I have come to this realization only after someone I know of turned 13, with a lot of things going on around her making her moody and edgy.  Sometimes that someone prefers to be left alone, reflecting about something happened at school or over the book she just read, wearing a rather sullen look.  That perosn would give you a leave-me-alone attitude if you talk to her.  Or when that person is not in a sunny mood, she wears an cloudy look to whoever around her, even though she knows she looks her best when she is truely happy.  Afterward she apologizes sincerely for behaving badly.

I told that person yesterday, 10/7/08, that I would not take to heart her attitude, however it might be.  A parent should not be so narrow-minded, unable to rise above any childish behavior.  If a parent is overparticular about a child’s attitude and take to heart any minor slight or affront, this child-like parent will have to learn to be understanding and tolerant.  Otherwise, “serve you right” for lacking of empathy. 

I never take offense on slight provocation.  It would be too touchy and miserable to be a parent or even to live this way.  Let me put it this way — when it comes to small offense, I have the skin of the thickest Rhinoceros, totally bullet-proof and am brazenly happy I can be this way.  Otherwise, I get zero thing done and will truely be disturbed. So sad.  I always pick my fight on major issues and spare myself and everybody any minor ones. 

What upset me daily, I said to that person, “is seeing you squander so much of your precious time on you-know-what. Because time is all we have in life.  Once gone is forever gone.  Have you ever seen people turn clock back?  And I would be really sad if I see you set a long-term goal and fail to reach it. Of course, you will not let it happen.”

I would think this posting carries more than one messages, the last of which is — don’t get upset if I am talking about you.