Let them eat cake!

If any of you have read about Marie Antoinette you have probably heard this phrase.

"Let them eat cake!" she is quoted as saying.

She said it in reference to the poor, when she was told they were starving and they had no bread. She wasn't bad, or cruel. Just isolated and insulated in her world. She had no concept of starving... want or need. By her standard and those of others around her she was a good mom and a good wife. She made one very important mistake. She forgot to look outside herself. Outside the palace walls.

Oh it's nicer to only exist in your world. So much more comfortable and safe. Oh really safe!
Well, sort of....

People like this are what I call shell fish. They can't see beyond the walls of their own shell. The walls are shiny and beautiful and they show you the best reflection of yourself. And whatever you do there is no one to tell you it might be wrong. When you talk all you hear is you. " There are no hungry people out there..." Echo "there are no hungry people out there!" It's safe and strong. so it's a pretty nice place to be.

A pretty hard place for people to dig you out of.
The problem is, eventually they will.
And then I find, you who have heard nothing but your own glorious version of the world and the way it should be, don't want to humble yourselves before the truth. We all do it. some more than others. but we all do it. Sad part is those who can't accept that the shell is just a false world, well, an empty shell. And that when you live in it you become one too.
So should you be surprised you end up in the chowder? I mean sure what did you expect, no unsavory things have affected you, so you are tender and juicy...food, oh and dead. Yup!

Which is just what happened to Marie. She didn't get it. And by the time she did, if she ever did, it was too late.

When my kids were growing up. I would listen to people talk about how they could not reach their kids. Oh they just didn't get what was going on. And sadly there was nothing they could see to do about it...

Honestly?

I realized early on, I had to get out of my shell. It hurt ! It was scary! I had to show them I was right there beside them. I told them I would always be there for them. I promised them that!
That meant coming to get them if they were doing something bad, and waiting till we had all calmed down before we talked about it and dealt with the matter. It meant I had to listen without judgement when they shared personal things I did not agree with, and loving them in spite of it. That meant when I made a mistake and forgot the rules ( and I did one time...) going and immediately asking for forgiveness. And telling them honestly that I was wrong, and had broken my promise. Not an easy thing I can tell you. I had many times when I wanted to crawl back in that shell and be insulated. But, because I was there my kids made it through to the other side into adulthood. In the real world. Strong.

My kids are my rocks! They stand fast! They love much! They are not shell fish! All of them in their own way make me proud as they strive to stay out of the shell. To be real. Sure our skins are not soft and pretty. But I think their friends would say it feels good when they are there with them. And hugs with calloused hands are some of the best I have ever received.

Tasty, soft and full of ourselves we are not. Thankfully!
Because without real clarity and purpose... unnecessary, and unneeded.
are we not just on the menu for lunch?

"Let them eat shell fish!"
CRACK!
"Could you please pass the oyster crackers?"