Socially Acceptable

I had an interesting conversation with a granddaughter the other day who happened to run into a girl who she knew when she was young. They met because her grandmother (one of the other g'mas) was briefly married to this girl's dad. The girls are sort of the same age and our granddaughter would have technically been her niece and playmate for a few years, but that's another story.

It was a lively, the-world-is-small-isn't-it story and the retelling brought a new perspective to knowing how the other family handled the break up. As I listened, I wondered if it is ever a fair toss or an even draw when it comes to who was hurt the most. Most of the time we forget entirely about the coin having a second side.

This old complicated organic world has natural restrictions and consequences. All of life preys on itself: bigger-smaller, stronger-weaker, smarter-simpler, taker-giver. Kids think the world is no bigger than the arms of their embrace, even in this day and age of trying to be socially acceptable and championing for fairness and impartiality. I'm glad for that. And as for adults, I believe now it is cowardly to turn away from what we do not want to know just because it makes us sad.

I wish there was an island where everyone everywhere got what they wanted and everyone won through compromise and mutual regard. I would buy my ticket early and stand in line for days until they called my name. I would step inside and listen to the balanced sounds of harmony and smell the honeysuckle scented air. And with closed eyes I would let it seep into my heart, a lesson in righteous goodness and peace, to take back to the world I know and make it better.

God bless us anyway.