I see the transformation. The independence. The intelligence. The desire and happiness you have in growing up. Your abilities grow, as does your understanding of the events going on around you and the people who surround you.
You are now nearly 7 and 5 and I am pretty sure you'd love to be 17 and 15 instead, able to drive a car and carry a cell phone, as well as have your own iPads and set your own bedtimes.
You are building social circles and making friends. And the majority of all these steps you take are beautiful to watch and humbling to a parent.
But with the sweet, you will endure the sour. This week, you had your first real experience with ugliness from others. Pure anger, pure meaness and quite unprovoked. A group of people who pointed their misguided frustration in your direction, spent a long time loading their guns - and then fired away.
In reality, we mostly shielded you from it because you are not able to comprehend that level of unkindness. Today, you would not and could not understand how a friend can act like that or say those things - and that is because it is not in your hearts (or your heads) to do such a thing, let alone even concoct the idea.
In reality, we mostly shielded you from it because you are not able to comprehend that level of unkindness. Today, you would not and could not understand how a friend can act like that or say those things - and that is because it is not in your hearts (or your heads) to do such a thing, let alone even concoct the idea.
But, such unkindness may happen again. Because we cannot control the actions of others, it's highly possible. And it is my hope that you know who you are, and are strong enough to do the right thing, make the right choices and be the better person. That you don't doubt yourself and certainly don't allow the unkind words of others to harm you. That you can forgive and live with a clean consious, but not be mistaken for fools. That you hold your social circles accountable for their actions and expect a certain level of humanity and decency from them.
This is how we raise you. This is what we expect from you. And you should expect no less from others.
But, we will be here for you when you stumble - and we'll be here for you when your friends fail you. We are your family, and we will always lift you up.
"The love of the family, the love of one person can heal. It heals the scars left by a larger society. A massive, powerful society." - Maya Angelou
This is how we raise you. This is what we expect from you. And you should expect no less from others.
But, we will be here for you when you stumble - and we'll be here for you when your friends fail you. We are your family, and we will always lift you up.
"The love of the family, the love of one person can heal. It heals the scars left by a larger society. A massive, powerful society." - Maya Angelou
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