Compassion

My Sunday School class spent a fair bit of time on how to teach children compassion - with one of the big problems being that older siblings don't want to spend time with younger siblings.

Since I haven't had this experience I had precious little to contribute - but when we were talking on Sunday afternoon I asked the kids why this happened. Their answers were insightful - first Jesse said it was because of all the books we read. She maintains that through reading you learn lessons without having to be told, taught or experienced - which was always the plan - and even Alec said that reading let's you put everything together. He said you can see how life all fits and how it has a longer perspective than just this minute.

The other big factor was having them at Pine where it is entirely acceptable and even good to play with your siblings.

With remarkable regularity we are getting words of wisdom from the kids that are comforting because I can see them growing up to be thoughtful, insightful adults and eventually parents.

Also - what luck - I really didn't know when I started all the reading that it would be so good - the whole thing was a gamble - but so far so good.