When I was a kid, maybe around 11 years old, I was helping a male neighbor with some yard work in his front yard. I grew up in San Antonio as an only child and the weather was nice most of the year to be outdoors and so I'm sure I was out playing outside and then started to help him with something. I don't recall what. And that's not the point of this story anyway.
I don't remember his name, don't even remember him all that much except for this one particular incident.
Of course, I was just a child back then and don't recall exactly the man's age (prolly in his late 30s or early 40s?), his name, if he had a family, not much at all. I don't think he had kids, though. Can't recall a wife or not. I just remember this white guy and this certain day. Other than this certain day, I have no other recollection of him, honestly.
So, I'm this little naïve girl helping him with something in the yard and I think he said he was going indoors (maybe for a snack or lunch?) and I asked him if I could go in too.
He replied words that I didn't comprehend as a child, and didn't really think of till years and years later after I moved away from home. Actually, it's not something that crosses my mind often, although it prolly should.
He told me something along the lines of, "You are a little girl and I'm a grown man. It's not proper for you to be alone in a house with a male that you barely know."
I had no clue what he really meant. I wasn't even remotely old enough to understand the true depth of his words, I just said, "okay' and trotted back to my house to play in my yard. I had no clue how impactful his words and advice really were.
As I reflect back, WOW how amazing and smart this guy was for me/him. He barely knew me. I barely new him. I was just this little girl who played outside a lot.
Eventually a family would move in later who became very quiet and I never really saw outdoors. I recall them living in that same house for all my teen years.
I was lucky that that man didn't take advantage of the situation or me. I am very blessed he was cognizant of what that situation could even look like for us.
It was a split second moment in time for me/him. I didn't understand or grasp what he said at the time, but now I recognize how powerful his words were way back then. I hope that moment had crossed his mind as well. He should be thanked, and he should feel good about himself for handling that situation like he did.
One of the reasons this hits home with me, is this was over 35 years ago. Who was thinking that way back near 1980? Back then we were all so much more trusting. Hitchhiking with no worries, trusting almost anyone, etc. Even as I started this blog post, many reading it in today's world may have thought I was going to share a traumatic story, instead of this bright path, right?
To fathom the depth of the maturity of him and that situation is pretty cool.
I don't remember his name, don't even remember him all that much except for this one particular incident.
Of course, I was just a child back then and don't recall exactly the man's age (prolly in his late 30s or early 40s?), his name, if he had a family, not much at all. I don't think he had kids, though. Can't recall a wife or not. I just remember this white guy and this certain day. Other than this certain day, I have no other recollection of him, honestly.
So, I'm this little naïve girl helping him with something in the yard and I think he said he was going indoors (maybe for a snack or lunch?) and I asked him if I could go in too.
He replied words that I didn't comprehend as a child, and didn't really think of till years and years later after I moved away from home. Actually, it's not something that crosses my mind often, although it prolly should.
He told me something along the lines of, "You are a little girl and I'm a grown man. It's not proper for you to be alone in a house with a male that you barely know."
I had no clue what he really meant. I wasn't even remotely old enough to understand the true depth of his words, I just said, "okay' and trotted back to my house to play in my yard. I had no clue how impactful his words and advice really were.
As I reflect back, WOW how amazing and smart this guy was for me/him. He barely knew me. I barely new him. I was just this little girl who played outside a lot.
Eventually a family would move in later who became very quiet and I never really saw outdoors. I recall them living in that same house for all my teen years.
I was lucky that that man didn't take advantage of the situation or me. I am very blessed he was cognizant of what that situation could even look like for us.
It was a split second moment in time for me/him. I didn't understand or grasp what he said at the time, but now I recognize how powerful his words were way back then. I hope that moment had crossed his mind as well. He should be thanked, and he should feel good about himself for handling that situation like he did.
One of the reasons this hits home with me, is this was over 35 years ago. Who was thinking that way back near 1980? Back then we were all so much more trusting. Hitchhiking with no worries, trusting almost anyone, etc. Even as I started this blog post, many reading it in today's world may have thought I was going to share a traumatic story, instead of this bright path, right?
To fathom the depth of the maturity of him and that situation is pretty cool.
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