At bedtime, Mac and I talked over the struggles he and some of his classmates are having with a "bully." I do want Mac to feel able to stand up for himself, or for others, to say what's right or wrong, and tell someone when to take a hike. On the other hand, we discussed the dangers of labels and "teaming up" on someone, including a "bully," and making life miserable for him. It's already complicated, even at 6 years of age.
I still remember being on either side of this through grade school. I had my antagonists, and did my share of teasing. Even got sent to the principal's office once for it. Kids will be kids? No, it's more than that.
My high school class is preparing for a reunion this summer and have found that a number of us have died in these past 25 years. Some of them I knew. Some I barely knew. And a few were on the lower end of the pecking order. I look at their names on the list, and I regret that--in most cases--I don't recall taking the 3 or 4 minutes needed to say a kind word or speak up for them. I don't know how they died, and so I'm not suggesting a cause-and-effect thing, that a single sentence of kindness would have saved this or that person's life. Not very likely. On the other hand, it might have cheered someone up, or made a few moments more bearable, or less lonely. I wish I would have done that, at least more often.
I continue to be surprised (perhaps I shouldn't be) over the similarities between adult and kindergarten politics. And, unfortunately, it's all significant, how we treat each other from ages 5 to 95+.
God didn't make us just to save us. One of primary reasons we are here is to care for each other, and for creation. Nothing can fill us more... or make us feel so empty, when we look back and see the lost opportunities.
