Article March 6, 2000 Issue

LANTERNS

Marian Wright Edelman

Lanterns

On women

Over the years I have been profoundly inspired by great women of all races who broke out of society's boxes, found and raised their powerful voices, took risks, and ... courageously used God's gifts to lift themselves above manmade obstacles and to help transform their times.

On teaching

Children look to important adults in their lives for signals about what is right and wrong, and how to interpret people or events that insult and assault their self-image. ... Like parenting, teaching is a mission, not just a task or a job.

On children

Children come into the world with God's commission to lived and learn and sing and dance and grow, then too many are decommissioned by adults who prey on, neglect, abuse, exploit, disrespect, discourage, and mislead them.

On learning from children

Children have taught me to confront unvarnished truth and unpleasant facts I'd often like to avoid. ... Children have taught me forgiveness ... resiliency ... wonder ... [how] to see the world afresh each day. ... Children teach us that love matters most.

(Excerpts from Lanterns by Marian Wright Edelman, reprinted with permission)

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