"It has taken three months of practice to get this ball in my hand.  Now let’s see.  What am I to do with it?”  Everyone has patience with the baby as he develops his personality, gains control of his arms and fingers, learns to communicate and much more.  We are all excited at every new stage- every accomplishment- and we clap and cheer over every roll, smile, and coo!   Wonder what the world would be like if we never lost that patience with each other’s development.  If we showered one another with hugs, words of encouragement, and sincerely tolerated the inability to perform what everyone was anxiously waiting for us to do?

In my observations expectations from a child become more intense in adult minds as early as six months old.  If the child isn’t walking at a year old people panic and push. When the child is not    following all the “behavior rules” by eighteen months aggravation seeps in. Already our tolerance has diminished to the degree we cannot see an innocent sweet child as unique- different- a one of a kind creation with their own path to follow.  “Train up a child in the way he should go and he shall  not depart from it  sat on my Dad’s dresser taped to a photo of all us kids.  To guide, instruct, and make fit for sharing in life with others in this world. These are good things, yet the methods used to “train” are so numerous we find ourselves as adults in a frustrated world unable to agree, compromise, and selfishly holding on to our method as the right one.  I am not saying I don’t believe there are absolute truths because I do.  What I am saying is that upon finding myself in an unexpected breaking point in my life not only was I amazed - but everyone who knew me!  I truly needed care- help to learn to juggle my ball- but I was past the “age” of development so patience to help me came only from a blessed few.

As a spectator of human interactions I am so blessed to observe loving caring behavior extended to others.  Sadly, however, I see more examples of what I pray I never would do. As I have mellowed out in my more “mature years” visions of things I have said and done to others in my past bring remorse to my heart.  Personal passions forced onto others only drove them away.  Only what was observed that another desired for themselves caused a gravitational pull towards me and gave me the opportunity to mentor another.  There are beliefs and just causes that remain passionate in my heart, but if my heart cries for love and understanding I can only presume yours does too…………….