The Hearts Of Babes

Trying to raise caring, selfless children in today’s age isn’t always easy.  There are many objects that stand in our way that we never faced as kids.  Objects like cellphones, computers, video games, etc..  In the world of selfies, how to raise a child who will think of others first?

My kids are not perfect.  Most days one of them is mad over me saying  no to whatever whim they have at that moment.  They bicker between themselves, hate cleaning up messes, do NOT ask them to do laundry unless you are prepared for a 5 minute folding session to last an hour or more, with grumbling.  But every once in awhile I see that we are doing alright by them.   They always have each other’s backs, even when they are professing their disdain towards each other.  And they really are selfless in their daily acts where they don’t brag about helping the shy girl at school feel welcome, or comforting their friend who just got her heart broken, or playing with the disabled boy when no one else will.  I know these things because others tell me about them.  And I see it in the girls’ eyes, that gratitude and love.  I also see it in their choice of friends.

So Xiola spent the day yesterday with her best friend.  These two have been friends since they were toddlers.  When Xi came running in after being dropped off, I expected to hear about all the fun she had doing the things she loves.  What I was greeted with was a gift bag and a smile on her face.  She promptly asked me to open it and stated it was from both her and her friend.  While I figured it would be a drawing or something they love and thought I would too, I never expected what I pulled out of that bag.  Those girls bought be the journal I had been wanting.  A leather bound, beautiful handmade book with an embossed Tree of Life on the cover that matches the tattoo on my forearm.  It is a journal for a story…not daily lists like some of my others hold.  It is for a glorious story that will hopefully flow from my pen to it’s gold edged pages.  Can you tell I really love this journal?  The day before I had taken the two of them out for the day and we ended up at the bookstore.  I realize now they had been keeping a close eye on me while we were looking at the journals.  When I pulled it out of that gift bag, I started to cry.  My daughter was face-timing the whole thing with her friend.  When I was a kid face-timing was actually facing and talking to a friend, but I digress.  They both were laughing and telling me they love me.  Through my tears, I saw her eyes…..the eyes of a girl who, even though she loves her selfies, loves making others happy most of all.   And hearing those two laughing with love over making mama cry with happiness was the best part of the gift.

Every once in awhile I get a glimpse that we are doing alright with these kids….So now to fill that book with a story for her…