Sometimes I go hang out with this group of 3rd graders with the purpose of tutoring them, but a lot of times we just end up playing soccer or something. Most of the time it’s pretty fun. But I’ve been reminded that sometimes when kids don’t get picked for a soccer team or they have to do math homework, they throw tantrums.
They don’t quite understand yet that sometimes when they feel hurt in this world it’s not because somebody did something mean to them. Sometimes it’s just how this world works. And throwing a tantrum is the wrong response because it makes it all about them when it’s not about them.
I wish these kids knew that it does no good throwing a tantrum in front of me and making my life miserable too. It’s just a broken world, guys. It’s not my fault. I didn’t break it.
As we grow up we learn that a tantrum is a ridiculous response because it is demanding anyone who is listening to fix our own problem. It makes it about my problem and how anybody will fix it for me.
But I wonder if sometimes we stop growth in this area.
Even as adults when we get hurt, sometimes we blame the only one who must be to blame because he’s the one guiding us through this big world, as if he did some injustice to us. We create a fuss because something happened to US that WE didn’t deserve. And I wonder if that big person just wants to tell us,
“I’m really sorry it hurt, and I feel the pain too, because I love you so much. But it’s a broken world. I didn’t break it.”
Raw Spoon, 1-18-16
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