Open Hours:
Mon - Sat: 9 am - 6 pm Sunday: CLOSED
When I was a young man just moved into my first apartment, feeling independence in a way I had never experienced. Unfortunately, at the same time my sister was going through a divorce and feeling all the emotions of a single mother needing to overcompensate to her kids for the impact the divorce was having on them. My sister, who inherently picked up the power of inducing the feeling of guilt on any family member from my mother convinced me in helping her with Christmas gifts for the kids. It was important to her that they experience the best Christmas ever to help lessen the pain of not having the whole family together for the first time in their lives. Although I didn’t make much money I had my first credit card. That piece of plastic can make you feel like a superhero. I had the illusion of fixing any problems my two nephews were having about their lives, I did what any superhero uncle would do. I spent way too much money I didn’t have. I went over Christmas morning to see the results of my efforts and there was my youngest nephew age 5 playing with the box that one of the toys I purchased for him came in. He was delighted, filled with wonder. Engaged in a way that would normally bring a warm feeling to your heart. Making sounds of flying while he waved the box around in the air, as the toy was on the side of him laying still wrapped in the plastic that covered it. Then it hit me. What have I done. Why did I spend so much out of my pocket watching him play with the box. I approached him after removing the toy from its protective packaging, inserted the batteries, and activated it. Surely, he would put down the box and start to enjoy this toy the way it was intended. But he watched the toy for about a minute and quickly moved his attention back to the box. My sister seeing my expression change from pride of coming through in a pinch to realizing the big mistake I made called out to my nephew. Put the box down and play with the toy. My nephew looked up at her and said I don’t want to. She went and took the box away and ordered him to play with the toy. My nephew clearly disappointed turns to the toy. In the following months he eventually started to enjoy the toy but never with the enthusiasm of the box. Now looking back as an adult, I see the importance of getting the child to play with the toy. Children need to be exposed to new things and experiences to help them develop and grow. We must encourage them to look beyond the box and see what other things are out there to learn from and enjoy. But that leads me to this observation for us to consider.as adults do or can we allow another to play with the box if it makes them happy or do we by ways of cancel culture, woke-ism and adult peer pressure to play with the toy. A woman grows up always wanting to be a home maker. She wants to keep the home, raise the kids. Cooking family dinners and go to school plays and events for the kids. She enjoys her husband going out to work to provide financially for the family. She could run a Fortune 500 company if she chose. But she chooses not to. She is living her best life waving the box around in the air as others may see it. She knows her value to the life she chooses to live. How do we accept her happiness in today’s world where she could be so much more. How do we not look at her as being blind or held back or worse, choosing to stay in a time where women were denied the right to have a say in their future. Can we allow/ respect her decision without constantly reminding her, ourselves and others of what she is supposedly missing or giving other women a bad example. Can we be happy and nonjudgmental of her or are we quietly saying under our breathe “not me” ,”not my child”. Do we tell her to play with the toy because of what we went through to get it or do we accept that she is happy playing with the box. If a man has a job that doesn’t make the money that he has the potential to make. But he is happy with it. It gives him the time to be with his family and friends. He cannot get season tickets, but he has a big screen LED to watch the game. If he applies himself, he could improve his status, income and be considered a catch. How would we treat him being happy with his position as a clerk instead of manger or owner of the company which he could if he applied himself. If he decides to remain for his own reasons, can we accept this and find satisfaction with his choice? Would repeatedly point out our disagreement with his decision to him and others. Would we ask him why he doesn’t want more or could we be happy with him playing with the box. How would a potential love interest see him. As a underachiever needing motivation or just say under our breathe “not me”,” not my child’. As adults we have lived and learned about ourselves to gain some perspective of what we want out of life. Some are still discovering, some pursuing and some have found their sweet spot or closest to it. Can we in today’s world accept it for others and be happy or will we continue to make them play with what we consider the toy.
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Comments
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!