Not Home

I've tried to get my daughter into my tradition, the Sunday news shows. During the political season, I've even let her venture into some of the seedier side, some of the political cable shows. Last night we watched McCain on SNL, what with the extra hour we were getting as we fell back into Standard time.

This week she saw a little mudslinging, she saw that crime happens in our hometown, she learned about local events, national and global events, she saw real issues, and she saw humor. I don't know if she'll have similar political beliefs to me when she grows up, but right now I think what's important is making her realize that it all matters. I want her to have compassion. I want her to see people. Not just the people in our neighborhood, but people who have different lives, different opinions, different challenges.

I took her to Grand Canyon back in March and she said "I love this place" more than once when we were in a boring area, a train station in Flagstaff, a barren lot in Williams, AZ. I asked why finally, and she said "Because it's not home!". I think that says a lot about what kids want to see. It's not all about the pretty canyon, the ride at the amusement park, the water at the beach. Sometimes, it's just about something being different, a different view, something not being home. I think that goes for people as much as places.

I hope to take her more Not Home places in these short years where I have this kind of influence, where she's still really paying attention. So that she'll learn to find those places and those people on her own someday.