Celebrating Reminders

Recently, I was reminded of an old conversation the Man and I had about Lent years ago. He couldn’t understand why we should set aside forty days to draw nearer to God when that was something we should be doing daily anyway.

I tried to explain to him that the common, unwashed masses (like his wife) sometimes need trigger points, set aside times and occasions that remind us to do the things we know we should be doing but don’t actually do because we’re forgetful and we get stuck in our routines. Naturally, since he is a type A paragon of permanent awesomeness, he couldn’t be talked around, but every year we like to dredge up the old argument and take another whack at it for old times’ sake.

I was thinking about this debate because I tend to look at months like Black History Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month through a similar lens. Yes, I 100% want to be teaching my kids about other cultures year round. I want to teach history that’s well-rounded and multifaceted. I want to read books that represent the world and not just my own small window of experience. But often I don’t.

I’m forgetful, and I get stuck in my routines. I get comfortable, and I don’t want to put in the effort to break out of well-worn ruts. I think we probably all do this.

I need Lent and Advent to help me pause and reflect and get myself back on track. And I need months like Black History Month and AAPI Heritage Month to remind me to think bigger and read broader and look closer.

In college, I read Asian writers because they reminded me of home. I especially resonated with the writers who jumped between cultures, struggling to find their footing in both. That was a choice I made when much of the literature I was reading for my college classes was written by whites.

Now, as a white woman who hasn’t left the US in over a dozen years, I read to remember that there are other cultures and languages and worlds outside of my own.

I read to see outside of my current experience.

I read so that I can cram my huge feet into someone else’s shoes for a moment (I feel like I’ve said this before).

It’s easy for us to read books by people who are like us, especially if you are from a majority culture. What’s hard is to push ourselves to remember that there is a whole world outside of our experience and comfort zone.

And that’s why we have months like Black History Month and AAPI Heritage Month (and Women’s History Month or Hispanic Heritage Month). Not because we shouldn’t be talking about these cultures and topics all year long and not because we don’t also have things to learn and appreciate from a majority white culture—but because sometimes we need to jog our memories a bit and allow ourselves to remember that there is far more to our world than just us.

So, what are you reading these days that makes you think, that pushes you outside of your comfort zone? Do you have favorite AAPI authors you read during the month of May?