LovebirdsFlying
My husband drew this cartoon of me.
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I originally posted this on Facebook, and then I decided to bring it here too.
While preparing myself a very nice lunch of squash soup and garlic toast, I had a memory come back to me. I have no idea what triggered it, but I would like to discuss something philosophically. I am merely being philosophical, so please understand that telling me not to dwell on it and not to overthink will not be helpful.
When you grow up in a family that isn't very stable and doesn't have much money, sometimes little things stand out that mark you as being different from everybody else. Little tiny things like being the only one at Girl Scout camp who had to bring a place setting from home instead of having an official mess kit. It was embarrassing. After all I was only about 11 years old.
I know for certain that if I had mentioned it to my mother and stepfather, I would have been told angrily to be grateful for what I have. Some people don't have enough to eat. I should be thankful I even had a place setting from home that I could bring. And that I got to go to Girl Scout camp in the first place. How would I like to not go next time?
I do agree that it's better to be grateful for what we have than to gripe about what we don't have. The angry response I usually got, however, simply felt invalidating. There was no empathy. What would have been a better way to teach gratitude?
While preparing myself a very nice lunch of squash soup and garlic toast, I had a memory come back to me. I have no idea what triggered it, but I would like to discuss something philosophically. I am merely being philosophical, so please understand that telling me not to dwell on it and not to overthink will not be helpful.
When you grow up in a family that isn't very stable and doesn't have much money, sometimes little things stand out that mark you as being different from everybody else. Little tiny things like being the only one at Girl Scout camp who had to bring a place setting from home instead of having an official mess kit. It was embarrassing. After all I was only about 11 years old.
I know for certain that if I had mentioned it to my mother and stepfather, I would have been told angrily to be grateful for what I have. Some people don't have enough to eat. I should be thankful I even had a place setting from home that I could bring. And that I got to go to Girl Scout camp in the first place. How would I like to not go next time?
I do agree that it's better to be grateful for what we have than to gripe about what we don't have. The angry response I usually got, however, simply felt invalidating. There was no empathy. What would have been a better way to teach gratitude?
