I cried throughout the book. Of course, as most of you know, tears come pretty easy and, thus, this is probably not surprising. I cried as Aibileen is telling Mae Mobley that she is a person of substance. Feeling "less than" is so debilitating. Finding a way to help someone realize that they are worthy - that is giving someone their life.
I was in a coffee shop trying to cry as quietly as possible as my heart was breaking. It's breaking because this is a past that is not taught in every school. It is a past that people want to say is over because we have elected a black president. It's breaking because I know I am the beneficiary of the love those ladies showed to the families for whom they worked. Through their love, these ladies worked to create a better world.
I cried at the end, of course. I was so mad that Aibileen lost her job. I was happy that she was given the job of writing the Miss Myrna column. I was mad that she would continue to not get any credit. I was touched by the signed copy of the book that the church gave to Aibileen and to Skeeter. It was the maids who were in the most danger, but the community appreciated that Skeeter gave them an avenue to be heard. It all felt like progress ... but I wanted more, I wanted better.
While I cannot change the past - I can reaffirm my commitment to the future and say thank you wholeheartedly to all who have worked for change. I admit that racism and class-ism are not a thing of the past, but occur today. I hope I can love my neighbor as those maids loved.
