2020 Hindsight: Recognizing my Privilege

I am emotionally exhausted at the end of the 151st day of 2020.  Personally, 5/30/2020 was a really nice, palindromic day.  The weather was warm, but not humid (would have been a great day for baseball/softball/snack stand!)  Our lawn was mowed, we had dinner on the back patio, Sarah got to kayak for two hours!  We got to deliver our basket of swag to our CHS Class of 2020 adoptee. And there was the uplifting moment of watching the Space-X launch that seemed to go off flawlessly.  But the undertone of this whole day is the grief and anger that is sweeping over this country over the tragic death of George Floyd.  Peaceful protests have turned violent.  Groups that are intent on causing chaos and anarchy (and have no connection to the peaceful protesters) are taking advantage of this to wreak havoc in the heart of our cities including, tonight, Philadelphia.  And the country lacks governmental leadership that can inspire a calming of the rage and, instead, seems intent on fanning the flames of division and the media companies (social and television) lap it up and spit it out as content, making money off of tragedy.  And I realize that I, sitting here in my urban/suburban, "small-town" neighborhood without fear for my personal safety, are extremely privileged.  Although what I hear and see about the current events makes me sad and nervous, I do not have a personal safety fear.  And I realize that is VERY different for people who have a different race than I do, a different gender identity that I do, a different socio-economic status that I do, a different sexual orientation than I do.  My 2020 Hindsight is recognizing my privilege.  This recognition is nothing new.  I have known that, as a white, middle class, Christian, heterosexual, fully employed, married, cis-gendered male that I am pretty much in all of the privileged categories.  My quandry is what now can I do with this privilege to make the world a better place.  I'd like to think I have been trying to do so in my daily life, but it does not seem to do enough.  Although I was disturbed by the news of the day, I was also relatively comfortable and fear-free.  Oh, I fear for this country and wonder what the remaining months of 2020 will bring, as each month seems to have brought more worry so far this year.  But that is not personal fear as I live and breathe each day.  I have friends for whom this is the case.  There are millions of Americans who are not at all like me who have this daily fear.  Something has to change.  And, I know, these changes need actions that are larger than anything I can personally do.  But I need to figure out what I can do.  We ALL need to figure out what we can do.  We must right the ship.  Before we hurtle off the cliff.....Let's all work together to end injustice and make the world a kinder and more empathetic place.  ESPECIALLY those of us with the privilege we have - We can and must do better.