Encourage the children
When we stopped at a restaurant, we had the pleasure of meeting all four living generations of a family. The ten-year-old girl took a great deal of delight in helping her great-grandmother at the buffet line. The girl would only go back for her own food after the eldest member of the family was seated.
And as we learned, the young girl saw her great-grandmother offering a friendly smile and kind word to everyone walking by her. As more restaurant diners took notice, the girl’s parents and grandmother invited everyone interested to sit and eat with them.
Her great-grandmother was especially fond of young children and soon found herself surrounded by them with their parents looking on.
“Great-grandmother,” the young girl asked, “there’s something I don’t understand. Everywhere we go, people like you and want to talk to you. How does that happen?”
“Precious child,” she replied. “We are all the human family. We’re all made by our Creator to be who we are. Show people they are valued and loved just as they are and they do the same in return.”
“Great-grandmother,” we heard a little boy ask with a concerned voice, “has anyone ever not loved you back for being who you are?”
“The Creator has given us all free choice,” she answered. “Each of us must choose. We need to understand that when someone is ready to express who they are, then it will happen.”
“So it doesn’t have to mean someone doesn’t love us,” the boy added.
“There are always people who will love you,” she answered.
We delighted in watching the circle of children with this beautiful lady. May we encourage our children to feel the love and hear the wisdom of our elders.
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