Familial roots have been on my mind a lot recently. I've mainly been thinking about them in regards to privilege, and how our ancestor's ancestors (and their skin color/ethnicity) either helped or hurt our current social status in 2020. If a few hundred years ago my ancestors arrived as passengers on a slave ship from Africa, there's a fairly significant chance that I would currently be in a worse socioeconomic state than if they were the ones that were in the crew of that boat. How my grandparent's grandparents owning land hundreds of years ago (they're white) allowed the land to be passed down through generations to my grandparents, which became an incredible asset for them which they sold for a large sum of money in the past decade or so. How none of that generational wealth would have been possible if their ancestors were born in a different part of the world. Where I would be if not for their generosity over the years, which was financially possible for them because of their ancestors and their skin color.
My skin is brown, but due to being adopted my whole family is white. And I find myself realizing more and more lately just how much I've benefitted from that privilege. Going into stores as a child with white parents instead of brown. Going to parent-teacher conferences with white parents instead of brown. Having white parents/grandparents at doctor visits. Having my white father be able to talk a police officer out of taking me to jail when I was handcuffed in the back of a squad car at age 12. For bank visits, for using public libraries, for being able to grow up in a house that they were able to purchase in a desirable area, there are nearly infinite amount of ways that I have benefitted from white privilege.
I am so incredibly lucky to have the family that I do; no matter the skin color, their love has shined brighter throughout the years than any skin-tone could. But I'm coming to grips (and feeling extremely lucky/guilty) for just how much I've benefitted from the opportunities that they were afforded due to their skin color. I have yet to settle down with anyone, so it remains to be seen what ethnicity/skin color my children will be. But this all leads me to the newest and most terrifying question question on my mind:
Will my children be as lucky as I was?
"A Single Seed" is my attempt to get out one idea every day that I've learned or accumulated over the years, with the hope that it may stick in someone else's memory bank as well. The idea may be related to fitness, business, life, or philosophy, but I think you'll find that many can change domains if you wish them to. With each seed planted, a new life awaits.