Week 19: ME & Multiplicity
I've been thinking a lot about kindness this week, or the lack thereof. My son has been having some trouble with friends not treating him well, and as any parent will tell you, when your child hurts so do you. He asked me to step in and help, so I did, and luckily things seem to be resolved. At least for now. It's got me thinking about the fact that many times in his life, people will hurt him, will lie to him, will treat him badly, will let him down, and will break his heart, and there will be little I can do to help. So I talk to him about what kind of friends to look for. I talk to him about how to treat others, and how to stand up for himself. I let him know that I am always here to listen, and to help if he needs it. I talk to him about how he should always be kind not just to others, but also to himself.
I try to model all of these things, so that he learns not just by my words but by my example, but this week I feel like I failed a bit. I wasn't as kind to certain people as I could have been, and I definitely wasn't very kind to myself. He doesn't know my thoughts, of course, but I do, and this week they have not been very kind. I need to stop being so hard on myself, and I will... for his sake and for mine.
