It is a hot, dry day in Jerusalem. Afternoon light pours in through the curtains and spills onto the terrazzo floor. There is a thick layer of dust on the sofa, chairs, tables and bookshelves. Artwork hangs from every wall. The chest holds beautiful linens and a drawer full of silver, serving bowls and carvings.
The room seems to echo. An entire life happened here. But now everything must be moved out. The house has been sold. We can only take what will fit in the two large suitcases.
Silently we take the art out of their frames. I am tired from packing. Thirsty, too, from the heat and the dust. Finally the last serving pieces and silverware are placed in a leather duffel. It will be left with friends. Picking up the eight, tiny silver spoons, I wrap them in a linen napkin and place them in my purse.
On this eve of the day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a post on white privilege is appropriate. White privilege and racism are recent social constructs. The idea of differentiating between people based on skin color only begins the16th century as a way to justify chattel slavery in the New World.
It is difficult for those of lighter skin color to understand the devastating effects of racism in our culture. As a person of Northern European descent I will never know first hand what the experience of racism is like.
But I do know what the experience of white privilege is like. Those of us with light skin have very different everyday experiences. We are treated differently (meaning “better”) at the grocery store, at the bank or when we apply to a college for example. In addition, those of European descent benefit from wealth (primarily through land ownership which until recently in our history was prohibited to others) and other privileges that are unearned. The benefits of this unearned wealth can and does impact us for generations. Yet our society remains blind to these privileges. Education is the key to removing the blindness.
Removing the blindness is only the first step however. White privilege is embedded in our governmental, legal, educational, economic, religious and social structures. Structures and laws must be changed in order provide fair access for all.
What can we do? Learn more.
1. View the PowerPoint on White Privilege by Dr. Wing Sue – available on Google.
2. Listen to educator Tim Wise talk about the long term effects of white privilege on YouTube.
4. Be swept away into the Deep South, New Orleans in the 18th Century. My good friend J recommended writer Barbara Hambly’s series starting with A Free Man Of Color. Main character Benjamin January, an educated free person of color, deals with the reality of his life and times. He also solves mysteries. The series is entertaining while providing excellent socio-historical information on the evolution of white privilege and racism from the practice of chattel slavery. I have enjoyed all of her novels immensely.
In the end it is about remembering that we are all interconnected and interdependent. It’s not about teaching others “to fish.” People know how to fish. It’s about giving everyone equal access to the pond.
When everyone has equal access to the resources of our society, all of us will be better off.
You may recall my 2011 Challenge: A Year Without Buying Clothes. How am I doing? Well I was doing great — until yesterday. Aack! Yesterday I succumbed to the all the “markdown hype.” A fuschia sweater, white cotton turtleneck and earrings, all for $32 made a dent in my wallet. Mind you, I was walking for exercise around MOA (Mall of America), so at least that was good.
My DH offered to buy all three items for me, so I could claim them as a gift. But that’s not the point. For me, right now, I think the point is understanding that this is a process. Changing life-long habits never happens all at once. We take one step, falter, try again. Eventually persistence creates a new habit.
It was similar to bringing my own shopping bags to stores. At first I forgot to put them in my car. Then I forgot to take them into the store. Finally, I remember to bring them and to use them. But this entire process took at least a year.
So rather than beat myself up — I will be gentle with myself, take a deep breath and begin anew. However, I will donate 3 items of clothing and figure out a way to go walking without shopping for clothes at the same time.
Today I am home with the beginnings of a cold – most likely the cold my DH has had all week. But I am being taken care of. He is making fabulous – crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside – potatoes with garlic cloves and cinnamon sticks. The house is filled with the smell of roasted garlic and pungent cinnamon. I will post a link for the recipe. You can see what they actually look like right now and perhaps you can almost smell them?
Photo A. Meshar
Although cold outside, it is brilliantly sunny and all that sunlight is pouring in. Ravel is playing on the radio. . . crispy potatoes await. Life is good.
Babette’s Feast (same name as the film) came about when I and two friends decided to prepare an autumn feast. One of us (not me;-))lived in a large, old, Victorian home in Hyde Park, Chicago.
We invited family and friends. I remember that my brother and his kids were visiting Chicago and joined us. We created a menu of autumn foods. Everyone was asked to bring one ingredient. No one knew what their ingredient would be used for.
When everyone arrived, guests were asked to help chop, slice, and prepare the food. People who had never met found themselves sharing a cutting board and cooking together. Apples were peeled. Pies were assembled. Chickens and vegetables were roasted with garlic, lemons and herbs. Rolls were baked.
Layers and layers of linens draped the table. Squashes, pumpkins, and if I recall, wheat, candles and bread decorated the center of the table. We even found Limoges china in a hidden cabinet in the dining room! We used it. Cloth napkins and wine glasses were carefully placed.
We all gathered. Candles were lit. Wine was poured. Thanksgiving was offered. Food was shared. Incense was burned. Cello, voice and piano entertained everyone afterward. It was an amazing dinner. An amazing evening.
Photo Babette's Feast
Over the years I continued to plan Babette’s Feasts. I have organized dozens of Babette’s Feasts with many diverse groups of people. The menu has been completely different each time. Seasonal and local food is used whenever possible.
People come, prepare, share a meal, celebrate and are changed. Many experience the healing of being with a healthy community for the first time in their lives. It is always a powerful experience.
It is lavish. It is extravagant. It is elegant. It is simple. It is not expensive. But it is eucharist, thanksgiving, hospitality experienced in a very profound way. It nourishes the body, refreshes the spirit and renews the soul. God is made present and She is smiling!
Photo Red Couch Recipes
Some of the best ways to get the feeling of Babette’s Feast is to watch the movies: Babette’s Feast, Chocolate, Amelie or Like Water for Chocolate. Some books that are fun and uplifting to read along the same line are The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister and the classic, Like Water for Chocolate.
Water is integral to our lives. It refreshes and sustains us. But water can be dangerous. It can move us to an unknown place. The increase in extreme weather due to global warming will bring us face to face with the power of water – as Australians are tragically experiencing this week.
We are mostly water. We need fresh water to live. Every human is entitled to clean water, whether or not they can pay for it, by virtue of being a human being.
Of all the water on earth, only 3% is fresh water, and just 2% isn’t polluted beyond use.
Watch this video to see quickly what happens in the life of a drop of water.
