My friend watches as her daughter and son-in-law celebrate their daughter's birthday. It becomes a several-days event that includes a princess dress, a menagerie of balloons, and elaborate day-of-birthday plans.
All is good until birthday girl's big brother takes one of the big balloons and bonks her on the head. Tears and discipline ensue.
My friend understands what's happening.
So do you and I.
But no matter how jealous we are or how little attention we're getting, violence is never the answer.
The children's grandma, my aged and wise friend, steps in.
She teaches her seven-year-old grandson the laws of attraction. Simply put, like attracts like.
"If you want to be treated kind, you have to be kind. If you want love, you have to give love. If you want people to be patient with you, you must be patient."
Once in a while, I am at the crossroads of fighting grandchildren. Most often it will be my nine-year-old grandson and his younger seven-year-old brother. They are more physical than Olivia Newton John's song. Rolling, neck crushing, punching, brothers. I've had to pull them apart. Send them to different rooms. I've given the same lectures that have been delivered for the last one thousand years; but I've never taught them the law of attraction. I'm going to do it in the most elaborate and visual way.
I'll buy magnets and label them with kindness, beauty, love, patience, and what other words of happiness come to mind. I'll show how they attract each other.
I am sure they will be cured.
Eventually.
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