When was the last time you talked with someone younger than 16? Younger than 10? I love talking to kids of all ages because they have less filters and more questions. They aren't coluded in their thought process and they come from a genuine place of interest. I always get an eye roll from my partner when I engage with kids out in public. I'll shoot a whining kid a smile or wave, or I'll make eye contact with the kid that is trying to see if they are taller than me! Watching the world through the eyes of a kid helps reset my brain and usually gives me a good chuckle.
Working with kids for over 10 years has taught me a lot about how to live life on purpose. They help remind me that everything in life is learned. I was a bully when I was younger. I was mean to other people because people were mean to me. All of it is learned and yes that even includes the shit.
As a foster parent of newborns to toddlers I have taught countless kids how to walk, use a spoon and their first words. As they continue to grow I start to help them understand their feelings, work on communication and how to be a solid human (hopefully).Even though I am teaching them lessons that will help them feed themselves and dress themselves they have taught me some amazing things in return.
One of the hardest things is that even the smallest ones of them have their own tragic story. The bullshit of life can find them at any stage of life. So this is what I tell myself, "How can I honestly judge another human being for living a different path than me? How can I judge them when I know that they are doing their best, and that at the end of the day we are all humans?
Yes sure, some people are assholes, but have you asked why? Have you taken the time to understand where they may be coming from? Or asked them who was the first asshole they met in life? Have you been able to accept them for their asshole ways knowing you won't be able to change them?
Everyone just wants to be seen and heard and a lot of the time our behaviours are a reflection of that. We act out because we are misheard, we hide because we don't want to be seen. It's funny how we can sometimes can act in a way that puts up a wall in the exact direction we're trying to move.
So don't beat yourself up. Remember we are all trying our best. Remember to laugh at fart jokes more often. Remember that we are all human.