A podcast by Renae and I LISTEN AND COMMENT

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Kid's view on LOVE

One of my favorite albums is the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, not only for the musical and lyrical content, but the interludes. A teacher asks a bunch of youth what they think about love, and children know a lot about love, beyond their years, they just don't know it.

Ryan and I have been experiencing a lot during this season, it's been a maturing process to say the least. We're learning what battles to fight, what battles to walk away from, timing, submission, all of that good stuff. In a moment of reflection, I told my 4th grade students at work, "When you fall love, it's a lot of hard work and compromise," and one student chimed in, "And a lot of crying sometimes too." I chuckled at that statement, because I tend to be the cryer in the relationship, and sometimes the tears are necessary, and totally unneccesary. But I thought to myself, "I wonder what her parent's relationship is like in order for her to say that."

I asked another student about his parents. He told me that his mother doesn't work, but she helps out others when planning parties. I then asked him, "What is your dad's job?" He said, "I don't know, he's relaxing in Mexico." I had no idea he was growing up without a father in his home, I thought about how that will affect him, and I thought about how hard it must be for his mother.

Another student of mine doesn't live with her parents, she is being raised by her grandparent's with her cousin's. Her mom had a new born baby and she sees her mom and gets to spend time with her every two weeks. Her mom came to pick her up from the after-school program for a little while and after spending time with her mom, who she doesn't live with, she came up to me and said, "Miss Renae, my mom and dad don't fight anymore." I thought to myself, "What does that mean to a 4th grade girl who doesn't even live with her parents?"

Love is...who knows what it is, I feel like it's things like trust and communication and patience and kindness and everything in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 wrapped into one. I guess all I'm trying to say is, situations are complicated when love is.