Kate, on Emily returning home after spending time at a friend’s house for a few nights:
“I’m pretty sure she’s gone all “Lord of the Flies” on us.”
Yeah, I’d have to agree.
Archive for the ‘Emily’ Category
Random awesome fact about having a 7 year old
January 24, 2008When I watch Lord of the Rings and see Sean Astin playing Samwise, I see him as the kid in The Goonies.
When Emily watches The Goonies, she sees him as Sam from Lord of the Rings.
It’s awesome.
There are poor people in Olympia
January 24, 2008I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, really, but living in a fairly affluent and homogeneous city (Gig Harbor) for a few years has a way of desensitizing you from the rest of the area, which is really unfortunate. I didn’t like living in a little microcosm of upper-middle class America, and I’m truly happy to be away from that.
I’m pretty conflicted about helping people who are on the streets begging. I passed 4 people with signs today, all asking for money at different intersections in town. Part of me wants to help and give what I can, while another part of me thinks that waiting for a hand-out is fairly useless. I don’t know their stories and don’t presume to, but I’m skeptical about people trying to scam me or otherwise take advantage of me. How can I tell if they’re genuinely needy or just lazy? I feel bad even thinking that sometimes, like someone who is begging is just “faking it” because they’re lazy. How presumptuous!
Emily is really starting to become more observant of the world around her. She notices these things too. I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to answer her the first time she asks why people are homeless, or why they’re begging besides “I don’t know”. I want her to grow up and have compassion for the people who are less fortunate, but I don’t want her to be a sucker, either. I want her to know that the only thing she can truly count on in life is herself, and to learn to draw strength from within herself, to not expect a hand-out.
I feel like there is a lesson to be taught from this, but I’m not sure what it is or how to teach it.
