"How did you end up with such a dark skinned child?"

To be totally honest I shouldn't have said Pearl believes she is "black".   Pearl knows her skin is dark and therefore sees herself in dark skinned people, like our President.  The reason she even gives her skin tone a thought is because people are constantly commenting on it.  People who would consider themselves far from racist can't seem to help but immediately ask: "Where does Pearl get that dark skin?" "What's your ethnic background?" "Pearl sure is darker than her sisters."   What is it they are asking?  And why.  I get curiosity.  But maybe people should give a little more thought to their comments before they speak.  She hears them.  And what she hears is that she is different.  Mav hears them and he hears a question of my fidelity.  I hear them and I hear judgement.

I love her dark features.  God has used them to shine a light on my own racism.  I have a new perspective and it is personal.

I hope I don't sound like I am saying I now know what it is like to be a victim of racism.  I don't.  What I am saying is that through Pearl I have a different gauge with which I can see the plank in my own eye.