Sunday, February 2, 2020

Lessons from 2020 Halftime Show

I claimed the widow's prerogative of not watching the Super Bowl.  In fact, yesterday when the flirty cashier asked me which team I was rooting for, I had no idea what he was talking about.  I didn't even know who was playing.  Chiefs?  What town do they represent?  49ers?  No, just no.

I learned through my thorough friends on social media that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira were performing the halftime show.  The benefit of living in this day and age is like the Aerosmith song, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." Therefore, I don't have to.  With my trusty little mini me, I quickly logged on to watch the Super Bowl Half Time Show on the computer.   

As Shakira came on, I thought about how proud my father would be to see Shakira performing.  My father raised me Puerto Rican but my roots are clearly Colombian.  Any Colombian he would ever see he would proudly point out, "Colombian."  Shakira was no exception.  My daughter watched rooted on the spot as she watched Shakira.  In that moment, she was so proud to have Colombian blood pumping in her little body.  As Bad Bunny came on, I felt the baton passing on to me as I called out Puerto Rican.  My dual heritage was on display tonight as I watched proudly with my little girl.

 As JLo took the stage I whispered that she was from the Bronx.  My daughter smiled at me.  This was exciting for her.  This was a woman that was like her mom.  She was Puerto Rican and from the Bronx. She was on the television.  She was singing.  And then J Balvin came on.  As far as we were concerned, it was our show, catered for us.  Two women, one partly Colombian and the other Puerto Rican from the Bronx.  Two men featured, one Puerto Rican the other Colombian.  And when JLo opened up her feather boa vest into the Puerto Rican flag, my daughter exclaimed in what I can only call pride. 

There are not a lot of Puerto Ricans in this state.  There are even less Colombians.  I think my daughter looks for confirmation of who she is in me.  It helps for her to see others like me, like her.  Funny that I found it on a show I deliberately evaded.  You never know when you are going to learn something. Same goes for teaching.  You never know where the next teaching moment will come from.  My prayer will always be to raise them toward Jesus.  LORD, hear my prayers.

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