This I Believe

Mrs. Louise

Mrs. Louise is a black woman who kept me while my parents worked. I was very close to her and her family and still am. I feel like she is my second mother. Because I love her so much she is the person that I think of when rude and racist comments are made. When I hear someone say something that I think would be offensive to hear I feel that it is also offensive to me because she is like my family and I would never want anyone to hurt someone in my family. She is the reason I do not make those comments and the reason I am who I am today. Mrs. Louise is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Her family could not have treated me better. I grew up having her grandchildren and nieces as some of my best friends. Mrs. Louise always tries to help others out and I guess I have always wanted to be like that. I know she would never want to hurt anyone’s feelings and so I know I should not either. I would never want her not to be proud of me so when people may ask why they have never heard me say anything offensive I say because I would never say anything behind Mrs. Louise’s back that I would not say in front of her. In other words if I do not think she would be proud of something I have said then I would never say it. I tell people when they make comments like that; it is like they are saying something about my mother. I think because I would never make racial comments towards an African American it also makes me more aware of other groups of people and what might be offensive to them. I know I am not perfect and probably sometimes think about something that I might not realize is racist but at least I am making the effort and I wish everyone would. I know not everyone is as lucky as I am to have someone like Mrs. Louise in my life and to make me realize what other people may not, but I hope that people can at least look at what they say and think: would I want that said about me or my family?