It ’ s Okay To Be a Space Cadet : Appreciating the Power of Forgiveness
Sasha Silverman
A
s a child , one book that gripped and delighted me was called , Good
Charlotte . According to my memory of the story , a little girl named Charlotte has a bad reputation in her foster home . Although she never intends to cause problems , she finds herself in constant trouble for coming late to meals , not having her stockings pulled up all the way , forgetting her chores , or spilling her food .
One day , a new caretaker comes to the foster home . This woman unconditionally sees the good in Charlotte . For every mistake Charlotte makes , the woman finds a delightfully positive interpretation . By being seen as “ good ,” Charlotte begins to shine .
Looking back , I realize I related to Charlotte in many ways . I definitely had my own “ space cadet ” streak , and it could get me into trouble . Luckily , I was surrounded by some very forgiving people . For example , in the fourth grade , my beautiful teacher asked me to run an errand for her . While she described how to find the laminating machine , what hall to go down , where to turn , and what drawer to get paper from , I nodded attentively , staring at her amazingly sculpted eyebrows . How in the world did she get them to look so smooth ? And her eyelashes . They were so long and pretty !
By the time she ’ d finished talking , and I ’ d begun marching down the hallway on my mission , I realized I hadn ’ t really heard a word she ’ d said . I stopped in my tracks , racking my brain for clues , but came up blank . It felt like walking waist-deep in water to return to my classroom , tap my teacher on the shoulder and ask her to tell me those directions once more . My sweet teacher knelt down and repeated everything to me slowly , with a twinkle in her eye .
Though I ’ m now a grown woman , I ’ m still that little girl who gets lost in daydreams and forgets simple things . The other morning , my super-responsible daughter asked if I ’ d pack her lunch so that she ’ d have time to get some extra things ready before school . “ No problem !” I assured her . Later that afternoon ,
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