Former Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown tells UT graduates how inviting someone home for dinner could change the world.
Jennifer McGuire shared this on my FB page and asked me to listen to this address as it is so moving and a must for all to hear.
It resonated with my own life story as I went to school with a young lass called Mary M who just happened to very very black, poor and lonely. Now as you all know I am white and came from a poor but happy background, but I too was lonely as I was bullied in my school life by a particular girl and at times her friends. So Mary and I became friends, this caused more bullying but I didn’t care as I really liked Mary and she liked me too.
I went home to Mary’s house to play one day and although the home was falling down on the outside, the inside was immaculately kept and Mary’s Mum and family welcomed me with open arms. I could see that Mary’s Mother had the same values as my Mum had and I felt right at home and my friendship with Mary could continue. You see, I promised my Mother that if it didn’t feel right at Mary’s house that I would not stay. This was a promise that I made for all my visits to friends homes no matter their colour or creed.
To this day my friends come from all different backgrounds and they mean the world to me, I do not see their colour or differences as any different to me, just their personalities and the fact that they want to be friends with me. (hey I am a very talkative person and unique so they gotta want to be my friend and put up with me first).
In my 40 + years as a Nurse, I nursed people from all backgrounds, colour and creed. To me, the person in the bed was nursed as if they were my Mother, Father, Sister or Brother and treated with the utmost respect and dignity. At times this could be challenging to remain true to this but underneath most were scared and vulnerable and my fair treatment and caring crossed the barriers and we together could get them through their hospital visit. In mental health, this proved to be an effective way of nursing as I could be looking after the toughest looking guy with tatts all over his body, spent time in jail etc, but with persistence and care, I could work with him/them to reach a bond that helped them in their recovery.
Not all my patients worked with me and for those, I had to say, I failed to make it across the bridge to them or they wouldn’t meet me halfway. But we cannot get on with everyone in life and sometimes we just have to accept that we cannot help that person. We just need to respect this and allow others to find the way to help or befriend them. Like I said I am unique, so I am not always everyone’s cup of tea so to speak.
Mary was lost to me as her family moved in primary school, but I have never and will never forget her and her friendship and would today wrap my arms around her and hug her to bits if I meet her again. So I agree with the final message in the video, open your hearts to those around you and don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Not all who we meet and embrace will become our friends but we can happily say, hey we gave it a chance. Sometimes we are let down by people but this is part of life and if we don’t take a chance we may never know if they were to become a part of our lives.
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