I have a tiny , little dilemma: Yesterday Lia, my student, and granddaughter came running int the house: "Oma, look what I found on the lawn."
She dangled a two-inch cross, carved nicely from some sort of plastic ( maybe Bakelite ) in front of me. The cross is hung from sewing twine, with a sturdy knot closing it. I said: "keep it if you want it. You know I am an atheist. I don't wear crosses."
Lia said:" well, I don't know if I want this. I don't know about god and all that."
We had the god discussion before. I do not push on her.
I told her, I would keep the necklace and send the owner to my house.
Good enough!
Now I am thinking that maybe I should make a sign, pin it, and the necklace to the wild cherry tree in front of the house and give peace a chance.
What do you think?
10
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33 comments (26 - 33)
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.It's man made... No harm if thrown away.
SkyreckedLoemm
Level 5
May 16, 2020
1
keep it WTF its just a cross you don't have to join any thing why the big deal WTF its not gonna burn your skin or don't why all the worry you must have a blessed life if this is all you got to worry about
whiskywoman
Level 8
May 16, 2020
1
I don't understand. What do you mean by "I would keep it and send the owner to my house"? Do you mean that you told Lia that you would keep it and that she should send the owner to your house? How would she know who is the owner? And by "give peace a chance", do you think that not pinning it to the tree would be a hostile gesture? I'm confused!
fishline79
Level 7
May 16, 2020
1
Sorry, to be confusing. There is no thru traffic on our street, We are in the country, with maybe a dozen houses, a handful of kids and a church under construction. Lia knows all the kids from school and could easily find out if the necklace belongs to one of them.
You say you don’t push on her. We push on our children many things we want to make sure they know, and which without them we would not wan them to go out to the world (I.e. 2x2=4, He means Helium, what is DNA, how to appreciate a symphony, respect for others, self respect... etc). I do not know why you are an atheist, but many of us have reached that conclusion after using our reasoning skills. And in there lies my answer. I would add to the list of things to push, the use of reasoning. If fact, I would make it the number one on the list. That way, the dilema is not yours but hers, and you would be giving her the perfect tool to solve the dilema.
Rodatheist
Level 7
May 16, 2020
1
Is a plastic necklace worth the bother of trying to locate the owner? Personally, I wouldn't give it a second thought.
Sgt_Spanky
Level 8
May 16, 2020
1
I believe the whole situation has nothing to do with the owner or returning the item, but about what the little girl learns from it.
Maybe try to find owner but if not, maybe it is antique and you could sell it and give money to the girl for a good book.
Arkansasalice
Level 1
May 16, 2020
1
Seems the parent(s) are fine with your helping their child decide about religion. Lucky you. Oma, haven't heard that in a long time.
JackPedigo
Level 9
May 16, 2020
1
I was the last person in my whole family to be baptized. I threw off the whole religion thing when I turned 11. From then on, no religious rituals or instructions all down the line. People get to make up their own mind.
@Spinliesel Good for you. Sounds like you had an accommodating family.
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