A small important lesson
“Love wants the best for others. Attachment takes hostages.”
—Louise Penny
L’s friends wanted her to come out and play. They came knocking on our door. She let them in, said hello.
They said, ‘Are you coming out? Let’s go.’
She said, ‘No. I don’t really want to come out and play today. I want to stay inside instead.’
One of the kids said, ‘Okay, but why?’
And Lily said, ‘I just told you why.’
‘Okay,’ they said, ‘see you later!’ And they were gone.
The whole exchange lasted maybe 3 minutes.
How beautifully she declined what she didn’t want to do. How simply and clearly. And how definitely, when asked for a reason, she referred to the one she’d already given: “I don’t want to.”
She knew that was enough of a reason. It is.
🔗 Ever wonder about the difference between fungi and lichens? Me too.