Lotion

I am biracial- mom is black and my father is white. I am adult, for the most part, and have learned to embrace who I am on many levels. I learned in college that I have to explain certain things to my white friends and then in turn have to explain certain things to my black friends. It was as if I had a window into both worlds and knew the answers so I was the likely person to ask. Possibly, so that the person asking the question would not feel uncomfortable for asking the question, but like I have said before, being uncomfortable when talking/asking questions about another race is normal...deal with it. I  am married to a white man, he is wonderful. When I say that I am married to a white man, many people are confused, because I look white and they don't understand why I have to tell people I am married to a white man. Yes, I might look white, but I am blended. That means I am in a biracial relationship- that one day will result in the beautiful blend of a little one. (one day!)  But back to my main idea here... growing up with my father (white male) and my mother (black woman), a black sister and also an Asian sister as well, race was never discussed in my family. I thought everyone's family should look like mine. If I saw a family that was just ONE color I thought that was strange.  I grew up in a household that didn't ignore the differences we had between us, we just considered it normal to us. I digress...I often will stroke my husbands arm or hands while sitting on the couch in the evening and I wondered out loud of course, "Why is your skin so soft?" To that he replies, "I don't know, it just is." I then asked him if he used lotion after taking a shower and he looked at me like I had an extra head. He doesn't use lotion. WHAT??? This was mind blowing! In my world we use lotion after the shower, during the day, at night, you name it I am putting lotion on to keep my skin moist, or some might say from getting "ashy." I never thought about it till we had this discussion, I am not even sure if I ever saw my father put lotion on...well maybe he does- diabetes might be the only reason for that. I will have to ask next time I am home. This was the first time, I didn't know something about the "white" half of me...with that being said, I know now that the only time my husband puts lotion on is in the winter when his hands get dry and crack. Isn't that something?  My hands don't do that...but my elbows sure do need some lotion right now and my ankles so I am off to take care of that!

Be kind.