Jan 28 2009
Finding the Words to Act
About every Sunday in The Detroit News and Free Press, there’s a page called “Books” in the “Life” section, about points of interest in the literary world. This Sunday while scanning the entire section for articles I’d enjoy, I was drawn to a short summary of the new fiction novel, A Journal for Jordan http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009901250308.
This book centers on a mother and her son Jordan, left fatherless when the woman’s beloved is killed in action during the Iraq War. After the soldier’s death, a journal he left for his son emerges, excerpts of which are scattered throughout the novel.
One passage, included in the article, I found particularly inspiring as a woman who has dealt with much discrimination herself:
“Son, you are an African American. Always be proud of who you are. You will be challenged because of your complexion and the color of your eyes. Let your deeds shine in everything you do.”
In a country with an inspiring president representing the best of what many of us hold dear, who has risen from humble beginnings to achieve the highest position of power in the free world, I am touched by the soldier’s instruction. He encourages Jordan to make his actions speak for themselves, and not lower himself because of how he is perceived. I think it is also significant that this book was touted the first weekend after President Obama’s inauguration.
The message is to be proud of who you are, whoever that is, but not be defined by your race, ethnicity or physical ability. And it shows that while Mr. Obama’s election is a step in the right direction, racism is not a completely forgotten specter in our society.
All of the attention to the First Family’s life and style these past 7 days has taken the focus away from whether or not Mr. Obama’s first week in office has been well-spent, I think, and A Journal redirects America’s attention toward important matters.
Within A Journal, there is the book Jordan’s mother writes about her deceased boyfriend, giving her son a tapestry of his parents’ lives and personalities to learn from. His mother talks about why she and his father chose not to marry, and how this affected the life they shared. Jordan could take with him this wise advice from his father on what is truly important in life, “be strong, take care of your family, and live life well.” Good advice for us all.
