This morning on the way to church at 10:15 am, NPR acknowledged the exact time 50 years ago when 4 young girls were killed by a bomb in a Birmingham, Alabama church.  They interviewed a woman who was there at the time readying to be a participant in the ‘youth service’ with the girls who were killed as well as with her sister who was injured.

She said something that seems worth repeating.  After that day, she kept wondering what it was the people who planted the bomb wanted her to do.

 

She was born black. That was just how it happened.  She did not know what these people wanted her to do about that.

She said softly and simply, “What was I supposed to DO?”

Powerful question, eh?

Imagine being a young teen watching persons like yourself being killed just because you ARE.

Happened then and before then and happens now.

I am certain if you are reading this blog you cannot fathom planting a bomb that goes off and kills someone just because of who or where or what they are ….

…but it is way worth paying attention to the times (and, if honest, most of us have them) when something … no matter how soft and simple it seems…goes off inside us because of where, how, who someone is when born.

THAT is the time to ask ourselves:  “What is it I think they should DO about that?”

If we cannot answer that question, then maybe we are the ones who need to DO something….

…like widen our worlds and broaden our minds and deepen our hearts.