Thursday, April 22, 2010

observation


Tonight I observed something incredible about both of my children. Different things entirely, but both equally wonderful.

Geoffrey is a very smart kid, but there is smart and there is brilliant.  Tonight he was in his element. He was working at their school's Study Abroad Fair welcoming parents and giving them the lay of the land on what was where. He was so composed, friendly and genuine to each person I saw him greet. He smoothly gave the information to each adult and very graciously thanked them for attending. I watched him from afar for a few minutes and it was incredible and wonderful to see him so comfortable in his own skin. His social and communication skills are off the charts AP level.  There are very few adults as comfortable with talking to people as my son.  He's got a true gift.

Then I came home and Bronte was studying her Chinese, as she does nightly. I think she might actually be fluent in a couple years at the rate she studies.  She loves it.  She asked me when we could get her phone # switched to an older (but fully functioning) phone because her phone is not working. I said we'd try to get it resolved in the next day. She then said, "Well, I already checked to make sure the micro-SD card fits into the old phone and it does. I've saved all of my data onto it so once we can get the phone switch I can upload everything into the new phone." Wow! She just took initiative to do what she could so the whole process would be easier on everyone!  I love that girlie so much.  She's just kind, thoughtful and so ridiculously smart and self sufficient.

My smart, wonderful children. I am so lucky that I get to observe their moments of brilliance and enjoy who they are daily through all the difficulty and brilliance. We are lucky to have one another.

Monday, April 19, 2010

A Question of Lies

I've been having some deep thoughts about lies, people who tell lies and what the motivation is. Why do people lie? Even more, why do they lie about things that can be proven to be false? I don't know if I'm too trusting, but it seems to be a recurrent theme with people I encounter. The telling of lies that can be proven to be lies. It's frustrating as all hell.
In my search to understand the motivation for lying I came across this. It's good food for thought. It doesn't resolve my question, but it's a good stand on the couch kind of perspective.


The Question
anonymous

Were the whole world good as you – not an atom better-
Were it just as pure and true,
Just as pure and true as you;
Just as strong in faith and works;
Just as free from crafty quirks;
All extortion, all deceit;
Schemes its neighbors to defeat;
Schemes its neighbors to defraud;
Schemes some culprit to applaud-
Would this world be better?

If the whole world followed you – followed to the letter-
Would it be a nobler world,
All deceit and falsehood hurled
From it altogether;
Malice, selfishness, and lust,
Banished from beneath the crust,
Covering human hearts from view-
Tell me, if it followed you,
Would the world be better?