibo (Спасибо), Shukriya (شکریہ), Asante) for reading! #OurWorldOurHeart #VillageValues