Firsts…

Scintilla Project: Day 1.

And your very first prompt choices are…

1. Who are you?

2. Life is a series of firsts. Talk about one of your most important firsts. What did you learn? Was it something you incorporated into your life as a result?

I can combine the two by saying that growing up, my siblings always considered me bossy, and that I’ve worked very hard to become  assertive, rather than demanding.

A first: I was eight years old. I was in the midst of a big important creative project–don’t ask what it was; just understand that if I was was the one creating, it must have been important. My sister, two years younger, was observing intently.

“Go get me the scissors,” I commanded.

She went obediently.

She came back empty handed.

“Mommy says I don’t have to do everything you tell me to do.”

I still remember the shock. I think that my sister had always done what I asked. It never occured to me that she wasn’t enthusiastic about responding.

That was an awakening moment when I began to learn that we each are independent beings, and that we are responsible for ourselves. That requests can be made politely, but not demanded. That laziness is not an excuse to foist off our responsibilites on another.

My sister learned something that day too, something she delights in saying when I suggest something to her…

“You’re not the boss of me!”