You’ll be unsurprised to learn that Polimom talks with AC (at a low level of detail) about many of the things I post about. A couple of her recent observations were interesting.
The Foley scandal, for instance, sparked a conversation between us about the page program. Polimom was not politically engaged as a young person, so I didn’t know about it. AC’s upbringing, however, is much different, and she finds the page idea inspiring. She tells me she’d LOVE to spend a year in D.C., fetching coffee or whatever, to get a feel for what actually goes on there.
And I agree with her. There’s a great deal to be said for engaging interested young people in the political process. They are, after all, our future; they need to know. So — Polimom’s hoping that the page program survives the recent flack.
Then there was the horrific tragedy at the Amish schoolhouse. Polimom talked to AC about the community’s forgiveness, and I also mentioned the young girl — just slightly older than AC — who stepped forward to say, “Shoot me first”.
AC was stunned by such selflessness, and came home from school yesterday announcing that she’s decided to be Amish (if I could please still drive her places too far to bike, please). When I pointed out that we don’t actually have an Amish community in Katy (that I know of), she suggested, then, that she could be Mennonite (since we have Mennonite cousins). Again… nobody nearby.
After more discussion about whether one needs to belong to a particular religion to manifest spiritual strength, she ultimately decided that it wasn’t so much who they were as what they did that made the difference.
Polimom likes that.
In fact, I liked both of these discussions. There are lessons to be taught everywhere.