Standing Room Only

I never stood up for myself when I was young, way too shy.  You could have taken advantage of me, walked all over me & gotten away with murder as far as I was concerned.  I had no backbone, what was I gonna do?  Internally I knew I was a good person & knew the difference between right &wrong, but I never would have verbalized it, much too scary.

I've come a long way since then and now have a hard time shutting up.   Thankfully others do it for me.

Emry came home from school the other day lamenting the fact that a girl was being picked on at her Junior High for being gay.  Was she gay?  I have no idea.  But that's beside the point.  The point is my daughter knew it wasn't right and went on and on about how mean and wrong these kids were.  How it was none of their business and they had no right to talk about her in any way that was negative.  She was really upset.

I was proud of Emry for sympathizing with the picked on girl, but I had to let her know it's not enough to mentally disagree, she must stand up to anyone that is bullying others.  Standing up to others doesn't mean you yourself become the bully, just reminding people to be decent and considerate of others feelings.

I'll be the first to admit my kids are loud & rambunctious, have no shame or filter (super fun combo), feisty and sassy, and seemingly fearless.   Although it drives me nuts at times I know the same attributes that enabled Emry at 5 to jump off a bridge into water way below that most adults wouldn't attempt & willingly let snakes be wrapped around her neck are the same attributes that will give her the strength & courage to stand up for what she knows is right.

I am sure Emry will be in many similar situations in her life.  Where she has to rely on her gut, her conscious, her instincts and The Light of Christ to guide her.

I know Emry has it in her to step up, to speak for those like me who wouldn't dare speak for themselves.

I have complete faith that she will rely on what she knows is true & what she's been taught.

If I was in need, she's the first person I'd pick to have my back.