Tania Kettle

How did you know?

Because you were raised under a sunless sky.

Our conversation continued on, parts of it deep, dark and disturbing, and truly sad in some areas, but it was also peppered with flashes of humour.  An emotional shrug of the shoulders of, Life is what it is, what can you do about it?  

But after the conversation had finished and I was alone, I had a deep feeling of restlessness.  That I should have done more.  Been more.

Which is unusual for me.  I give everything I can, and then let the cards fall where they may (s'cuse the pun).

But this conversation spoke to my soul of the things we see, yet do nothing about.

Because we're too busy, or it's not our business or whatever excuse we use not to step up and be counted.

But you and I need to get real because no one, that's not one single person wakes up one day and suddenly they're a P addict.  Or in jail.  There are so many choices and challenges, which happen before that point.

And yes, it comes down to not-quite-right-ed-ness in the home in a child's younger years, but no, not in the way that you think.

The worst yet most damaging, is the simplest...

Don't give your child sunshine.

And by this I use sunshine in the way of showering your child with positive, loving and kind words.  Reinforcing their greatness, in whichever way that is. Building up their self-esteem and being abundant with not just your words, but actions of love and affection.

If you take this away, replacing it with negative words or even worse, no words at all, you have a child that's in trouble.

And a child who's in trouble, becomes an adult who's trouble.

Yip. 

This has been just one of many, deeply challenging conversations, that I've had this week.

Yet easily, this was the most difficult.  

However, it was the one that ultimately reinforced my belief that we, that's you and I, do make a difference.  

By sharing our stories.  

And not just the funny ones, or funny in hindsight, but the real stories, those chapters that we all own, that we never re-read.  Or we try not to.

Because it's the strength in those stories, the Spirit that soul weaves in our DNA and how we share our stories, that makes the difference to our lost children.  

The ones born under a sunless sky.

Wishing you much love and abundance and a truly courageous heart.

T and Spirit

xx