I've been spending time recently with kids on probation from Juvenile Hall. I learn from all the people I work with, although these young men have been some of my greatest teachers yet. They are survivors, and at a very young age have learned coping skills that the rest of us may not cultivate in an entire life time...A few days ago I was talking to a young man who was laughing and joking and telling story after story. He is ridiculously funny, and at moments has me in tears. When he was joking with me some kid came up, and just starting ragging on him, pretty hard core...and he just turned to me and started laughing. He said "You know, I love haters, seriously anyone need to have someone to hate on,
pleease hate on me. I love to be of service. Everybody always have to have someone to hate on, and I always like to have three or four hating on me." And then beamed at me...
I found myself thinking about this a lot that night after I went home. How often I try to be kind, or not hurt people's feelings, or feel bad if someone is hating on me. And, I thought how this young kid, on probation from jail, had actually learned to deal with the people that hate him. Not only was he ok with them, but he actually welcomed them, and he even loved them when they hated. Enlightened? I think so...as a wise man called Jesus once said "Love your enemies." This is the highest form of unconditional love and it takes a life time of continual practice.
Thank you Kiddo.
