The Princess and the Pea – how perceptive can children be?
My 2 girls and I went to see this movie together when it first came out– this is a while ago now. Everyone in my family
knows that I am a total sook in movies. I cry at pretty much anything sad,
emotive or even happy! So in this movie the chirpy little firefly dies, (sorry
to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it) the sad music plays, I cry, nothing
unusual. Both my girls looked at me and
said, “Get a grip Mum, it’s a cartoon for goodness sake, it’s not real!!!”
A couple of years later after a particularly sad day at work, caring
for palliative patients and sharing about the day with my children, Miss perceptive 10yr old asks,
“ Mum how can you do what you do, look after people who are dying and cry when
a firefly dies in a cartoon?” – Wow, fancy putting those two things together
seemingly out of the blue like that!
It does perplex even me that I can work
with people who are dying and their grieving families and not get overwhelmed
with emotion, and yet cry at even cartoon deaths! I think somehow in the
moments I am with people who are dying, my role is as a nurse, a carer, I am
totally present for them, it is not that their situation does not touch me,
death always touches me, it’s a sacred place to be and to work. However in
movies there is no role, no duty of care, no responsibility, I am free to be
me.
We watched, Red Dog together as a family last night & at a few points in the movie, all us girls had watery eyes! So it's not just me now that cries in movies! Hopefully tears are a sign of tender, caring hearts!
How perceptive can children
be! Never underestimate the conclusions they draw from watching you!
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