What I taught my daughter about today

Last night, instead of our daily prayer before bed, I talked to Lucy about Martin Luther King and the new President Obama. I just happened to by substituting in Lucy's kindergarten classroom yesterday, and had to try and make Martin Luther King's message real to 5 and 6 year olds. After reading a book about his life story, we talked about what ifs. For example, what if only girls could drink from the drinking fountain, what if only kids with blue eyes could ride on the swings on the playground, what if only kids who have a certain skin color can come to school...etc. That wouldn't be fair would it? When I talked to Lucy last night before bed, I tried to explain to her why I am so happy about the new president. To me, and to us as a family, I think that President Obama represents the realization that really everything is possible, for everyone who embraces America's true spirit. When I walked through the immigration lines at the Seattle airport this November, I remember being impressed at the stark diversity, almost identical, in both the "U.S. residents" and "Visitors" lines. Many nations' people cannot say the same, but I know that my own Japanese husband will be granted the same rights, privileges and opportunities as everyone else in this country. I told Lucy that 60 years ago, Japan and America weren't the best of "friends" and actually did some really bad things to each other in the form of bombings and fighting. Our world today really is so much more peaceful and fair, so we are lucky and should be thankful. Watching the festivities today, the thought that brought me to tears was the pure optimism that we are once again on the right track to restoring faith in the American Dream and America's proper place in the world. It gives me great comfort to tell my daughter that she really can be all she wants to be. I don't know how much weight my prayers carry these days, but I do hope with all my heart that the new president will given the chance to put some of his lofty dreams to work.

毎日は寝る前にLucyちゃんと簡単なお祈りします。昨日はMartin Luther King牧師の記念日と今日はObama大統領の就任式のでLucyにこの日の大切さを説明をしたかった。偶然に昨日はLucyの教室に行って、担任の先生の代わりに授業をしました。King牧師について話しないといけないところで、どうやって５〜６歳の子に説明すれば良いと思って。学校は簡単な絵本を用意してあった。読み終わったら、話した。女の子だけは昼食をたべらると言われたらどう？青目の子だけは運動場のブランコで遊べるなら？この色の顔色の人だけが学校に行けるなら？平等じゃないね。LucyにObamaが大統領になって嬉しい理由も教えたかった。私にとってObamaの勝利はアメリカの可能性を現している。本当にこの国にAmerican Spiritを信じるなら、誰でもに何でも出来る。11月はSeattle空港の入国の列に待っていた時、『アメリカ居住者』の列と「visitor/訪問客」の列は明らかに似ている。そっくり。この国こそ、私の日本国籍である旦那はここに来ると皆と同じ権利と可能性がある。Lucyに歴史も教えた。ただ６０年前にアメリカと日本は「友達」じゃなくて、お互いに悪いことした。戦争があて差別もあた時代を超えて、今は本当にもと平和な平等な時代で感謝します。今日の式をみて涙が浮かべた。なぜなれば、久しぶり楽天的になって、アメリカはもう一同に正しい道を向かって、American Dreamと世界の役割はまた意味があると感じます。娘に「自分の将来には何でも出来るよ」は安心に言える。私の祈りは力がないかもけど、Obama大統領は自分の夢をがかなうように祈ってます。