The kid is in first grade
It’s weird having the kid back in school again. I feel as if no time has passed this summer but so much has.
And yet, here we are, in a new grade, with new classmates and teachers. Picking him up the first day, I met his teacher for the first time.
Me: So how did he do?
Her: Well, you obviously know how social he is. He made a lot of new friends pretty quickly.
Me: Yup, that sounds like him.
He does have some social anxiety when we first show up to anything, but I encourage him to feel whatever he feels.
Him: I’m sorry I’m scared, Papa.
Me: (shaking head) No. Don’t ever apologize for your honest feelings. You’re always entitled to your true feelings, kid, and no one – not even me – is allowed to tell you that you can or cannot feel something that you honestly feel.
This actress named Charlotte Cushman once said, To try to be better is to be better.
Suppose I tell the kid these kinda things in the hopes that he’ll try to be ok and, maybe, that will be enough to make him ok.
I just want him to be ok.
Alla that sounds very sensible but the truth is that I question my own feelings about any number of things.
And yet, I try my best to not get down on myself for feeling what I feel.
And what I don’t feel.
Her: Why?
Me: I don’t know. I just know I’m not your guy.
Her: Well, thanks for telling me, I guess. (later) I didn’t even want dessert.
It’s still a work in progress. I’m trying.
Looking back at women I’ve dated, there are at least three women that I know that married the very next guy they dated after me.
That’s just off the top of my head.
Suppose, after me, it became very clear what they did and didn’t want in their life, for better or worse.
Writing that made me laugh. Perhaps I’m just so awful that some people needed to marry the very next person to get me outta their systems.
Maybe trying to be better isn’t enough after all.
Someone just rang my doorbell from my building. He found a crowbar on the floor in the hallway and it’s pretty clear, someone was trying to break into one of the units here.
I should really move to the burbs.
Location: in my apartment building
Mood: exhausted
Music: been feeling lazy, I’ve been going crazy (Spotify)
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3 replies on “Trying to be better”
Its true what Maya Angelou said, you’ll never forget how that person made you feel!
Boy is growing up so fast, yay to first grade!. Eventually moving to the quiet burbs would be in your plans (?)
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