I’m not sure where to post this, so I figure this is as good a place as any.
The other day my 11 year old son came home from school and shared a story of schoolyard conflict with me in confidence. Some of his friends had been fighting and he needed to get it off his chest. Afterwards I told him that I thought he was a great friend. He’d handled a difficult situation that might pressure other people into going along with the crowd, but he didn’t judge and stuck by his friend.
I was proud of him. But what followed made me feel even prouder.
He went on to say “that’s what another friend said when he told me he was gay. He said he trusted me because I don’t judge.”
He told me this so casually, didn’t faze him in the least.
And that’s when I learned that, thank goodness, the world is changing. Slowly, person by person, the world is changing for the better.
I shared this with a friend tonight and teared up. I’m proud to know a person like my son who doesn’t pass judgment, who knows who he likes, sticks up for his friends (even against his friends).
There’s a saying that standing up against your enemies is hard, but standing up to your friends is harder. This kid does it. He’s way braver than I was at his age, possibly even now.
We have a lot to learn from our kids.