It's been difficult for me over the years to share my beliefs for fear of judgement. Personally, I do not pick my friends based on religious or political affiliations; if I did, I would have very few friends down here, and I am very aware that some of my closest friends down here are very conservative on many levels...do they even have a clue that I am not? Without needing to have those conversations, that are very uncomfortable for me because I cannot effectively debate and cannot regurgitate facts to support what I believe, I guess the parade is one way for me to get out there in the public and proudly walk with a group of folks who have similar value based ideas as me, and to share a bit of me, which I typically tend to tuck away and keep in a safe place.
Recently, our fine Texas legislature came closer than ever to passing a bill that would make access to abortions almost impossible for many Texas, virtually eliminating any option at all for many women to make a choice about their own bodies and their own futures. It is expected to pass overwhelmingly. This article clearly articulates my fear as a response to this legislation.
Editorial: Get Ready for all Those Babies
But of course, I don't really feel comfortable talking about that with my peers at work, or some of my close friends, and I actually did put it out there on FB, because again, I don't have to be the one to regurgitate facts. I digress.
As part of the parade, we made posters to carry that said "Standing on the Side of _______." Standing on the Side of Love has been a recent slogan used many times over by UU churches nationally at times of demonstration or other public venues. We filled our posters in however we wished:
Standing on the Side of Community
Standing on the Side of Equality
Standing on the Side of Peace
Standing on the Side of Justice
Standing on the Side of Choice
Etc.
We received an email from a stranger later that day saying "...to all of the members of your congregation that paraded today. Your signs, all of them, brightened our day." Wow - it really can make a difference!
On to the lake for 4th of July! I can't say anything extraordinary happened, but it was a good time as usual. Scott was able to figure out the sailboat that Mimi and Papa brought back from Chicago. After a bit of effort (and perhaps a few swear words) he went from pretty frustrated to pretty stoked. He got the kids out there as well, and now that he knows how to set it up, next time he can look forward to it much more.
On Saturday, we enjoyed the day with the Welty Peacheys and the Gunden Kauffmans. It was a special day indeed, knowing that it would be our last time with the WPs until they moved back up north. We have so enjoyed the last several years with them down here, and especially getting to know Ally and letting the cousins getting to know each other as well. Unfortunately, we have no pictures, even of the kids. The intent was to get all the cousins together, but Mikayla slept all afternoon, and Macy didn't nap at all, so pretty much after Mikayla woke up, Macy was on her way to bed! Not a great excuse at all for no pictures, but I guess we were just enjoying the day without the pressure of hauling a camera around.
At dinner, Ally unknowingly had the quote of the day. Ally was "in charge" of all the kids outside at the dinner table. TJ and Luka did not have their listening ears on. Of course, Ally has no idea about Mikayla's food challenges, nor Macy's love for food. Right as I walked out at one point I heard her say, "Why can't everyone sit down and just eat their food? Macy is the ONLY one sitting down to eat!" I got a really good chuckle out of that one!
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