Today I left my purse in the bathroom of a gas station. I was rather hysterical when I realized what I had done. My husband turned the car around immediately and took me back to the station. A young African American man was at the desk; he had shown me how to find the washroom a few minutes before.

He turned to a Latino girl who was standing nearby, and she handed me my bag. I was in tears, and I told them both that I loved them, and I did. Good people aren't always around when we need them.  

In that bag was my social security card, my medical identification and money. They were all there upon their return to me. I felt so happy I could have flown!

Actually, I was in tears, and I couldn't resist saying to the young man what was in my heart at that moment. My words were, "you are a little lighter than my father was. May he rest in peace." That was entirely the truth.  My dad was a very dark skinned man, and I grew up knowing that face color meant nothing. What really mattered were many other things.

The things that count are heart and soul. Hopefully, we all have them. Then, of course, there are lungs, bladder, kidneys, etc. All the organs that make up the human body are there in all of us. The external appearance is irrelevant. Fortunately, I have lived my life knowing this inarguable truth, and it has served me well.

The people who have become my friends have done so because we were able to communicate with one another, and understood what was truly important. It has never been color -- not when I taught, and not in my private life. This wonderful "color blindness" has made my life fuller and richer.

How boring an existence I would have had remaining afraid to reach out to other human beings on the basis of the color of their skin. Life would have been far less fulfilling had I insisted that everyone with whom I engaged in conversation was the same color as I. Thank God that I learned early that color of skin didn't count, and that what really mattered lay below the surface.

I've written these words because I see too much prejudice around me. Human beings need to learn to accept one another for their kindness and decency.