Defeating the purpose

When I do the dishes, I am always more careful when handling my beloved pieces of Moonshine Pottery. Thanks to dear friends, I have collected a few along the years, and although they are items of everyday use, I do handle them carefully. They've gone from Australia, to China, to Buenos Aires and then Zagreb. Generally, I wash the dishes and leave them to dry. However, my Moonshine pottery pieces, I dry and put away on the spot.

Today I took a beautiful blue enamel bowl in my hands to dry it and I almost dropped it. It got me thinking how sometimes, it is that extra bit of care, precisely, that can ruin something that we are especially fond of. With pottery as with kids.

We love our children so much, have such high hopes for them, that sometimes we ruin them with that extra bit of attention. The same overdoing that can crash the bowl, can fuck up children, plain and simple.*

If we try to save our kids from mistakes, pain, discomfort and failure, we are basically preventing them from growing. There is no character growth without pain, so love with your whole heart but care in a wise manner.

It is not about immediate pain or pleasure. It is always about the bigger picture. Just saying!

S



* It doesn't ruin them completely, thank God. I will say again and repeat forever: as long as it comes from a place of healthy love, you cannot miss the mark by much. Remember that healthy love often means "tough love".