The other week I learnt a life lesson. From my nine year old daughter. We’d had a disagreement over something, and, very quickly, she put her arms round me and said ‘I’m sorry’. No reasons, no excuses, no anger at all. Any time I, or possibly any adult, apologises there’d always be qualifications.
When was the last time you put your arms round someone and said sorry, no addendums?
There are many moments in my life every day where my children, or even my dog, teach me. There are lessons in humility, forgiveness, patience (lots of those) and joy. Watching my dog dig furiously on the beach, my daughter laugh, my son beam with pride about an achievement, show me so much about living. Even when they’re far from perfect, I learn forbearance.
It’s a sad day when we forget to learn the lessons set out for us. When we think we can get on just the way we are thank-you very much.
Honestly, there are days when I don’t want to go to that life school, but I find myself in it anyway. I can’t write myself an absence letter. The second the alarm goes, I’m there, with so much still to learn.
What school do you go to?
A room of one's own 