Sorting out old and new relationships
When I welcomed a new "Him" ("Hi, really great to meet you"), it occasionally felt, as Yogi Berra famously said, like déjà vu all over again. And frankly, it can be tough to remember important details about the latest incumbent. Is he the vegan one or the vegetarian one? Did he say his mother was tired or retired?
My own mother always embraced (literally and metaphorically) anyone I chose to bring home. Indeed, her kindness and empathy meant she ended up patting several of my rejected "Hims" on the back as they wailed, "Why? Why?"
She had, of course, no simple answer. All she knew was that the "Hims" and I were stumbling through the emotional thickets and brambles of growing up.
I've tried to follow her example. Meanwhile, though, my son is still a teenager. So if you hear anything about whom he's dating, let me know.
Learn how to be a better listener and your kids might just open up to you — maybe.
 | This article was first printed in the February-March 2008 issue of Homemakers Magazine. Click to subscribe online and never miss an issue. |
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