Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

While walking my dog, Una, I found some notes this summer that seemed to indicate a feud between the neighborhood children.

The first one was partially destroyed, and from what I can make out, it said, "I hate you and don't come back over here," followed by an angry squiggle.

On the back was a similar message. It had the child's name and then underneath, "We hate you." Upside down was a similar message, of which the only discernable words were "hate" and "so".

But crumpled up nearby was a very different message, as if to rub salt in the wound. It said, "We like" another child's name. Clearly, this was some sort of an effort to play favorites.

Finding these notes reminds me of unpleasant memories of childhood. No doubt, children can be cruel, sometimes for purely arbitrary reasons. There's no telling what F. did to deserve this wrath. It's untirely possible it was nothing at all. But for one reason or another, the rest of the group decided they no longer wanted that child around.

It occurs to me that, even as adults, we are sometimes just as petty, deciding we don't like someone — or even a whole race of people — purely for arbitrary reasons. If we catch ourselves doing that, we should remember how childish it is and strive to do better.

Copyright 2006 by Alyce Wilson

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