If We Were Having Coffee . . . (Empathy Edition)

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I’m finally feeling better after all the sickness. I had a great Thanksgiving holiday with the family, and I am starting to get my social media back on track. School will be out for Christmas in a couple of weeks, and I’m looking forward to getting a lot of writing done over the break for what will hopefully be an awesome run of blogging next year.

And I would tell you about a conversation I had with my grandson recently. He opened a fund-raising letter from a children’s hospital because it was in holiday envelope and he thought it might be a Christmas card.

Grandson (he’s only six): It says here we can give them

some money to help sick kids feel better.

Me (looking at the letter): Did you just read all that?

Grandson: No, but look at the picture. And the dollar thingies at the bottom. We should give them some money.

Me: Well, it says we can send them $15. What if you give them five of yours, I give them five of mine, and your Grandma gives them five of hers? That will make $15.

Grandson: Yes. Let’s do that.

Me (totally testing to see what kind of response I get): You know it’s almost Christmas, and that will be 15 less dollars we have to spend for Christmas.

Grandson (looks at me as though I am a creepy space alien who has suddenly replaced his grandfather): You KNOW helping sick kids feel better is way more important than Christmas.

I was so proud of that reaction I got a little misty-eyed over it. I’m sure I am making tons of grandparenting mistakes with the little fella, but I think I’m ok in the teaching-of-empathy department.

Getty stock image.

I would tell you, speaking of empathy, that I’m very dismayed by the goings-on in Ferguson and by some things I’ve seen coming out of Cleveland this week. And the more I read about it all, the more hopeless and powerless I feel to do anything about it. American society is just too violent for me, there’s too much inequality, and the legal system doesn’t work well enough. I know it will never be perfect and it’s silly to expect that, but still. It could be a lot better. I appreciate the kindness and support of all you bloggers who took the time to comment on my #Ferguson post this week.

And I would remind you that if you’re looking for ways to meet bloggers, #ArchiveDay is going on on Twitter right now. Share a link to an old post, visit one or two you like, retweet things you find interesting, and use the activity to meet bloggers, is how that works. There’s also a Weekend Blog Hop at Single Mother Ahoy! I did the hop last week and met a couple of nice bloggers.

I’d tell you, too, that I am guest hosting #SundayBlogShare on Twitter tomorrow and I’m thrilled to do it, but a little nervous about it. I’ve moderated threads before, and I know all I have to do is be generous with retweets, talk to folks, and send out a few promotional tweets. Even so, I’ve never hosted anything as big as #SundayBlogShare and I don’t want to screw it up. You can find the rules for the #SundayBlogShare hashtag and a link to creator Suzie81’s blog here, and you are welcome to join in if you are so inclined.

Then I would ask how things are going for you, and what your plans are for the holidays.