Well I survived the day… child-minding that is, and only 6 weeks or so to go! There was a time when such a challenge as looking after two young girls (aged 9 and 11) for most of a day would have been a complete no-no. Even though I have 3 daughters and a son of my own who were all young once, it’s not really what I do or who I am, but I’ve changed and so have they over the last year or so. Jane showed me how to befriend children rather than simply look after them. I know I’m not very good at engaging in their world at their level but their natural friendliness towards me more than compensates and so I’ve actually enjoyed the day. They’re really well behaved and easy to care for although understanding their preference of marmite to honey as a crumpet spread is way beyond my pay grade. It just doesn’t sound childish does it? My regular 1 hour stroll through the woods at Kedleston took an extra 30 minutes as they kept stopping. That sort of suits me and I’m just pleased that they were willing to join in grandads world rather than sitting in front of a screen. And we have something in common; we don’t like walking across a large field with hundreds of sheep all munching away… too much poo underfoot!
Life has it’s challenges doesn’t it? I’ve often seen children as almost being aliens from another planet, I can’t pretend to enjoy behaving in a childish way playing with them, it just doesn’t sit very well with me… it’s not who I am. But I have learned to see children as people and begun to care very deeply about them even if they do childish things all the time… I think I’ll just stick with relatives though. We all have different areas we feel naturally comfortable with… I’m fairly happy dismantling and repairing a broken pc or fixing corrupted software. Most people including those who are good with kids have absolutely no idea how to go about it and some are almost frightened of the things. A bit like me and children maybe once upon a time. I’ve never ever changed a nappy by the way... that’s not an achievement to be of proud though. But I’m never more comfortable than when standing on a stage with maybe several hundred people looking my way as long as I have a guitar to hide behind. I don’t claim to be very good at being there… it just doesn’t bother me one bit. That doesn’t work for too many people I guess. So it makes sense to try and work at those areas of life that suit us.
Bereavement doesn’t suit me. But I have no choice. Nobody does. And I will do it in the best way I can.
Philippians 4:13 ‘For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.’ (NLT)
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