I was reminded of my skin color, being lighter than my sibling and most of the other women on my mother’s side of the family. I remember the first time I came home with a tan. I had no idea black people COULD tan. I was around ten years old. I’d played at the local community pool: Miller Park, for what seemed like hours just baking in that Omaha, Ne summer-time sun. I had the time of my life. One would think I was a swimmer, by the amount of time I spent hanging out at the pool. Thats exactly what I was doing…hanging out and playing in the water; rather than actually swimming. I arrived home in the early evening and was met with my mother sneering at me from the hallway saying to me:
“DON’T ever think you bettah than anybody else in this house, cause you light skinned!”
I was reminded of that statement yesterday, as I sat baking in the hot pasadena, Ca sun for over NINE hours. I had no idea I was burnt until I reached behind me, this morning, to wash my back. OMGoodness! It hurt! The worst part about being out in the sun ALL day, was ALLOWING myself to get dehydrated.
Although I did pack 2 liters of my 9.5. Alkaline water; it was not nearly enough to get me through 9 hours of flea marketing in the hot 80-something degree sun. I had moments of thinking about the children of Tanzania and other parts of Africa and India, who don’t have access to clean water flowing from their faucets. Additionally, these children might go several days without drinking any water. And here I was feeling sorry for myself. It’s not that I couldn’t get any water. It’s that I refused to spend $5 damn dollars for a bottle of water, that’s probably city tap water with fancy labeling bottled in toxic plastic. I figured if those babies and moms of Africa and India; as well as other under developed countries can go days without water; surely can I go a few extra hours without water. Well, here in lies the difference between us with our FIRST World problems and those with Third World problems:
. At least we CAN drink the water that flows from our tap and not get sick or die immediately
. At least we DO have access to FREE water
. We DON’T have to walk for miles just to fetch dirty river water to drink
. Our bodies have become accustomed to having water on a pretty frequent basis
. We get a lot of water from the food we eat; especially if we eat fruit and drink tea, coffee and those gosh-awful energy drinks
Although I know each one of our issues, circumstances and problems are relative; I couldn’t help but feel as if I was acting spoiled and a little entitled by the illusion that I NEEDED more than the 2 liters of water I packed with me.
Maybe or maybe not. Either way, by the end of my Awesome flea market experience of selling my favorite leggings with my girl, Too Tite Tonya Jones, I left Pasadena with a sunburn and a bout of severe dehydration that left me with an intense headache that is still slightly lingering today.
If this sounds like I’m complaining, it’s because I am. Just a little bit. However, it’s mostly me offering you the opportunity to really show gratitude for what we have in this country; while being mindful of what We can do, collectively, as a people, community and country to help those who were simply born in a disadvantaged situation. Don't take water for granted. Appreciate the water that we have flowing from our faucets, fire hydrants and water hoses.
As a ten-year old girl, I didn’t know what my mother meant by telling me not to think I was better than anyone else; only that I knew it was something serious and she meant business. I could tell by her tone that she was giving me a warning. I now realize that when people think that WE think we’re better or cuter or smarter than them; it’s not OUR truth. It simply means that THEY, themselves, think that we are all of those things. While I don’t believe my mother thought her first born was better than she, my sister or other family members were. I believe she was preparing me to deal with the opinion of others. She wanted to keep me humble; while being prepared for the backlash of being perceived as different. I, personally like my summer-time darker skin. I wish I could get as black as the night.
Love yourselves!
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