honesty is such a lonely word,
everyone is so untrue
honesty is hardly ever heard
and mostly what I need from you.
lyrics from "Honesty"
Billy Joel
My fourteen year old son has developed a new habit in the last six months or so. When not in agreement with me on small matters, he will ask, only slightly hesitantly, "honestly?", then go on to respectfully give me his opinion. I want to smile when it happens but I don't... I just listen. I know it is a real honor that he trusts me enough to let me know how he sees things. I also know that the wrong response from me could make that the last time he takes a chance on telling me how his opinions or feelings differ from mine, and that's something I really DO want to know!
I spent a good part of this past weekend with some of the kids from our church youth group. We cooked soup yesterday for a soup cook-off , then served it today. We didn't win, but... honestly? ... I really didn't expect to even though we did have a great recipe and our soup was a hit! The real fun was in the doing it... the kids were so open to stepping outside their comfort zone, admitting they didn't know how to do something, and then completely giving their attention to learning how to do it. None of them knew how to peel garlic or chop an onion, (there were lots of tears!) but there we all were all learning it together. And I do mean "we" because the more time I spend with the kids the more I am re-learning how to find the fun and newness there is in anything, that is if you approach it with enthusiasm and a mind full of curiosity. Being with them makes me feel reconnected to the girl I was at that age! Back then everything was so funny, or so awful, or so maddening! Everything new FELT new, even if it was just crying while chopping an onion!
Honestly?.. I started working with the youth group to help, to do my part. I thought I could spare a couple of hours a week to do something for the kids. They have become hours I dearly look forward to! Every time we are together I learn something new about one of these wonderful kids, which makes me have to re-adjust the way I saw them, or had them "pegged". There is so much to each one of them! It is so rewarding and humbling to feel the beginnings of friendship and trust that these kids CHOOSE to bestow upon me! So...honestly?... I think I might be the one getting the good deal ! Love, RED
everyone is so untrue
honesty is hardly ever heard
and mostly what I need from you.
lyrics from "Honesty"
Billy Joel
My fourteen year old son has developed a new habit in the last six months or so. When not in agreement with me on small matters, he will ask, only slightly hesitantly, "honestly?", then go on to respectfully give me his opinion. I want to smile when it happens but I don't... I just listen. I know it is a real honor that he trusts me enough to let me know how he sees things. I also know that the wrong response from me could make that the last time he takes a chance on telling me how his opinions or feelings differ from mine, and that's something I really DO want to know!
I spent a good part of this past weekend with some of the kids from our church youth group. We cooked soup yesterday for a soup cook-off , then served it today. We didn't win, but... honestly? ... I really didn't expect to even though we did have a great recipe and our soup was a hit! The real fun was in the doing it... the kids were so open to stepping outside their comfort zone, admitting they didn't know how to do something, and then completely giving their attention to learning how to do it. None of them knew how to peel garlic or chop an onion, (there were lots of tears!) but there we all were all learning it together. And I do mean "we" because the more time I spend with the kids the more I am re-learning how to find the fun and newness there is in anything, that is if you approach it with enthusiasm and a mind full of curiosity. Being with them makes me feel reconnected to the girl I was at that age! Back then everything was so funny, or so awful, or so maddening! Everything new FELT new, even if it was just crying while chopping an onion!
Honestly?.. I started working with the youth group to help, to do my part. I thought I could spare a couple of hours a week to do something for the kids. They have become hours I dearly look forward to! Every time we are together I learn something new about one of these wonderful kids, which makes me have to re-adjust the way I saw them, or had them "pegged". There is so much to each one of them! It is so rewarding and humbling to feel the beginnings of friendship and trust that these kids CHOOSE to bestow upon me! So...honestly?... I think I might be the one getting the good deal ! Love, RED
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4 comments:
Oo, what kind of soup did y'all make?
Minestrone, but better than the average. It has Italian sausage, white wine and lots of fresh basil. Thanks for the recipe JC!
Honestly? Your recipe description is making me hungry! And honestly? I love the pic at the top of the blog! And honestly? It IS a privelege to know the contents of your children's heads. Keep up the good work!
You are such a good mama!
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