It’s funny how parenthood changes your perspective on the world. Because I studied political science in college, I have always paid more attention to politics than the average American, but you start to look at things in a different way…or at least I do.

I am a news-aholic. I listen to NPR every time I’m in the car, watch the evening news and scan the newspaper every evening when I get home. I grumble to myself when I’m reading and, on occasion, I actually find myself arguing with the radio.

After 9-11, I was just like the rest of the nation. I was glued to the television coverage. I watched it day in and day out – soaking in all the new information and filing it away for lunch time discussions. My thoughts revolved entirely around the present. The future still seemed very far away.

Now, my son is here. I listen to the news and I am equally horrified by the things that are happening in the world. However, instead of being horrified about what is happening now, I am horrified by what it means for the future. I listen to good news with a sigh of relief. Every decision that I make and I everything that happens makes a difference in his future – from the school levy to the threat of war. It’s an awesome responsibility.

Sometimes, I get tired of hearing people tell me that they aren’t concerned what’s happening between Taiwan and China, who cares about the Palestinians, what does Africa have to do with me… The whole world is so interconnected now that the smallest no-name country has the ability to change everything with one action. Hostilities between nations on the other side of the world can lead to our children having to fight a war when they are adults. I don’t feel that I can afford to sit back and ride out the waves anymore. There is no room for apathy. Decisions that I make or my contemporaries make are going to shape the world in which my son lives. I figure that I have a global family so I should live in the global world.

This is one of my soap box messages. People tend to avoid the whole subject of world responsibility when I’m around. Once I get started…you can’t make me stop. I have trouble tolerating complaints from people who don’t vote, don’t make their voices heard… You can’t complain about a result if you don’t participate in the process. If I don’t agree with the way you are participating, I will argue with you, but I will respect you because you are participating. How can you not participate in the process when you know your child’s future is at stake?

I don’t have any plans to move mountains and I don’t expect anyone else to do it either. I plan to carry my handful of earth and hope that other people take their handful of earth – that’s how you move a mountain.