Oh, how I am trying to teach this to my daughter. She will enter the angst-ridden teen years before I know it. I pray that she is armed with self-confidence, with humility, with kindness. As any woman here can testify, those girls can be mean mean mean.
How then do I prepare her for the hurt, isolation and moral challenges she will encounter? There never seems enough time to build her courage, to fortify her heart, to light the path beneath her feet.
This time will be here before I know it, before I am finished, I fear.
As you wander through life amidst all the goodness and love
your heart finds, you’ll inevitably encounter random anger, ridicule, insults,
resentment, indifference, rudeness, moodiness and insensitivity 1. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with you. While we
are sometimes a target for others
feelings, we are often not the reason
for them. 2. These feelings are theirs: please don’t make them yours. Try not to own them or become
responsible for them. 3. Even when you know these feelings have nothing to do with
you - and even if you weren't the intended target - they will sometimes stick. SHAKE
THEM OFF 4. To those who sent out these feelings, offer hugs, smiles,
healing thoughts, warm wishes or prayers – whatever of these you believe is
appropriate to both the person and the situation. Anything positive, never
negative. 5. Try very hard not to be offended. Remember: it’s not
about you. |
