I slightly joke and yet it still amazes me no matter what culture you are in teenagers are teenagers are teenagers.
They act the same, have the same attitude of, I know everything and you know nothing, they laugh at the same stuff, they compete like no other and hate to lose. They are giggly and loud one minute only to be withdrawn and anti-social the next. They pretend not to care what you think, but the moment that you least expect it is when they come to you with their heart on their sleeves wanting love and affection. They hate doing chores, they don't like getting dirty unless they want to, and God forbid you make them eat their veggies.
Yet here I am in India and dealing with all the same issues that I faced back home with the youth kids. We officially have two beautifully tough yet amazingly insecure girls in our home. Both have gone through unspeakable things and yet they still can sit on the floor and color for hours. Watch Tom and Jerry and laugh until their stomachs hurt, draw, paint, play games, talk and eat popcorn endlessly. They are complete opposites and yet inseparable almost as if they know they have similar war stories so they are going to stuck together.
One is loud, demands attention at all times, pouts when she doesn't win, is angry at what has happened to her, demands justice, and draws the most beautiful pictures of flowers I have ever seen. The other is quiet, goes with the flow, doesn't like to upset anyone, won't touch people or like to be touched by people, hates to draw, loves to color, LOVES American music, doesn't care about justice just seeks peace and safety, she only wants to be loved and live free, and sings more beautifully then any person I've ever heard. Yet they both have their moments when they all of the sudden can't understand English, Hindi, or Assamese. They hate eating veggies, don't like chores, can't move fast for anything except popcorn. They desire to only wear their favorite color, giggle and whisper to each other about everyone, pout when they loose and really don't like to be paired with someone who will cause them to loose (AKA me).
Yet today for the first time the one that doesn't like to be touched or to give touched wrapped her arms around me in a hug for just a second. The artist sat down with me for a few hours to draw Mendie on my hand. They both shared their precious popcorn with me last night during the Hindi version of Shrek 2 and insisted I eat my share. Asked me to read them the same story about a stork and a fox over and over and over again. Learned the cupid shuffle then danced it with me a million times and patiently played badminton with me for an hour.
Needless to say I have 2 teenage girls teaching me patience, laughter, humility, compassion and kindness. Most importantly they are teaching me how to love them completely with the attitudes, scars, hurts and bruises. They are showing me how much I can do simply by dancing the same dance a million times over. Every moment that I share with them is more of a blessing then I had ever hoped for.
They act the same, have the same attitude of, I know everything and you know nothing, they laugh at the same stuff, they compete like no other and hate to lose. They are giggly and loud one minute only to be withdrawn and anti-social the next. They pretend not to care what you think, but the moment that you least expect it is when they come to you with their heart on their sleeves wanting love and affection. They hate doing chores, they don't like getting dirty unless they want to, and God forbid you make them eat their veggies.
Yet here I am in India and dealing with all the same issues that I faced back home with the youth kids. We officially have two beautifully tough yet amazingly insecure girls in our home. Both have gone through unspeakable things and yet they still can sit on the floor and color for hours. Watch Tom and Jerry and laugh until their stomachs hurt, draw, paint, play games, talk and eat popcorn endlessly. They are complete opposites and yet inseparable almost as if they know they have similar war stories so they are going to stuck together.
One is loud, demands attention at all times, pouts when she doesn't win, is angry at what has happened to her, demands justice, and draws the most beautiful pictures of flowers I have ever seen. The other is quiet, goes with the flow, doesn't like to upset anyone, won't touch people or like to be touched by people, hates to draw, loves to color, LOVES American music, doesn't care about justice just seeks peace and safety, she only wants to be loved and live free, and sings more beautifully then any person I've ever heard. Yet they both have their moments when they all of the sudden can't understand English, Hindi, or Assamese. They hate eating veggies, don't like chores, can't move fast for anything except popcorn. They desire to only wear their favorite color, giggle and whisper to each other about everyone, pout when they loose and really don't like to be paired with someone who will cause them to loose (AKA me).
Needless to say I have 2 teenage girls teaching me patience, laughter, humility, compassion and kindness. Most importantly they are teaching me how to love them completely with the attitudes, scars, hurts and bruises. They are showing me how much I can do simply by dancing the same dance a million times over. Every moment that I share with them is more of a blessing then I had ever hoped for.
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat made me smile. You're going to touch their lives to where they will never forget you, and you'll be a wonderful, wonderful memory for them.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me smile!
ReplyDeleteYur light is shining so brightly!!!
ReplyDelete