‘It is rare for people to be asked the question which puts them squarely in front of themselves’
― Arthur Miller, The Crucible
My response to Day 8 of the WordPress Writing 101 course, in which we were asked to write a post as a letter.
I chose to write a letter, the old fashioned way.
To myself when I was eight.
The same age as is my son, today.
Enough said?
WordPress Writing 101 (November 2015): Day 8
andy townend 
What a wonderful idea to take this prompt this way, it is very inspirational and I love the way you did it.
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Thank you, it was quite a hard one to write and to frame the thoughts without causing offence…
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Happy Birthday to your son.
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I’m so sorry for the delayed response Lois, I seem to have lost track of time. Actually wasn’t my son’s birthday…the letter was a rather selfish letter addressed to my own selfish self at the age of eight….
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Happy Birthday to your boy! What a great age–wonder if he’s following your interests, photography and writing stories?
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Oh so sorry, see above reply to Lois, also seemed to miss your comment also. As it happens he does have own little Nikon and makes some awesome images, maybe I will include some in a future post 🙂
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That would be nice–I’d love to see his photos!
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Then I will have to see how we can make that happen 🙂
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Oh good–truly looking forward to seeing them 🙂
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Gees… my youngest is 30.
Happy belated Birthday to your son.
I think eight, being just passed seven (the age of reason) is now when you will become less smart in his eyes. Be patient. And let him learn by examples of actions.
I may not have always liked my children when they were growing up… boy teenagers are not always easier than girl teenagers (I know having been one (a girl teen) myself.
But I always gave them hugs and showed them that goodness has value beyond measure.
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Hi Jules, thank you and err….see my replies to comments above….but yes he is a smart boy and can tell the difference between words and actions and is developing a healthy questioning attitude to the world around him. He is in particular, as you might imagine, asking many questions about the terrible things that we see, hear and read about in the news.
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Ah, well that’s OK – I remember reading about a dying mother who wrote a good-bye letter to each of her three children which basically started out by saying; “You were my favorite…”
And yes it is hard to teach children who do begin to recognize the world around them – way to early – at times…about how other people choose to act.
Nana (the other grandmother) had taken the ‘littles’ to a play area just for them when older children who were not supposed to be there, basically trespassed an knocked the 2 year old down. The brave 5 year old puffed up his chest and looked the bully’s in the eye and said; “Hey you aren’t supposed to be here!” And it just is unfortunate that Nana now feels she no longer can take the ‘littles’ there to play. As she doesn’t feel she can authoritatively stand up to miscreants while taking care of the grandchildren.
It is a tough egg, this world. Teaching by example and explaining as best we can is just about all a parent can do.
I hope things settle for you to a better normalcy where you are. I did read you last post regarding where you are. Hard to judge when one doesn’t know all the facts. Sometimes excess, well seems excessive.
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Jules, this comment is worthy of a post itself, thank you for sharing this story and also for your continued contributions here on these pages. That little five year old can teach us all a thing or too…
Things are settling down here, I think, but the aftertaste lingers, we can’t let the bullies win, whether they are big, small, or hiding in the shadows.
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Often being bullied when younger – I tend to be very intolerant of bullies anywhere.
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As should we all.
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