Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Express Your Love

"They've got to be taught to love and hate, by the time they are six or seven or eight, they've got to be carefully taught..."  This is a song in "South Pacific" and I thought about it today.  I had walked into the kitchen and Jacob asked me how long it would take my nose to get better.  I commented that I didn't know but I hoped there wasn't too big of a scar and added "not that anyone cares."  Camber said, "We care" and immediately Kelsi spoke up and said, "Grandma, can I whisper something in your ear?"  And she came over and whispered, "You're the best Grandma ever."  And I have heard her tell her Grampa Greg how much she loves him.  She is very open with her accolades.  In fact, all of the grandchildren are very kind and loving and tell me they love me.  I am so glad their parents have taught them to love and express that love.

We had love and peace in our home  when I was a child but we never expressed it and I did not like to be hugged at all.  I was talking later today to my friend Connie and she said it was the same in her home.  People just did not talk about their feelings or show that kind of emotion much in their families.   Maybe some cultures did, ours did not.  I am so glad that has changed.  Of course, there was my Dad dancing at lunch with my Mom and always giving her a big kiss.  But I don't remember throwing my arms around my parents and telling them how much I loved them.

 Maybe that is why it impressed me so much, because it was unusual to be so demonstrative.

2 comments:

Linda said...

We maynot have been openly affectionate, but we certainly felt it and always knew you and dad would do anything for us, you were very good parents!

Janet said...

I reviewed my message on Express Love and actually I didn’t talk about the home in which Richard and I
Were parents—I was talking about the home I was in as a child—guess I should clarify that. I always
Liked to hug and cuddle my children and John was the only one who didn’t enjoy being hugged. I remember
Particularly with Jimmy asking him “What do you know, Jimmy?” when he was little and he would always
Say, “I love you.” But basically I am not a touchy feely person as some people are and I certainly never
Went around telling my parents, etc I loved them.

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