Page 70 - How We Lead Matters

Pretending for Real

American Girl dolls were all the rage when my granddaughter Juliet begged
me to take her to the signature store in Chicago. I was excited about the
thought of spending time with her amid hundreds of life-like dolls of children
from all over the world. It would give us the perfect opportunity to reflect on
how rich and wonderful a diverse world can be, and we did just that.
We had tea with other little girls and their dolls from France, Sweden,
and Mexico. And we later enjoyed a musical performance that underscored
the universal values of honesty, kindness, and respect.
Our trip continued the next day with a visit to the Shedd Aquarium.
Inscribed in stone on a wall was a quote from a Senegalese conservationist
named Baba Dioum. It speaks to the importance of being intentional in
teaching our children what we want society to value.
Ever since that day, while others may quote Churchill, Kennedy, and
Aristotle in their speeches, I often have chosen to quote the lesser-known
Baba Dioum.
I love its hopefulness. I love the fact that it gives us a path forward. I
love also that it reminds me of a couple days in spring when I had my grand-
daughter all to myself—to play with dolls and watch the whales.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson 53