It's August and soon it will be time to put my teacher's cardi back on and get to it. So many things linger on my Summer list, a half painted house, a....... well I won't bore you with my list.... we all have them don't we.
A lot of my time is spent making sure everyone is happy - by this I mean fed, clothed, loved, safe, occupied and happy. This is my thing, trying to put a happy spin on everything. Yesterday, one of mine asked about the dark places. Those deep, dark feeling that dwell in us and I even tried to put a happy spin on that. "yes, we are able to feel all emotions, I said, you are so lucky you can go to those places, don't be afraid, you will come back up again. You need to feel to make art."
Well, there was a wake up call for me. I can not make everyone happy, certainly not a child that is fast becoming a tween, and I guess that is okay, maybe I don't have to try so hard anymore. Maybe fed, clothed, loved, safe and occupied don't always need to include happy in them. Hmmm.
I love your thoughts on this. It's so hard to express how it is possible to have a meaningful and worthwhile life without having to be happy. That happiness comes and goes and that is the nature of it. That most of it depends on what's within and cannot be imposed from without.
ReplyDeleteNone of which makes it easy to witness a child who is feeling sad of course. But sometimes being able to witness and respect that sadness is what is needed most.
You are right. Respect is the perfect mantra word. We all need it and need to use it. xx
ReplyDelete