When we discuss the social issues affecting Blacks, one factor emerges beyond all others. Our relationships.
Our relationships dictate the most important responsibility of our lives - the raising and development of children.
Our relationships have the capability to create enormous wealth in a household, or cast its members into a life of poverty and debt. Think about it.
Our relationships determine the parenting style by which children are raised, and ultimately whether they will have good judgment or poor judgment in adulthood. Imagine how many Blacks today are incarcerated, dead, injured, or mentally/emotionally wounded, and how many of those cases were affected by parenting & relationship choices.
Our relationships create motivation for us to succeed, or create emotional dependencies that cripple our own success.
Think about any problem facing African Americans and ultimately you will return to one source: the interaction between Black men and women.
We spend years of our lives dedicated to studying mathematics, history, and literature. However, most of us have never had any real, wise counsel as to how to approach and support a significant other. Instead, we learn by trial and error.
Do we really take time to analyze the differences in communication between young men and young women, so that we can understand each other? Are young men taught how to restrain themselves and respect their women? Are young women taught how to comfort and honor the men in their lives? How would our existence differ if we were?
Wouldn't our families be tighter if young Brothers are taught that women do not always say what they mean, and young Sisters were taught that men do not always show what they feel?
Can we afford a learning curve? So many of us are tired and bitter from emotional battles that we walk away from the blessing that was destined for us.
I believe that if we teach men to become good fathers and husbands, and women to become good wives and mothers, we won't have to teach their children how to become good doctors, engineers, businesspeople, and teachers. They will have the courage and character to learn on their own.
Posted By: Jon C.
Friday, August 1st 2008 at 4:08PM
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