Rise above the Hate

There are a few moments in life when you look at your children and question the world that they are growing up in.

When you see on the news about wars, people fleeing their home’s for a safer environment, people dying in desperation to leave and then witnessing acts of pure evil like the recent Paris terrorist attacks it really fills you with dread that your beautiful children will be adults in this every growing world of hate and violence.

It is then in no real doubt as a parent that we question where the love is.

That is until they show you their moral backbone that shows nothing but integrity in a world of darkness.

This week the Boy’s and I quickly popped along to our little Tesco’s to grab Milk and bread for the week. To be honest I am not a great fan of Tesco’s but this little one locally have seemed to redeem their reputation and offer as much assistance to us as possible; as they say “Every little helps”

On pulling up there was only one space free out of the 6 provided (It is a tiny local Tesco’s) I go to park and pull in when a man in a Blue Van gets up really close making the parallel park difficult. This made me end up doing a 6 point manoeuvre to get in properly; whilst this man had his head out the window laughing and heckling me.

Once we had pulled in and undone our belts this guy comes over to my window and starts mocking me:

“You need to learn to drive! You are a danger to others and need your head f***ing examined”

At this point I got out of the car and grabbed my stick, this, for some unknown reason, incited this guy to shout more abuse:

“Oh look, you’re a f***ing cr***e! You should be locked away!”

I was angry, this man’s pure aggression and ignorance had hit a nerve. I was with my children and he thought it was Okay to have a go at me, concentrating on a personal attack! How dare he!

At this point, and probably stupidly, I opened my mouth, told him to “grow up".

The next part though filled me with pride at the strength of my Boy’s love for me and their moral integrity.

The man got closer and started to square up to me.

Yet, at this exact moment the Boy’s spoke up:

James: “Oi! Stop being an angry pants (Thanks Neville and Barney) and a bully, you’re an adult!”

William: “Don’t worry James, it’s pointless even talking to someone who’s a bully. Just be sad for them that they don’t act their age and are nothing but angry pants”

The man looked shocked. He looked at me and then the boys and back at me. With a big huff he turned around and instead of going into the shop jumped back in his van and drove off.

I have to admit that I couldn’t have been more proud of them.

I was quick to open my mouth, like I am sure a lot of people would be, and showed nothing but aggression against aggression. The Boy’s on the other hand showed a level of maturity that outshone all of that.

They were right though. This man was angry and a bully. With that there isn’t any point in arguing back but instead stand your ground and feel pity that they have this much anger inside them.

This follows an incident last month when the boys and I went to the park in half term. Playing nicely, as they do (running around like lunatics), when some teenagers were sitting on the bench smoking, drinking and swearing loudly. On hearing this James decided he had something to say:

“Stop swearing, it’s not clever and you just look like an idiot”

All the teenagers looked shocked and shortly after left the park.

With all this anger and violence and just sheer aggression in this world it does give me a little bit of hope when I look at my boys in situations like these and know that they will grow up and be adults that spread love and rise above situations that are fuelled with so much hate and anger.

I hope that they keep this attitude and integrity for the rest of their lives.

I think the statement below says it all: