Do pigs have wings?
I was discussing, ok arguing with my daughter last night, I don't know what about, it must not have been a big deal but I remember making a statement in regards to the weakness of her point and using the analogy of pigs and wings as a comparison to the validity of what she was stating, to which she insisted, "well,some do (have wings)!". I should know better than to argue with an 11 year old. That and I am learning slowly and painfully not to try to win every argument, it becomes a pride issue, having to be right. I know this and yet learning to do it is hard. It takes an effort and will to just drop it (and to do so without being in a huff). I actually am not going to write about this today, it just came to me as I started.
What I actually wanted to write about was a childhood thing that still haunts me, I truly pray that at some point it will stop. It's kind of silly, but then again it isn't.
When I was about 3 we were playing a local swimming area at a lake, I loved the water, absolutely loved it. Unbeknownst to my mom I got up and skittered down the dock to the deeper end where my sister and brother were diving off the diving board. I remember this, that's what is odd. I just hopped into the water and went down like a rock. I remember looking up and seeing the sky and dock all wavery through the water, and seeing a lifeguard standing over, he reached down and hauled me out.
No, I didn't die, I didn't need resucitation, I remember feeling acutely embarrassed, at being taken to the medical room, at people staring, thinking I had caused a scene. I was afraid of the water for several years after that but eventually overcame it and went on to become a competetive swimmer.
What bothers me is that, although I am not afraid of the water any more, I worry so much about my kids. They swim ok, neither is spectacular but they could paddle their way out if needed. It's not the pool so much but worrying about when we are on docks. I love the coast, but when I think about us being on a dock and fishing or crabbing, the picture of one of them falling in and getting sucked out to sea goes through my head. It's silly, but then, it isn't. They are a bit clutzy, especially my son, him tripping and falling is not big stretch. It's just that I can't get that picture out of my head. I want to make them wear a life jacket when we are around water, but that's isn't always feasable.
I don't know, I guess it is like you want to wrap them up in bubble wrap, and it's not because we, as parents, are irrational, we really DO know what can happen, that's part of the problem. But what if they don't get sucked out to sea, there are a myriad of other boogey men out there that are just as likely to snap them up in a heartbeat.
That is, I guess the heartbreaking part of being a parent, it's knowing that no matter how hard you try, you can't protect them from everything, can't be everywhere and can't anticipate every danger.
Maybe it's God's way of making us put our trust in him. Heaven knows if my kids safety was totally in my hands they would be long gone by now. But it surely is a hard thing.
What I actually wanted to write about was a childhood thing that still haunts me, I truly pray that at some point it will stop. It's kind of silly, but then again it isn't.
When I was about 3 we were playing a local swimming area at a lake, I loved the water, absolutely loved it. Unbeknownst to my mom I got up and skittered down the dock to the deeper end where my sister and brother were diving off the diving board. I remember this, that's what is odd. I just hopped into the water and went down like a rock. I remember looking up and seeing the sky and dock all wavery through the water, and seeing a lifeguard standing over, he reached down and hauled me out.
No, I didn't die, I didn't need resucitation, I remember feeling acutely embarrassed, at being taken to the medical room, at people staring, thinking I had caused a scene. I was afraid of the water for several years after that but eventually overcame it and went on to become a competetive swimmer.
What bothers me is that, although I am not afraid of the water any more, I worry so much about my kids. They swim ok, neither is spectacular but they could paddle their way out if needed. It's not the pool so much but worrying about when we are on docks. I love the coast, but when I think about us being on a dock and fishing or crabbing, the picture of one of them falling in and getting sucked out to sea goes through my head. It's silly, but then, it isn't. They are a bit clutzy, especially my son, him tripping and falling is not big stretch. It's just that I can't get that picture out of my head. I want to make them wear a life jacket when we are around water, but that's isn't always feasable.
I don't know, I guess it is like you want to wrap them up in bubble wrap, and it's not because we, as parents, are irrational, we really DO know what can happen, that's part of the problem. But what if they don't get sucked out to sea, there are a myriad of other boogey men out there that are just as likely to snap them up in a heartbeat.
That is, I guess the heartbreaking part of being a parent, it's knowing that no matter how hard you try, you can't protect them from everything, can't be everywhere and can't anticipate every danger.
Maybe it's God's way of making us put our trust in him. Heaven knows if my kids safety was totally in my hands they would be long gone by now. But it surely is a hard thing.
posted by madmom at 9:15 AM
4 Comments:
First, thanks for the white writing on the black background. Granted, it's not fancy but it's certainly readable - afterall, we want to read your thoughts (really we do).
The bottom of your posting is what really caught my attention - regarding faith. I haven't completely formulated this in my brain, but it's something that I'm working on (in my mind).
Okay, here it is - there is a new series coming on ABC about a detective who is injured by the gun of a bad guy, he is blinded; and he comes back and still wants to be a detective. I'm intrigued by this premise (years ago there was a similar series, I liked that one too). Anyway, in an advertisement they were showing the people that he worked with not wanting to work with him ... well, the end talked about "blind faith" - both a play on words, his particular situation (being blind) and what people would have to feel/believe in to be able to work with him. I need to see the ad a few more times - sort of working into a posting for me in the near future - I think.
Bottom line, yes we do need to have 'blind faith' to live our lives. Some of it we take for granted, we have faith that folks will stop their cars at a red light. We have faith, that an inspector did his job when a home was being built so it won't fall down around our heads. When a car runs the red light or a plane hits a tower, our faith is harmed, at least for the moment. But you turn into a sniveling, parnoid blog, crouched in a corner scared of every little noise without faith (of some kind).
As for your paranoia regarding docks, a somewhat rational fear, yet totally irrational, as you've already figured out. Cya.
It's so hard to trust, even God, where our children are concerned. Yes we know He loves them more than we do. By surrendering to His will, we also have to surrender our children to Him. Since we know that His will is not always the same as our will, that's a really tough thing to do.
I also worry about that, especially in a lake or the ocean where the water is not transparent and you don't know what's out there. There are so many unforeseen dangers at any time -- how do you safeguard against them.
You're a good mother. Your conscientiousness has assuredly been picked up on by your kids -- whether or not it's always apparent :) Faith is good, but you also set a good example and they learn from you what to watch out for and how to be prepared.
I really liked this post.
Thanks everyone, yeah, it's tough. What gets me is, I have totally transferred the fear from me to them. I think it's only fair that they be allowed to find their own boogey men and not have to grow up with mine. I also hope that my concerns do not become smothering, they are very aware of stranger danger and all that, so I know it rubs off. It's kind of a two edged sword, I want them aware but not worried. Well, if I can't even accomplish that, is it reasonable to expect them to? MOre tightropes to walk!!
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