|
||||||
|
||||||
|
The Shoemaker and the BratAt seventeen years old, I was a brat. A mixture of innocence, immaturity and righteousness. And I carried that attitude with me everywhere, including my trip to the shoemaker.Now, to understand why something as simple as a trip to the shoemaker would stay with me all these years later, I have to explain. I came from the most loving and nurturing parents a child could ever want. Even back then, I knew I was blessed with a wonderful family, but this realization also made me a little arrogant. My fierce devotion to family could be blinding at times. When my dad asked me to pick up his shoes from the shoemaker, I eagerly obliged. Although he rarely asked, I loved doing favors for him and this was an easy request. Or so I thought. This simple errand proved more daunting than I originally anticipated, but it also provided me with a valuable lesson in life. On my first attempt to pick up the shoes, I was informed they weren't ready. "Please, come back," the shoemaker said. However, although he said "please", his response was curt. As far as I was concerned, my dad never made mistakes, so I looked at the ticket and confirmed that I had the right date. "The ticket said they would be ready today," I responded in an indignant tone. "Tomorrow," was all he said. Then he turned to his next customer. I'm sure he didn't need a teenager lecturing him about his business obligations. Prone to the dramatics of my youth, I rolled my eyes and left in a huff, complaining about his lack of responsibility under my breath. When I returned the next day, ready to forgive him for the inconvenience, I was informed the shoes were not ready. Oh, you would think tragedy struck my perfect little world. My daddy needs his shoes, I though. How could the shoemaker be so inconsiderate? I stormed out of the shop without a word, but my body language spoke volumes. My third trip (in three days) yielded the same results, and now I was furious at the shoemaker. Who did he think he was? What kind of a business was he running? Without thinking, I demanded the shoes back. He complied with my request, grabbed the shoes from a large pile on his workbench and shoved them into a bag. "Here you go, young lady," he said with a smirk. I was fuming. I took the bag, bid him a sarcastic "thank you" and slammed the door on my way out. When I got home, I explained everything to my dad. As usual, my dialog was animated. I clutched the bag, imitated the shoemaker and walked around the living room acting out my dramatic exit from the shop. Then I handed my dad the bag. He looked in it and smiled. "Honey, I love you. I'm so happy that you care so much about my shoes, but what am I going to do with them now?" That's when he pulled the shoes out. The heels were removed and the soles were cobbled out. They were useless, like a patient pulled out of surgery before the doctor finished the operation. "Patience, honey," he said gently. "There is no point in working yourself up over something that you have no control over." I tried to argue with his logic. I told him the shoemaker had a job to do and he didn't live up to his obligation. My dad smiled again. "Honey, think about it. It's just a pair of shoes. I have others. Choose your battles wisely and always deliver them with respect. Tomorrow you will bring the shoes back to the shoemaker and apologize. Explain that you understand he is busy and I am certain you will get positive results." That's how my dad conducts his life, with patience and respect, no matter what is handed to him. It's one of the many reasons I love him so much. My father's response was not belittling or disrespectful. He reminded me that we can't always have what we want when we want it. He showed me that our responses to a difficult situation show our true character. Acceptance, forgiveness and understanding are key elements to a healthy outlook on life. Even to this day, whenever I am in a difficult situation, I remind myself not to be a heel, and always show sole. About the author: Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis are the authors of MILTON'S DILEMMA, the tale of a lonely boy's magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. As advocates for literacy and children's rights, the authors speak at schools and community events to foster awareness and provide children with a safe and healthy learning environment. For more information, please visit Joyful Productions at http://www.joyfulproductions.com Circulated by Article Emporium Growing Pains Growing Pains By David Leonhardt Growing up is never easy. Just ask Little Lady, almost three-and-a-half, how hard it is. She'll tell you. It's really, really hard. Half way through the day, my parents are a complete wreck. She's right. Sometimes the te... The Supermum Myth Exposed The Supermum myth is creating havoc in families and communities around the world. Think about it. There is so much pressure on mothers. They're expected to know what their doing with a brand new baby despite having little or no experience except a few antenatal classes and books... The Shoemaker and the Brat At seventeen years old, I was a brat. A mixture of innocence, immaturity and righteousness. And I carried that attitude with me everywhere, including my trip to the shoemaker. Now, to understand why something as simple as a trip to the shoemaker would stay with me all thes... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part III of III This is part III and the last part of this report. I hope you and your child are benefiting from the cues to their individual learning style and suggestions on how to can adjust your learning environment to achieve a successful and enjoyable homeschooling experience. Nex... Surviving a C-Section After 42 weeks of pregnancy, two days of undergoing inducement and physical stress on the baby, my daughter was delivered via an emergency C-section. Oh, it was music to my ears when my gynecologist arrived in my hospital room at 4:30 a.m. and told me they were going to do an emerg... Parenting: Ten Things You Can Do to Develop Your Baby's Language Skills The growth of your baby's language skills is an amazing process. In the short space of a year, she goes from crying to speaking intelligible words. Can you do anything to help baby along? Apparently yes. There are ways to help the baby develop her language skills more eas... A Step-By-Step Plan to a Healthy Pregnancy Having a baby is an exciting moment. However, the nine months leading up to the experience can be a bit unnerving. Most women worry throughout their pregnancy about the health of their baby. To alleviate the stress and worry that often creep up during pregnancy, plan instead to hav... Back When I Was A Kid... We must eliminate from our minds a few phrases when we are making decisions about how we will be raising our kids. They are the sayings like: "When I was a kid..." and "If I had done that when I was a kid, my dad would have..." or "Back when we were in school they used to..." ... Games to Make your Baby Shower a Success Described below are many baby shower games that will spruce up any baby shower. ABC's Have each person write down each letter of the alphabet. Everyone has to name something that has to do with a baby for each letter. This game should be timed for about two minute... Does Your Family Know How to be Safe on the Internet? A USA Today article that ran in July 2005 cited findings from a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. They found that during the school year, kids between the ages of 8 and 10 years old spent an average of 6 hours per day watching television, playing video games and/or ... Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use without Appearing to be Spying Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still need to keep an eye on them. It is much better to realize that things could change, and anticipate that your teen COULD become a user. Essentially, it is not wise to make assumptions about topics such as drug use. Also, having bee... Mommy & Baby: Weight Gain & Failure To Thrive A guide to appropriate weight-gain and what to look for if you suspect failure-to-thrive: Weight Gain: Birth 2 weeks of age Regain birth weight plus some 2 weeks 3 months of age Two pounds per month or one ounce per day 4 6 ... The Characteristics of a Typical Baby Born Under the Sign of Libra Your Libra Baby.. September 23 - October 22 Libras can be really beautiful babies. Personality wise, your Libra baby will not like to be hurried and will hate having to choose between two things. Libra children often seem older than their years and unexpectedly kn... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part II of III Create the best learning environment for your child. In addition to receiving and processing information, learning is affected by how the child responds to the organization of the material. Consider these four basic types. (Remember it is not a box to keep your child in..... When To Start Teaching Your Baby (1) When is it that I should start teaching my baby? That is a question that may come to mind for many first time parents; other parents may never consider the question at all, and just leave things to evolve naturally. In a way, that is an unnecessary question as, whether you...
|
|
|||||
|
||||||