Given the fact that our kids are all still so little, I often forget the fact that I can’t protect them and save them from all the pain and hurt in this world. Of course I don’t want to shelter them in the sense that they are naive and have no idea of the struggles and suffering around them. No, I want them to be deeply sympathetic to others’ hurts, I want them to love deeply as they have been loved deeply by God. I just wish they didn’t have to feel pain and hurt for themselves.
Of course that’s impossible.
Still, I hate having to console my beautiful daughter when her friends exclude her. Her precious face, cast in a shadow of sadness. In that moment I am transported back to my childhood, drying my own tears because my friends cruelly abandoned me. It is so hard to quietly comfort and console her, rather than stand up like a mama bear and fight. It is a battle I cannot win. I can only pray that she can learn to love when she is not shown love. To forgive rather than harbor bitterness. And pray that I can do the same.
Oh Lord, I have so much to learn.
Interesting you should post this because my heart ached for Bailey this afternoon as I witnessed just this. I found myself wanting to be a mama bear too and I am not her mama! These times were probably some of the toughest moments in my parenting. Interesting though that it was rarely an issue with the boys. Ah, little girls. 🙂 Indeed, may she learn to love when she is not shown love. May we all learn to do that. Isn’t that what Christ did for us?
Thanks for your comment, Julie. You’re so right that the struggles are so different between girls and boys. I don’t know if I can remember a time this has happened to the boys, yet here we are with Bailey not 3 and already my heart is breaking for her. I can’t imagine how much harder it will get as she gets older – don’t know how my mom managed the times that I would cry on her shoulder!
It’s such a learning curve for me, going from boys to girl. Boys are tougher, you can be harder on them, and girls are so delicate and fragile. Such blessings, both. Such a responsibility to train them up.
Thanks for being someone I can draw wisdom from.
Amen Kim! I have those exact feelings with Ellie-what is it about girls?
How could anyone resist that sweet girl? She is in my prayers!